Acts of the Apostles 17: 1-4, 16-34 (CEB)
Common English Study Bible, copyright 2011
Paul and Silas journeyed through Amphipolis and
Appolonia, then came to #Thessalonica, where
there was a Jewish synagogue. As was Paul's
custom, he entered the synagogue and for
three Sabbaths interacted with them on the
basis of the scriptures. Through his interpre-
tation of the scriptures, he demonstrated that
the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead.
He declared, "This Jesus whom I
proclaim to you is the Christ."
Some were convinced and joined Paul & Silas,
including a larger number of Greek God-
worshippers and quite a few prominent women. . .
While Paul waited for them in Athens, he was
deeply distressed to find that the city was flooded
with idols. He began to interact with the Jews
and Gentile God-worshippers in the synagogue.
He also addressed whoever happens to be in the
marketplace each day. Certain Epicurean and
Stoic philosophers engaged him in discussion
too. Some said, "What an amateur! What's
he trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems
to be a proclaimer of foreign gods." (They said
this because he was preaching the good news
euangelion about Jesus and the resurrection.)
They took him into custody and brought him
to the council on Mars Hill. "What is this new
teaching? Can we learn what you are talking
about? You've told us some strange things
and we want to know what they mean." (They
said this because all Athenians as well as the
foreigners who live in Athens used to spend
their time doing nothing but talking about
or listening to the newest thing.)
Paul stood up in the middle of the council on
Mars Hill and said, "People of Athens, I see
that you are very religious in every way. As I
was walking through town and carefully ob-
serving your objects of worship, I even found
an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN
GOD.' What you worship as unknown, I now
proclaim to you. God, who made the world
and everything in it, is Lord of heaven and earth.
He doesn't live in temples made with human hands.
Nor is God served by human hands, as though he
needed something, since he is the one who gives life,
breath, and everything else. From one person God
created every human nation to live on the whole
earth, having determined their appointed times
and the boundaries of their lands. God made
the nations so they would seek him, perhaps even
reach out to him and find him. In fact, God isn't
far away from any of us. In God we live, move,
and exist. As some of your own poets said,
'WE ARE HIS OFFSPRING.' (Greek poet Aratus)
Therefore, as God's offspring, we have no need
to imagine that the Divine being is like a gold,
silver, or stone image made by human skill and
thought. God overlooks ignorance of these things
in times past, but now directs everyone everywhere
to change their hearts and lives. This is because
God has set a day when he intends to judge the
world justly by a man he has appointed. God
has given proof of this to everyone by raising him
from the dead." When they heard about the
resurrection from the dead, some began to
ridicule Paul. However, others said, "We'll hear
from you about this again." At that, Paul left
the council. Some people joined him and came
to believe, including Dionysius, a member of
the council on Mars Hill, a woman named
Damaris, and several others.
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