Acts 17:10-34

New American Standard Bible

Paul in Berea

^10 (A)The brothers immediately sent ^(B)Paul and Silas away by night to ^(C)Berea, ^[a]and when they arrived, they went into ^(D)the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ Now these people were more noble-minded than those in ^(E)Thessalonica, ^[b]for they received the word with ^[c]great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. ¹² Therefore, ^(F)many of them believed, ^[d]along with a significant number of ^(G)prominent Greek ^(H)women and men. ¹³ But when the Jews of ^(I)Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in ^(J)Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. ¹⁴ Then immediately ^(K)the brothers sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and ^(L)Silas and ^(M)Timothy remained there. ¹⁵ Now ^(N)those who escorted Paul brought him as far as ^(O)Athens; and receiving a command for ^(P)Silas and Timothy to ^(Q)come to him as soon as possible, they left.

Paul in Athens

¹⁶ Now while Paul was waiting for them in ^(R)Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he observed that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ So he was reasoning ^(S)in the synagogue with the Jews and ^(T)the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be present. ¹⁸ And some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers as well were ^[e]conversing with him. Some were saying, “What could ^(U)this ^[f]scavenger of tidbits want to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was preaching ^(V)Jesus and the resurrection. ¹⁹ And they ^(W)took him and brought him ^[g]to the ^[h](X)Areopagus, saying, “May we know what ^(Y)this new teaching is ^[i]which you are proclaiming? ²⁰ For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.” ²¹ (Now all the Athenians and the strangers ^(Z)visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

Sermon on Mars Hill

²² So Paul stood in the midst of the ^[j]Areopagus and said, “Men of ^(AA)Athens, I see that you are very ^(AB)religious in all respects. ²³ For while I was passing through and examining the ^(AC)objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore, what ^(AD)you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. ^24 (AE)The God who made the world and everything that is in it, since He is ^(AF)Lord of heaven and earth, does not ^(AG)dwell in temples made by hands; ²⁵ nor is He served by human hands, ^(AH)as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; ²⁶ and ^(AI)He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having ^(AJ)determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, ²⁷ that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, ^(AK)though He is not far from each one of us; ²⁸ for ^(AL)in Him we live and move and ^[k]exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’ ²⁹ Therefore, since we are the descendants of God, we ^(AM)ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought. ³⁰ So having ^(AN)overlooked ^(AO)the times of ignorance, God is ^(AP)now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent, ³¹ because He has set ^(AQ)a day on which ^(AR)He will judge ^[l](AS)the world in righteousness ^[m]through a Man whom He has ^(AT)appointed, having furnished proof to all people ^[n]by ^(AU)raising Him from the dead.”

³² Now when they heard of ^(AV)the resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We shall hear from you ^[o]again concerning this.” ³³ So Paul went out from among them. ³⁴ But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the ^(AW)Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.