Acts

In Thessalonica

Paul and Silas traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia before arriving in Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.

As usual, Paul went to the synagogue, and for three Sabbaths, he discussed the Scriptures with them about the Scriptures.

He explained and proved to them that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and he said, “Such a Messiah is this Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.”

Some of them were convinced and joined Paul and Silas. Many Greeks sympathetic to Judaism and numerous prominent women also believed.

This only made the Jews jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers and incited a riot in the town. They went to Jason’s house, intending to bring Paul and Silas before the crowd.

Not finding them there, they dragged Jason and some believers to the authorities, shouting:

“These people who have turned the world upside down have also come here,

and Jason has welcomed them. They disregard the decrees of the Emperor and claim that there is another King, Jesus.”

This caused an uproar among the crowd and city officials, who heard what was happening.

The officials released Jason and the others on bail.

In Berea

As soon as night fell, the believers sent Paul and Silas to Beroea. Upon their arrival, they went to the Jewish synagogue.

Its members were more receptive than those in Thessalonica and received the message with great enthusiasm. Each day, they examined the Scriptures to verify if these things were true.

Many of them came to believe, just like numerous influential Greek women and many men.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that Paul had also preached the word of God in Beroea, they hurried there to cause a disturbance and incite the crowds.

Immediately, the believers sent Paul away to the coast, but both Silas and Timothy remained in Beroea.

Paul was escorted as far as Athens, and then his escort returned to Beroea with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

In Athens

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he felt very uneasy at the sight of a city full of idols.

He held discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing people, as well as daily debates in the public square with ordinary passersby.

Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him, with some asking:

“What is this babbler trying to say?”

Others commented:

“He sounds like a promoter of foreign gods.”

Because he was heard to speak of Jesus and ‘the Resurrection.’

So they took Paul and led him off to the Areopagus hall, and said:

“We would like to understand what this new teaching is that you are discussing.

Some of the things we hear you say sound strange to us, and we want to know what they mean.”

Indeed, all Athenian citizens, as well as the foreigners living there, enjoy talking about or listening to the latest news as their favorite activity.

At the Areopagus

Then Paul rose to his feet in the Areopagus hall and said:

Athenian citizens, I observe that you are very religious in every way.

As I walked around examining your shrines, I even saw an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Now, what you worship as unknown, I intend to make known to you.

God, who created the world and everything in it, does not live in man-made temples, since he is Lord of heaven and earth.

Nor does his worship depend on anything built by humans, as if he needed it. Instead, it is he who gives life, breath, and all things to everyone.

From one stock, he created the entire human race to live all over the earth,

and he set the times and boundaries for each nation.

He wanted them to seek him on their own, even if it was just by groping for him, so that they could succeed in finding him. Yet, he is not far from any of us.

For, in him, we live, move, and have our being, as some of your poets have said: for we, too, are his offspring.

If we are truly God’s children, we should not view divinity as something like a gold, silver, or stone statue—merely a creation of human art and imagination.

But now, God chooses to overlook this time of ignorance; and he calls on all people to change their ways.

He has already set a day when he will judge the world with justice through a man he has appointed. And to show everyone it’s true, he has just given a sign by raising this man from the dead.

When they heard Paul speak of a resurrection from the dead, some ridiculed him, while others said:

“We must hear you on this topic at another time.”

At that point, Paul left.

But a few did join him and believe. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus court, a woman named Damaris, and others.