Acts 17

A Short Ministry in Thessalonica

1After they passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, # 17:1 Ac 20:4; Php 4:16; 1Th 1:1; 2Tm 4:10 where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2As usual, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures, # 17:2 Ac 8:35; 9:20; 13:13–14 3explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and rise from the dead: “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah.” # 17:3 Lk 24:26; Jn 20:9; Ac 3:18; 9:22; 18:28 4Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including a large number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number of the leading women. # 17:4 Jn 7:35; Ac 14:4; 15:22

Riot in the City

5But the Jews became jealous, and they brought together some wicked men 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. # 17:5 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 welcomed them. They are all acting contrary to Caesar’s decrees, # 17:7 Lk 2:1; Rm 1:32; Eph 2:15 saying that there is another king — Jesus.” # 17:7 Lk 23:2; Jn 19:12 8The crowd and city officials who heard these things were upset. 9After taking a security bond from Jason and the others, they released them.

The Bereans Search the Scriptures

10As soon as it was night, the brothers and sisters sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. # 17:10 Ac 17:13–14; 20:4 Upon arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11The people here were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, since they received the word with eagerness and examined # 17:11 Or asked about the Scriptures # 17:11 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 the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul at Berea, they came there too, agitating and upsetting # 17:13 Other mss omit and upsetting the crowds. 14Then the brothers and sisters immediately sent Paul away to go to the coast, but Silas and Timothy # 17:14 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. # 17:15 Ac 18:1,5; 1Th 3:1

Paul in Athens

16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed 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, as well as in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. # 17:16–17 Ac 9:20; 2Pt 2:8 18Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also debated with him. Some said, “What is this ignorant show-off # 17:18 Lit this seed picker trying to say? ”

Others replied, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign deities” — because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. # 17:18 Ac 4:2; 17:31–32

19They took him and brought him to the Areopagus, # 17:19 Or Mars Hill and said, “May we learn about this new teaching you are presenting? # 17:19 Mk 1:27; Ac 17:22 20Because what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these things mean.” 21Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new.

The Areopagus Address

22Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, “People 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, ‘To an Unknown God.’ Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24The God who made the world and everything in it # 17:24 Is 42:5; Ac 14:15 — he is Lord of heaven and earth # 17:24 Dt 10:14; Ps 115:16; Mt 11:25 — does not live in shrines made by hands. # 17:24 Ac 7:48 25Neither is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, # 17:25 Jb 22:2; Ps 50:10–12 since he himself gives everyone life and breath and all things. # 17:25 Gn 2:7; Jb 27:3; 33:4; Zch 12:1 26From one man # 17:26 Other mss read blood he has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live. # 17:26 Dt 32:8; Jb 12:23; Mal 2:10 27He did this so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. # 17:27 Dt 4:7; Jr 23:23–24; Ac 14:17 28For in him we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’ # 17:28 Jb 12:10; Dn 5:23; Ti 1:12 29Since, then, we are God’s offspring, we shouldn’t think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination. # 17:29 Is 40:18–19; Rm 1:23

30“Therefore, having overlooked # 17:30 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.” # 17:31 Ps 9:8; 98:9; Mt 10:15; Ac 2:24; Rm 2:16

32When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to ridicule him, but others said, “We’d like to hear from you again about this.” 33So Paul left their presence. 34However, some people joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

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Acts 17: CSB

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Gevurot Meyruach Hakodesh 17

1Now having passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonika, where there was a shul. 2And as he did bekvius (regularly), Rav Sha'ul joined their minyan, and on shloshah Shabbatot, he gave them drashot from the Kitvei HaKodesh, 3Making a Messianic midrash (homiletical interpretation of the Scriptures) and giving the pshat (rationale) for the yissurim of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, that it was necessary for him to suffer and to stand up alive from the Mesim, saying, This one is the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, this Yehoshua whom I am proclaiming to you. 4And some of them were persuaded and were being mishtatef (join, become involved) in a chavurah with Rav Sha'ul and Sila, as did a large number of yirei Elohim (Yevanim) and not a few of the chashuve nashim. 5And the Yehudim without emunah, being filled with kinah, and having rounded up from the people of the market the gornisht and the no-goodniks, and having formed a mob, were throwing the city into an uproar. And the crowd was seeking to bring out Moshiachʼs Shlichim and throw them to the mob, so they attacked the bais of Jason. 6But not having found the Moshiachʼs Shlichim, they were dragging Jason and some other Achim b'Moshiach to the city manhigim, shouting, These, who have been turning the Olam Hazeh upside down, have come here also! 7And Jason is the one who has received them into his bais! And all these ones are acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is a king other than Caesar, this Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua! 8And they stirred up the mob and also the city manhigim who heard them saying these things. 9And having taken the bond money from Jason and the rest, they released them.

