CHAPTER 17
1 And when they had passed by Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a syna-gogue of Jews.
2 And by custom Paul entered to them, and by three sabbaths he declared to them of the scriptures,
3 and opened, and showed that it behooved Christ to suffer, and rise again from death, and that this is Jesus Christ, whom I tell to you.
4 And some of them believed, and were joined to Paul and to Silas; and a great multitude of heathen men worshipped God, and noble women not a few.
5 But the Jews had envy, and took of the common people some evil men, and when they had made a company, they moved the city. And they came to Jason’s house, and sought to bring them forth among the people.
6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and some brethren to the princes of the city, and cried, That these it be, that moved the world, and hither they came,
7 whom Jason received. And these all do against the commandments of the emperor [or of Caesar], and say, that Jesus is another king.
8 And they moved the people, and the princes of the city, hearing these things.
9 And when satisfaction was taken of Jason, and of others, they let Paul and Silas go.
10 And anon by night, brethren let [Paul and] Silas go into Berea [or brethren sent Paul and Silas into Berea]. And when they came thither, they entered into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 But these were the worthier [or the nobler] of them that be at Thessalonica, which received the word with all desire, each day seeking [the] scrip-tures, if these things had them so.
12 And many of them believed, and of heathen women honest [or honest heathen women] and men not a few.
13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica had known, that also at Berea the word of God was preached of Paul, they came thither, moving and disturbing [or distroubling] the multitude.
14 And then anon brethren delivered [or dismissed] Paul, that he should go to the sea; but Silas and Timothy dwelt there.
15 And they that led forth Paul, led him to Athens. And when they had taken a commandment of him to Silas and Timothy, that full hieingly they should come to him, they went forth.
16 And while Paul abode them at Athens, his spirit was moved in him, for he saw the city given to idolatry.
17 Therefore he disputed in the synagogue with the Jews, and with men that worshipped God, and in the doom place [or the chapping], by all days to them that heard.
18 And some Epicureans, and Stoics, and philosophers disputed with him. And some said, What will this sower of words say? And others said, He seemeth to be a teller of new fiends; for he told to them Jesus, and the again-rising.
19 And they took, and led him to Areopagus, [that is, a common school], and said, May we know, what is this new doctrine, that is said of thee?
20 For thou bringest in some new things to our ears; therefore we will know, what these things will be.
21 For all men of Athens and come-lings harboured, gave attention to none other thing, but either to say, either to hear, some new thing.
22 And Paul stood in the middle of Areopagus, and said, Men of Athens, by all things I see you as vain worshippers.
23 For I passed, and saw your maumets [or simulacra], and found an altar, in which was written, To the unknown God. Therefore which thing ye unknowing worship, this thing I show to you.
24 God that made the world and all things that be in it, this, for he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with [or by] hand,
25 neither is worshipped by man’s hands, neither hath need of anything, for he giveth life to all men, and breathing, and all things;
26 and made of one all the kind of men to inhabit on all the face of the earth, determining times ordained, and terms of the dwelling [or the habitation] of them,
27 to seek God, if peradventure they feel him, either find, though he be not far from each of you.
28 For in him we live, and move, and be. As also some of your poets said, And we be also the kind [or the kin] of him.
29 Therefore since we be the kind [or the kin] of God, we shall not deem [or guess] that godly thing is like gold, and silver, either stone, either to engraving of craft and thought of man.
30 For God despiseth the times of this unknowing, and now showeth to men, that all everywhere do penance;
31 for that he hath ordained a day, in which he shall deem the world in equity, in a man in which he ordained, and gave faith to all men, and raised him from death.
32 And when they had heard the again-rising of dead men, some scorned, and some said, We shall hear thee again of this thing.
33 So Paul went out of the middle of them.
34 But some men drew [or cleaved] to him, and believed. Among which Dionysius Areopagite was, and a woman, by name Damaris, and other men with them.