The Uproar in Thessalonica 1 WBS Now when they had passed through Amphipolis, and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. BSB BSB: When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
2 WBS And Paul, as his manner was, went in to them, and on three sabbaths reasoned with them out of 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 WBS Opening and alledging, that it was needful that Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach to you, is 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 WBS And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas: and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. 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 WBS But the Jews who believed not, moved with envy, took to them certain vile fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city in an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring 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 WBS Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying, That there is another king, one 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 WBS And they troubled the people, and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. BSB BSB: On hearing this, the crowd and city officials were greatly disturbed.
9 WBS And when they had taken security of Jason and of the other, they let them go. BSB BSB: And they collected bond from Jason and the others and then released them.
The Character of the Bereans 12 WBS Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women who were Greeks, and of men not a few. BSB BSB: As a result, many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men.
13 WBS But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. 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 WBS And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul, to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timothy abode there still. BSB BSB: The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.
15 WBS And they that conducted Paul brought him to Athens: and receiving a commandment to Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed, 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 WBS Therefore he disputed in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with 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 WBS Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? some others, He seemeth to be a setter-forth of strange gods: because he preached to them 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 WBS And they took him, and brought him to Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine is , of which thou speakest? 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 WBS For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears; we would know therefore what these things mean. BSB BSB: For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”
21 WBS (For all the Athenians and strangers who were there, spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.) 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 WBS For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I 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 WBS Neither is worshiped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 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 WBS Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like to gold, or silver, or stone graven by art and man's device. 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 WBS And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: BSB BSB: Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
31 WBS Because he hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained: of which he hath given assurance to all men , in that he hath 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 WBS And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again concerning this matter . 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 WBS So Paul departed from among them. BSB BSB: At that, Paul left the Areopagus.
34 WBS But certain men adhered to him, and believed: among whom was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, 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.