1 Paul|strong="G1510" and|strong="G2532" Silas traveled|strong="G1353" through|strong="G1353" the|strong="G3588" cities of|strong="G1519" Amphipolis|strong="G0295" and|strong="G2532" Apollonia|strong="G0624". They|strong="G2532" came|strong="G2064" to|strong="G1519" the|strong="G3588" city|strong="G3699" of|strong="G1519" Thessalonica|strong="G2332", where|strong="G3699" there|strong="G1510" was|strong="G1510" a|strong="G1510" Jewish|strong="G2453" synagogue|strong="G4864".
2 Paul|strong="G3972" went|strong="G1525" into|strong="G1525" the|strong="G3588" synagogue to|strong="G4314" see the|strong="G3588" Jews as|strong="G2596" he|strong="G2532" always did|strong="G1525". The|strong="G3588" next three|strong="G5140" weeks, on|strong="G1909" each|strong="G2596" Sabbath|strong="G4521" day|strong="G4521", he|strong="G2532" discussed|strong="G1256" the|strong="G3588" Scriptures|strong="G1124" with|strong="G4314" them|strong="G0846".
3 He|strong="G2532" explained the|strong="G3588" Scriptures to|strong="G2532" show them|strong="G3739" that|strong="G3754" the|strong="G3588" Messiah|strong="G5547" had|strong="G2424" to|strong="G2532" die and|strong="G2532" then|strong="G2532" rise|strong="G0450" from|strong="G1537" death|strong="G3498". He|strong="G2532" said|strong="G2532", “This|strong="G3778" Jesus|strong="G2424" that|strong="G3754" I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G1510" telling you|strong="G5210" about|strong="G3588" is|strong="G1510" the|strong="G3588" Messiah|strong="G5547".”
4 Some|strong="G5100" of|strong="G1537" the|strong="G3588" Jews there|strong="G4183" believed Paul|strong="G3972" and|strong="G2532" Silas|strong="G4609" and|strong="G2532" decided to|strong="G2532" join them|strong="G0846". Also|strong="G2532", a|strong="G2532" large|strong="G4183" number|strong="G4128" of|strong="G1537" Greeks|strong="G1672" who|strong="G3588" were|strong="G3588" worshipers of|strong="G1537" the|strong="G3588" true God|strong="G0846" and|strong="G2532" many|strong="G4183" important women|strong="G1135" joined|strong="G4345" them|strong="G0846".
5 But|strong="G1161" the|strong="G3588" Jews|strong="G2453" who|strong="G3588" did|strong="G5100" not|strong="G2532" believe became jealous|strong="G2206", so|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" got some|strong="G5100" bad|strong="G4190" men|strong="G0435" from|strong="G0435" around the|strong="G3588" city|strong="G4172" center to|strong="G1519" make trouble. They|strong="G0846" formed|strong="G3792" a|strong="G2532" mob|strong="G3792" and|strong="G2532" caused a|strong="G2532" riot in|strong="G1519" the|strong="G3588" city|strong="G4172". They|strong="G0846" went|strong="G4254" to|strong="G1519" Jason’s|strong="G2394" house|strong="G3614", looking|strong="G2212" for|strong="G1519" Paul|strong="G0846" and|strong="G2532" Silas. They|strong="G0846" wanted|strong="G2212" to|strong="G1519" bring|strong="G4254" them|strong="G0846" out|strong="G1438" before|strong="G4254" the|strong="G3588" people|strong="G0846".
6 When|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" did|strong="G2147" not|strong="G3361" find|strong="G2147" them|strong="G0846", they|strong="G0846" dragged|strong="G4951" Jason|strong="G2394" and|strong="G2532" some|strong="G5100" of|strong="G1909" the|strong="G3588" other|strong="G1161" believers to|strong="G1909" the|strong="G3588" city|strong="G4173" leaders|strong="G3754". The|strong="G3588" people|strong="G0846" shouted|strong="G0994", “These|strong="G3778" men|strong="G3778" have|strong="G2532" made trouble everywhere in|strong="G1909" the|strong="G3588" world|strong="G3625", and|strong="G2532" now|strong="G1161" they|strong="G0846" have|strong="G2532" come here|strong="G1759" too|strong="G2532"!
7 Jason|strong="G2394" is|strong="G1510" keeping them|strong="G3739" in|strong="G2532" his|strong="G3956" house. They|strong="G3739" all|strong="G3956" do|strong="G4238" things|strong="G3778" against|strong="G0561" the|strong="G3956" laws of|strong="G3956" Caesar|strong="G2541". They|strong="G3739" say|strong="G3004" there|strong="G1510" is|strong="G1510" another|strong="G2087" king|strong="G0935" called|strong="G3004" Jesus|strong="G2424".”
8 When|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" city|strong="G4173" leaders and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" other|strong="G1161" people|strong="G3793" heard|strong="G0191" this|strong="G3778", they|strong="G2532" became very|strong="G3778" upset.
9 They|strong="G0846" made Jason|strong="G2394" and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" other|strong="G3062" believers deposit money|strong="G0846" to|strong="G2532" guarantee that|strong="G0846" there|strong="G2425" would|strong="G0846" be|strong="G2532" no more trouble. Then|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" let|strong="G0630" them|strong="G0846" go|strong="G0630".
10 That|strong="G3748" same|strong="G2532" night|strong="G3571" the|strong="G3588" believers sent|strong="G1599" Paul|strong="G3972" and|strong="G2532" Silas|strong="G4609" to|strong="G1519" another city named Berea|strong="G0960". When|strong="G2532" they|strong="G2532" arrived|strong="G3854" there|strong="G1161", they|strong="G2532" went|strong="G0549" to|strong="G1519" the|strong="G3588" Jewish|strong="G2453" synagogue|strong="G4864".
