1Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica , where was a synagogue of the Jews : 2and Paul , as his custom was , went in unto them , and for three sabbath days reasoned with them from the scriptures , 3opening and alleging that it behooved the Christ to suffer , and to rise again from the dead ; and that this Jesus , whom , said he , I proclaim unto you , is the Christ . 4And some of them were persuaded , and consorted with Paul and Silas ; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude , and of the chief women not a few . 5But the Jews , being moved with jealousy, took unto them certain vile fellows of the rabble, and gathering a crowd, set the city on an uproar ; and assaulting the house of Jason , they sought to bring them forth to the people . 6And when they found them not , they dragged Jason and certain brethren before the rulers of the city , crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also ; 7whom Jason hath received : and these all act contrary to the decrees of Cæsar , saying that there is another king , one Jesus . 8And they troubled the multitude and the rulers of the city , when they heard these things . 9And when they had taken security from Jason and the rest , they let them go .
Paul in Berea
10And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Beroea: who when they were come thither went into the synagogue of the Jews . 11Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica , in that they received the word with all readiness of mind , examining the scriptures daily , whether these things were so . 12Many of them therefore believed ; also of the Greek women of honorable estate, and of men , not a few . 13But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed of Paul at Beroea also , they came thither likewise , stirring up and troubling the multitudes . 14And then immediately the brethren sent forth Paul to go as far as to the sea : and Silas and Timothy abode there still . 15But they that conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timothy that they should come to him with all speed , they departed .
Paul in Athens
16Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols . 17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons , and in the marketplace every day with them that met him . 18And certain also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him . And some said , What would this babbler say ? others , He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods : because he preached Jesus and the resurrection. 19And they took hold of him , and brought him unto the Areopagus, saying , May we know what this new teaching is , which is spoken by thee? 20For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean . 21( Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else , but either to tell or to hear some new thing .)
Paul's Sermon at the Areopagus
22And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said , Ye men of Athens, in all things I perceive that ye are very religious. 23For as I passed along , and observed the objects of your worship , I found also an altar with this inscription , TO AN UNKNOWN GOD . What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you . 24The God that made the world and all things therein , he , being Lord of heaven and earth , dwelleth not in temples made with hands ; 25neither is he served by men ’s hands , as though he needed anything , seeing he himself giveth to all life , and breath , and all things ; 26and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth , having determined their appointed seasons , and the bounds of their habitation ; 27that they should seek God , if haply they might feel after him and find him , though he is not far from each one of us : 28for in him we live , and move , and have our being ; as certain even of your own poets have said , For we are also his offspring . 29Being then the offspring of God , we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold , or silver, or stone , graven by art and device of man . 30The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked ; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent : 31inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained ; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men , in that he hath raised him from the dead . 32Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead , some mocked ; but others said , We will hear thee concerning this yet again . 33Thus Paul went out from among them . 34But certain men clave unto him , and believed : among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris , and others with them .