10And, immediately during the lailah, the Achim b'Moshiach sent both Rav Sha'ul and Sila to Berea. When Moshiachʼs Shlichim arrived, they joined the minyan in the shul. 11But these Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians. The Berean Yehudim received the dvar Hashem with all readiness, yom yom (daily) making a chazora (review) and examining and horiva over (analyzing) the Kitvei HaKodesh, to see if these things might be so.#17:11 Dt 29:28 12Therefore, many of them became Messianic Jews, and also of the chashuve Yevanim, not a few nashim and anashim came to emunah. 13But when the Yehudim without emunah from Thessalonika realized that also in Berea the dvar Hashem was being proclaimed by Rav Sha'ul, they came also to Berea, agitating and stirring up mobs. 14And immediately, then, the Achim b'Moshiach sent away Rav Sha'ul to go as far as to the sea, but both Sila and Timotiyos remained in Berea. 15Now the ones escorting Rav Sha'ul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving instructions to have Sila and Timotiyos come to Rav Sha'ul in Athens as quickly as possible, the ones escorting him departed.

16And awaiting them in Athens, the ruach of Rav Sha'ul was being distressed within him as he observed the city being full of elilim. 17Therefore, Rav Sha'ul was dialoguing and arguing in the shul with the Yehudim and with the yirei Elohim and also in the marketplace yom yom#17:17 street preaching to the ones who happened to be there. 18Also some of the Apikoros (Epicurean) and Stoic philosophers started conversing with Rav Sha'ul, and some were saying, What might this babbler wish to say? And others said, He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign deities. They said this because of what Rav Sha'ul was proclaiming: Yehoshua and the Techiyas HaMesim. 19And having taken hold of Rav Sha'ul, they brought him to the Areopagus, saying, Are we able to have da'as of what this new teaching is, which is being spoken by you? 20For some surprising things you bring to our hearing. Therefore, we desire to have da'as of what these things mean. 21Now all the Athenians and the visiting foreigners and tourists in Athens used to spend time doing nothing but shmoozing about the latest novelty in the news.

22And Rav Sha'ul, taking his stand in the middle of the Areopagus, said, Anashim, Athenians, with respect to everything how very religious indeed I observe you to be. 23For passing through and looking carefully at your objects of worship, I found also an altar on which had been inscribed “To the unknown g-d.” Therefore, what you worship without da'as, this I proclaim to you. 24Hashem, the One having made HaOlam and all the things in it, this One being Adon HaShomayim vaHaAretz, does not dwell in temples made by human hands.#17:24 Isa 42:5; Dt 10:14; Isa 66:1; 1Kgs 8:27 25Nor is Hashem served by human hands, as if Hashem were in need of something, since He gives to all Chayyim and breath and everything.#17:25 Ps 50:10-12; Isa 42:5 26And Hashem made from one ancestor every nation of anashim dwelling pnei kol haAretz. And Hashem has set the zmanim and the fixed boundaries of their habitations,#17:26 Dt 32:8; Job 12:23 27So that they would seek Hashem, if efsher (perhaps) they might grope for Him and might find Him, though Hashem is not far from each one of us.#17:27 Dt 4:7; Isa 55:6; Jer 23:23,24 28For “we live in Him and in Him we move and have our being,” as also some of your poets have said, “For we are all His offspring.”#17:28 Dt 30:20; Job 12:10; Dan 5:23; Epimenides; Aratus 29Therefore, being offspring of Hashem, we ought not to think that Hashemʼs essence is like gold or silver or stone, a tzelem (image) made by the skill and thought of Bnei Adam.#17:29 Isa 40:18-20 30While Hashem has disregarded and let pass the Am HaAretz times of ignorance, now, however, Hashem proclaims to kol bnei Adam everywhere, Make teshuva, 31Because he set a day in which he is about to bring MISHPAT#17:31 Ps 9:8 on the Olam Hazeh in tzedek#17:31 Dan 9:24 by an ISH#17:31 Zech 6:12 whom he appointed, having furnished proof to all by having made him to stand up alive again from the Mesim.#17:31 Ps 9:8; 96:13; 98:9; Isa 53:11 MEGILLOT YAM HAMELACH (DEAD SEA SCROLLS)

32And when they heard of the Techiyas HaMesim, some were mocking Rav Sha'ul. But others said, We will hear you again about this. 33Thus did Rav Sha'ul go out from the midst of them. 34And some anashim became mishtatef in the chavurah of Rav Sha'ul, in that they had emunah, among whom were both Dionysius, a member of the Athenian Council of the Areopagus, and an isha by name Damaris, and others with them.

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