The Acts of the Apostles

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 17 -

And when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

And Paul, according to his custom, went in unto them; and for three sabbath days he reasoned with them out of the scriptures:

Declaring and insinuating that the Christ was to suffer, and to rise again from the dead; and that this is Jesus Christ, whom I preach to you.

And some of them believed, and were associated to Paul and Silas; and of those that served God, and of the Gentiles a great multitude, and of noble women not a few.

But the Jews, moved with envy, and taking unto them some wicked men of the vulgar sort, and making a tumult, set the city in an uproar; and besetting Jason’s house, sought to bring them out unto the people.

And not finding them, they drew Jason and certain brethren to the rulers of the city, crying: They that set the city in an uproar, are come hither also;

Whom Jason hath received; and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.

And they stirred up the people, and the rulers of the city hearing these things,

And having taken satisfaction of Jason and of the rest, they let them go.

The Character of the Bereans

But the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea. Who, when they were come thither, went into the synagogue of the Jews.

Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness, daily searching the scriptures, whether these things were so.

And many indeed of them believed, and of honourable women that were Gentiles, and of men not a few.

And when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was also preached by Paul at Berea, they came thither also, stirring up and troubling the multitude.

And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul, to go unto the sea; but Silas and Timothy remained there.

And they that conducted Paul, brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a commandment from him to Silas and Timothy, that they should come to him with all speed, they departed.

Paul in Athens

Now whilst Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him, seeing the city wholly given to idolatry.

He disputed, therefore, in the synagogue with the Jews, and with them that served God, and in the marketplace, every day with them that were there.

And certain philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoics disputed with him; and some said: What is it, that this word sower would say? But others: He seemeth to be a setter forth of new gods; because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.

And taking him, they brought him to the Areopagus, saying: May we know what this new doctrine is, which thou speakest of?

For thou bringest in certain new things to our ears. We would know therefore what these things mean.

(Now all the Athenians, and strangers that were there, employed themselves in nothing else, but either in telling or in hearing some new thing.)

Paul’s Address in the Areopagus

But Paul standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious.

For passing by, and seeing your idols, I found an altar also, on which was written: To the unknown God. What therefore you worship, without knowing it, that I preach to you:

God, who made the world, and all things therein; he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Neither is he served with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing; seeing it is he who giveth to all life, and breath, and all things:

And hath made of one, all mankind, to dwell upon the whole face of the earth, determining appointed times, and the limits of their habitation.

That they should seek God, if happily they may feel after him or find him, although he be not far from every one of us:

For in him we live, and move, and are; as some also of your own poets said: For we are also his offspring.

Being therefore the offspring of God, we must not suppose the divinity to be like unto gold, or silver, or stone, the graving of art, and device of man.

And God indeed having winked at the times of this ignorance, now declareth unto men, that all should every where do penance.

Because he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in equity, by the man whom he hath appointed; giving faith to all, by raising him up from the dead.

And when they had heard of the resurrection of the dead, some indeed mocked, but others said: We will hear thee again concerning this matter.

So Paul went out from among them.

But certain men adhering to him, did believe; among whom was also Dionysius, the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.

Paul, as was his custom, went in to them; and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”

Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas: of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the chief women.

But the unpersuaded Jews took along

(a)

some wicked men from the marketplace and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people.

When they didn’t find them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers(b) before the rulers of the city, crying, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here also,

whom Jason has received. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus!”

The multitude and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things.

When they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

The Character of the Bereans

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.

Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Beroea also, they came there likewise, agitating the multitudes.

Then the brothers immediately sent out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed there.

But those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens. Receiving a commandment to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him very quickly, they departed.

Paul in Athens

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols.

So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him.

Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also

(c)

were conversing with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign deities,” because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.

They took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is, which you are speaking about?

For you bring certain strange things to our ears. We want to know therefore what these things mean.”

Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

Paul’s Address in the Areopagus

Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, “You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.

For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, I announce to you.

The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands.

He isn’t served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath and all things.

He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons and the boundaries of their dwellings,

that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

‘For in him we live, move, and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’

Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and design of man.

The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent,

because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.”

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, “We want to hear you again concerning this.”

Thus Paul went out from among them.

But certain men joined with him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Footnotes

(a)17:5 TR reads “And the Jews who were unpersuaded, becoming envious and taking along” instead of “But the unpersuaded Jews took along”

(b)17:6 The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may be also correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”