The Uproar in Thessalonica 1 ULT Now passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where a synagogue of the Jews was. BSB BSB: When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
2 ULT And according to the custom of Paul, he went to them, and on three Sabbaths he was reasoning with them from the Scriptures, BSB BSB: As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3 ULT fully opening them and demonstrating that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and{ saying},“This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” BSB BSB: explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he declared.
4 ULT And some from them were persuaded and were associated with Paul and Silas, both a large number of worshiping Greeks and not a few of the leading women. BSB BSB: Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women.
5 ULT But the Jews, having become jealous, and having brought certain wicked men from the marketplace, and having gathered a crowd, they agitated the city. And attacking the house of Jason, they sought to lead them out to the people. BSB BSB: The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people.
7 ULT whom Jason and all these men have welcomed. They are acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Jesus.” BSB BSB: and Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, named Jesus!”
8 ULT And they agitated the crowd and the city officials hearing these things. BSB BSB: On hearing this, the crowd and city officials were greatly disturbed.
9 ULT And having received a bond from Jason and the rest, they released them. BSB BSB: And they collected bond from Jason and the others and then released them.
The Character of the Bereans 12 ULT Then indeed many of them believed, even influential Greek women and not a few men. BSB BSB: As a result, many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men.
13 ULT But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was also being proclaimed by Paul at Berea, they came there also, exciting and troubling the crowds. BSB BSB: But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul was also proclaiming the word of God in Berea, they went there themselves to incite and agitate the crowds.
14 ULT So then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to go as far as to the sea, but both Silas and Timothy stayed there. BSB BSB: The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.
15 ULT But the ones conducting Paul brought him as far as Athens and, having received a command to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him as quickly as possible, they departed. BSB BSB: Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
Paul in Athens 17 ULT So indeed he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the ones worshiping and in the marketplace every day with the ones meeting him. BSB BSB: So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day.
18 ULT But also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were disputing with him. And some were saying,“What might this word- picker want to say?” But others{ said},“He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he was proclaiming Jesus and the resurrection. BSB BSB: Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.
19 ULT And taking hold of him, they brought him to the Areopagus, saying,“Are we able to know what this new teaching{ is} that is being spoken by you? BSB BSB: So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, where they asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
20 ULT For you are bringing some startling things into our ears. Therefore, we wish to know what these things want to be.” BSB BSB: For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”
21 ULT (Now all the Athenians and the sojourning foreigners were devoting their leisure to nothing other than either to say something or to hear something newer.) BSB BSB: Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas.
Paul’s Address in the Areopagus 23 ULT For passing through and observing your objects of worship, I even found an altar on which had been inscribed,‘To an Unknown God.’ What therefore you worship not knowing, this I announce to you. BSB BSB: For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.
25 ULT Neither is he cared for by hands of men, needing anything, himself giving life and breath and all things to all. BSB BSB: Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
29 ULT Therefore, being offspring of God, we ought not to consider the Divine to be similar to gold or silver or stone— images of the skill and imagination of man. BSB BSB: Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.
30 ULT Therefore God, having indeed overlooked the times of ignorance, now to men commands everyone everywhere to repent, BSB BSB: Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
31 ULT because he has set a day in which he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has appointed, having provided assurance to all, having raised him from the dead.” BSB BSB: For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
32 ULT Now hearing of the resurrection of the dead, some indeed mocked, but others said,“We will hear you also again concerning this.” BSB BSB: When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock him, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this topic.”
33 ULT So Paul went out from their midst. BSB BSB: At that, Paul left the Areopagus.
34 ULT But certain men, being joined to him, believed, among whom{ were} even Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman, Damaris by name, and others with them. BSB BSB: But some joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others who were with them.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.