1Paul preaching in the synagogue at Thessalonica, some believe, both Jews and Greeks. 5The unbelieving Jews raise an uproar. 10Paul and Silas are sent to Berea: the Berean Jews are commended for searching the scriptures. 13The Jews of Thessalonica follow and drive Paul from Berea. 16At Athens Paul disputing is carried before the court of Areopagus: 22he preaching the living God, to the Athenians unknown; his general call to repentance; the resurrection of Christ; and his coming to judgment. 32Some mock, others believe.
1NOW when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to aThessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
a ch. 20.4; 27.2. 1Th. 1.1. 2Th. 1.1. Phi. 4.16. 2Ti. 4.10.
2And Paul, bas his *manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them cout of the scriptures,
*manner-custom, habit.
b ch. 3.26; 9.20; 13.5,14,46. Lu. 4.16. v.10,17. ch. 14.1; 18.4,19; 19.8. c ch. 8.35; 18.28; 28.23.
3dOpening and *alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, 1whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
*alleging-bringing evidence.
1Or, whom, said he, I preach, ch. 15.5.
d Lu. 24.26,27,32,44,46. 1Co. 15.3,4. Ga. 3.1. Ps. 22; 60; 69; 72. Is. 4; 40; 42; 49; 50; 52; 53. ch. 18.28.
4eAnd some of them believed, and fconsorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout gGreeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
e ch. 14.1; 28.24; 4.23. Ps. 119.63. f 2Co. 8.5. 1Th. 1.5,6. g Jn. 12.20. ch.13.43; 16.14. v.17.
5¶hBut the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain *lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of iJason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
*lewd-vicious, ignorant.
h v.13. ch. 13.45,50; 14.2,19; 18.12; 19.24. Ju. 9.4. i Ro. 16.21.
6And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain jbrethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, kThese that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
j v.10,14. k 1Ki. 18.17. ch. 16.20; 24.5. Lu. 23.2,5.
7Whom Jason hath received: and lthese all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
l ch. 24.5. Jn. 19.12. Lu. 23.2. Ezr. 4.12,15. Es. 3.8. Da. 3.12; 6.13.
8And mthey troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
m Mat. 2.3. Jn. 11.48. ch. 5.17,24.
9And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.
10¶nAnd the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
n ch. 9.25; 23.23,24. Jos. 2.15,16. v.14. Mat. 10.23.
11These were omore noble than those in Thessalonica, in that pthey received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
o Da. 5.12,14. Ps. 16.3; 119.99,100. Pr. 12.26; 17.27. p ch. 11.1; 2.41. Ja. 1.21. 1Pe. 2.2. 1Th. 1.5; 2.13; 5.21. 1Jn. 4.1. Is. 8.20; 34.16. Lu. 16.29; 24.44. Jn. 5.39; 7.17.
12qTherefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
q ch. 2.41; 4.4; 5.14; 6.7; 9.42; 12.24; 13.48,50; 14.1; 18.10; 19.17.
13But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, rthey came thither also, and stirred up the people.
r ch. 14.2; 13.50. Lu. 12.51. 1Th. 2.15,16.
14sAnd then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and tTimotheus abode there still.
s v.10. Mat. 10.23. ch. 14.6; 18.1. t ch. 16.1.
15And they that uconducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment vunto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.
u ch. 15.3. v ch. 18.5. v.4,10. 1Th. 1.1. 2Th. 1.1.
16¶Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, whis spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city 2wholly given to idolatry.
2Or, full of idols.
w 2Pe. 2.8. Ex. 32.19. Ps. 119.136,158.
17xTherefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
x v.2-4,10. Mar. 16.15. 1Ti. 2.7. ch. 18.4,19; 19.8,9.
18Then certain yphilosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this 3babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he zpreached unto them Jesus, and athe resurrection.
3Or, base fellow.
y Col. 2.8. z 1Co. 2.2; 15.1-4. v.3. ch. 22.15; 26.23. a ch. 4.2.
19And they took him, and brought him unto 4Areopagus, saying, May we know what this bnew doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is ?
4Or, Mars' hill: it was the highest court in Athens, v.22.
b Jn. 13.34. 1Jn. 2.7,8.
20For thou bringest ccertain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
c Ho. 8.12.
21(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
22¶Then Paul stood in the midst of 5Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are dtoo superstitious.
5Or, the court of the Areopagites, v.19.
d Je. 50.38. Is. 57.5.
23For as I passed by, and beheld your 6*devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
6Or, gods that ye worship, Ga. 4.8. 2Th. 2.4.
*devotions-objects of worship.
24eGod that made the world and all things therein, seeing that fhe is Lord of heaven and earth, gdwelleth not in temples made with hands;
e Ge. 1.1. Ex. 20.11. ch. 4.24; 14.15. Ps. 33.6; 24.1; 104; 148. f Mat. 11.25. g ch. 7.48. 1Ki. 8.27. Jn. 4.23. Is. 66.1.
25hNeither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he igiveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
h Ps. 50.8-12; 16.2. Job 22.2; 35.6. i Ge. 2.7. Nu. 16.22; 27.16. Job 12.10; 27.3; 33.4. Pr. 24.12. Is. 42.5; 57.16. Da. 4.35. Zec. 12.1. Ro. 11.36.
26jAnd hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and khath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
j Ge. 3.20. Mal. 2.10. Ro. 5.12. 1Co. 15.22,47. k De. 32.8; 30.20. Ps. 31.15. Job 14.5. Is. 45.21. ch. 15.18.
27lThat they should seek the Lord, if *haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not mfar from every one of us:
*haply-perhaps.
l Ro. 1.20; 2.4. ch. 14.17. Ps. 19.1-6. m Je. 23.23,24. 1Ki. 8.27. Ps. 139.1-13.
28For nin him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own opoets have said, For we are also his offspring.
n Col. 1.17. Ro. 11.36. He. 1.3. Job 12.10. o Tit. 1.12. 1Co. 15.32.
29Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, pwe ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
p Is. 40.18. Ro. 1.20,23,25. Ps. 106.20.
30qAnd the times of this ignorance God *winked at; but now rcommandeth all men every where to repent:
*winked at-overlooked.
q ch. 14.16. Ro. 3.25. Ps. 81.12. r Ro. 13.11. Ep. 3.5,6. Tit. 2.11,12. 1Pe. 1.14; 4.3. Lu. 24.47.
31Because she hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he 7hath given assurance unto all men , in that he hath raised him from the dead.
7Or, offered faith, 1Co. 15. Ro. 8.9. ch. 2.24.
s ch. 10.42. Ro. 2.16. Jn. 5.22. Mat. 24.36; 25.31-46. Ro. 14.9,10. 2Co. 5.10. 2Ti. 4.1.
32¶And when they heard of the tresurrection of the dead, some umocked: and others said, We will hear thee vagain of this matter.
t ch. 26.8. u ch. 2.13. Ge. 19.14. 2Ch. 36.16. v ch. 24.25. Lu. 14.18.
33wSo Paul departed from among them.
w Ho. 4.17. Re. 22.11.
34xHowbeit certain men *clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the yAreopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
*clave-clung.
x Ro. 11.5. ch. 13.48. Mat. 20.16. Lu. 12.32. y v.19,22.