1Then they traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, Ac 20:4; Php 4:16; 1Th 1:1; 2Tm 4:10 where there was a Jewish synagogue.

2As usual, Paul went to the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures, Ac 8:35; 9:20; 13:13-14

3explaining and showing that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead: “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah.” Lk 24:26; Jn 20:9; Ac 3:18; 9:22; 18:28

4Then some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including a great number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number Lit as well as not a few of the leading women. Jn 7:35; Ac 14:4; 15:22

5But the Jews became jealous, and they brought together some scoundrels from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. Attacking Jason’s house, they searched for them to bring them out to the public assembly. Ac 17:13; Rm 16:21; 1Th 2:14-16

6When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too,

7and Jason has received them as guests! They are all acting contrary to Caesar’s decrees, Lk 2:1; Rm 1:32; Eph 2:15 saying that there is another king — Jesus! ” Lk 23:2; Jn 19:12

8The Jews stirred up the crowd and the city officials who heard these things.

9So taking a security bond from Jason and the others, they released them.

10As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea. Ac 17:13-14; 20:4 On arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.

11The people here were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, since they welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures Is 34:16; Lk 16:29; Jn 5:39 daily to see if these things were so.

12Consequently, many of them believed, including a number of the prominent Greek women as well as men.

13But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that God’s message had been proclaimed by Paul at Berea, they came there too, agitating and disturbing Other mss omit and disturbing the crowds.

14Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to go to the sea, but Silas and Timothy Mt 10:23; Ac 15:22; 16:1 stayed on there.

15Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they departed. Ac 18:1,5; 1Th 3:1

16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was troubled within him when he saw that the city was full of idols.

17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who worshiped God and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. Ac 9:20; 2Pt 2:8

18Then also, some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers argued with him. Some said, “What is this pseudo-intellectual Lit this seed picker ; = one who picks up scraps trying to say? ”

19They took him and brought him to the Areopagus, Or Mars Hill, the oldest and most famous court in Athens with jurisdiction in moral, religious, and civil matters and said, “May we learn about this new teaching you’re speaking of? Mk 1:27; Ac 17:22

20For what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these ideas mean.”

21Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new.

22Then Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that you are extremely religious in every respect.

23For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed:

30“Therefore, having overlooked Lk 24:47; Ac 14:16; Rm 3:25; Ti 2:11-12; 1Pt 1:14; 4:3 the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent,

31because He has set a day when He is going to judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.” Ps 9:8; 98:9; Mt 10:15; Ac 2:24; Rm 2:16

32When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to ridicule him. But others said, “We’d like to hear from you again about this.”

33Then Paul left their presence.

34However, some men joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.