(When) they had passed through - Amphipolis and - Apollonia , they came to Thessalonica , where there was vvv a Jewish synagogue.
As was - (his) custom , - Paul went into ... (the synagogue) , and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures ,
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 ).
- 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.
The Jews , however , became jealous. (So) they brought in some troublemakers ... from the Mark -etplace , - 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.
But when vvv they could not find them , they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials , shouting - , “ These (men) who have turned vvv the world {upside down} have now come ... here ,
(and) Jason has welcomed them into his home .... - They {are} all defying ... Caesar’s - decrees , saying that there is another king , ( named ) Jesus ! ”
On hearing this , the crowd and - city officials - were greatly disturbed.
And they collected - bond from - Jason and the others , (and then) released them.
- As soon as - night (had fallen) , the brothers sent - - Paul and - Silas {away} to Berea. - On arriving (there) , they went into the - Jewish synagogue.
Now (the Bereans) were more noble-minded than the vvv Thessalonians - , (for) they received the message with great eagerness (and) examined the Scriptures vvv every day (to see) if these (teachings) were true.
As a result , many of them - believed , along with (quite) a few - prominent Greek women and - men.
But when the Jews from - Thessalonica learned that - Paul vvv was also proclaiming - the word - of God in - Berea , they went there themselves to incite and agitate the crowds.
- vvv The brothers immediately sent - Paul to - - the (coast) , (but) - - Silas and - Timothy - remained (in Berea).
- Those who escorted - Paul brought (him) to Athens and then (returned) with instructions for - Silas and - Timothy - to (join) ... him as soon as possible.
(While) - Paul was waiting for them in - Athens , - he was deeply disturbed in - his spirit to see that the city was full of idols.
So - he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and - God-fearing (Gentiles) , and in the Mark -etplace with those he met vvv each day.
- 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.
So they took (Paul) (and) brought (him) to the Areopagus ... , (where) they asked (him) , “ May we know what - this new teaching (is) (that) you - vvv are presenting ?
For you are bringing some strange notions to our - ears , (and) we want to know what (they) mean .... ”
Now all (the) Athenians and - foreigners who lived there spent their time (doing) nothing (more) than hearing and articulating - - new (ideas).
Then - Paul stood up in (the) meeting of the Areopagus ... (and) said , “ Men (of) Athens , I see that in every way you (are) very religious.
For as I walked around and examined your - objects of worship , I even found ... an altar vvv with this inscription : TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown , - I (now) proclaim to you.
The God who made the world and everything - in it - is (the) Lord of heaven and earth (and) {does} not live in temples made by (human) hands.
Nor is He served by human hands , as if He needed anything , (because) He Himself gives everyone life and breath and - everything (else).
- From one (man) He made every nation of men , that they should inhabit ... the whole ... - earth ; and He determined (their) appointed times and the boundaries of their - lands.
( God intended that ) they would seek - (Him) vvv (and) perhaps - reach out for Him and find (Him) , though ... He is not far from each one of us.
‘ For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As - some vvv of your (own) poets have said , ‘ - We are - (His) offspring.’
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.
- Although - God overlooked the ignorance of (earlier) times , - vvv He now commands all - people everywhere to repent.
For He has set a day vvv 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. ”
(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). ”
At that - , Paul left vvv vvv (the Areopagus).
But some - joined him (and) believed , including ... ... Dionysius the Areopagite , - a woman named Damaris , and others (who were) with them.