11 The|strong="G3956" people|strong="G3956" in|strong="G1722" Berea were|strong="G1510" more|strong="G2596" open-minded than|strong="G2104" those|strong="G3588" in|strong="G1722" Thessalonica|strong="G2332". They|strong="G1161" were|strong="G1510" so|strong="G3779" glad to|strong="G2596" hear the|strong="G3956" message|strong="G3056" Paul|strong="G1510" told them|strong="G1722". They|strong="G1161" studied the|strong="G3956" Scriptures|strong="G1124" every|strong="G3956" day|strong="G2250" to|strong="G2596" make sure that|strong="G3778" what|strong="G3588" they|strong="G1161" heard was|strong="G1510" really true|strong="G3779".
12 The|strong="G3588" result|strong="G1537" was|strong="G3588" that|strong="G4100" many|strong="G4183" of|strong="G1537" them|strong="G0846" believed|strong="G4100", including|strong="G2532" many|strong="G4183" important Greek|strong="G1674" women|strong="G1135" and|strong="G2532" men|strong="G0435".
13 But|strong="G1161" when|strong="G5613" the|strong="G3588" Jews|strong="G2453" in|strong="G1722" Thessalonica|strong="G2332" learned|strong="G1097" that|strong="G3754" Paul|strong="G3972" was|strong="G3588" telling people|strong="G3793" God’s|strong="G2316" message|strong="G3056" in|strong="G1722" Berea|strong="G0960", they|strong="G2532" came|strong="G2064" there|strong="G2546" too|strong="G2532". They|strong="G2532" upset the|strong="G3588" people|strong="G3793" and|strong="G2532" made trouble.
14 So|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" believers immediately|strong="G2112" sent|strong="G1821" Paul|strong="G3972" away|strong="G1821" to|strong="G1909" the|strong="G3588" coast, but|strong="G1161" Silas|strong="G4609" and|strong="G2532" Timothy|strong="G5095" stayed|strong="G5278" in|strong="G1909" Berea.
15 Those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" went|strong="G2064" with|strong="G4314" Paul|strong="G3972" took|strong="G2983" him|strong="G0846" to|strong="G4314" the|strong="G3588" city|strong="G0846" of|strong="G1785" Athens|strong="G0116". They|strong="G0846" returned|strong="G2064" with|strong="G4314" a|strong="G5613" message for|strong="G4314" Silas|strong="G4609" and|strong="G2532" Timothy|strong="G5095" to|strong="G4314" come|strong="G2064" and|strong="G2532" join him|strong="G0846" as|strong="G5613" soon|strong="G5036" as|strong="G5613" they|strong="G0846" could.
16 While|strong="G1722" Paul|strong="G3972" was|strong="G1510" waiting|strong="G1551" for|strong="G1722" Silas and|strong="G1161" Timothy in|strong="G1722" Athens|strong="G0116", he|strong="G0846" was|strong="G1510" upset because|strong="G1722" he|strong="G0846" saw|strong="G2334" that|strong="G0846" the|strong="G3588" city|strong="G4172" was|strong="G1510" full|strong="G2712" of|strong="G4151" idols|strong="G2712".
17 In|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3956" synagogue|strong="G4864" he|strong="G2532" talked with|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3956" Jews|strong="G2453" and|strong="G2532" with|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3956" Greeks who|strong="G3588" were|strong="G2453" worshipers of|strong="G2250" the|strong="G3956" true God|strong="G4314". He|strong="G2532" also|strong="G2532" went to|strong="G4314" the|strong="G3956" public square every|strong="G3956" day|strong="G2250" and|strong="G2532" talked with|strong="G1722" everyone|strong="G3956" who|strong="G3588" came by|strong="G1722".
18 Some|strong="G5100" of|strong="G5100" the|strong="G3588" Epicurean and|strong="G2532" some|strong="G5100" of|strong="G5100" the|strong="G3588" Stoic|strong="G4770" philosophers|strong="G5386" argued with|strong="G2532" him|strong="G0846".
19 They|strong="G0846" took|strong="G1949" Paul|strong="G0846" to|strong="G3004" a|strong="G5259" meeting of|strong="G1909" the|strong="G3588" Areopagus|strong="G0697" council. They|strong="G0846" said|strong="G3004", “Please explain to|strong="G3004" us|strong="G3004" this|strong="G3778" new|strong="G2537" idea that|strong="G1097" you|strong="G4771" have|strong="G3588" been teaching|strong="G1322".
20 The|strong="G3588" things|strong="G3778" you|strong="G1510" are|strong="G1510" saying are|strong="G1510" new to|strong="G1519" us|strong="G1519". We|strong="G2249" have|strong="G1510" never heard|strong="G0189" this|strong="G3778" teaching before|strong="G1519", and|strong="G3778" we|strong="G2249" want|strong="G2309" to|strong="G1519" know|strong="G1097" what|strong="G5101" it|strong="G3778" means|strong="G1510".”
21 (The|strong="G3956" people|strong="G3956" of|strong="G5100" Athens|strong="G0117" and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3956" foreigners|strong="G3581" who|strong="G3588" lived there|strong="G1161" spent all|strong="G3956" their|strong="G2532" time|strong="G2119" either|strong="G2228" telling|strong="G3004" or|strong="G2228" listening|strong="G0191" to|strong="G1519" all|strong="G3956" the|strong="G3956" latest ideas.)
22 Then|strong="G1161" Paul|strong="G3972" stood|strong="G2476" up before|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3956" meeting of|strong="G0435" the|strong="G3956" Areopagus|strong="G0697" council and|strong="G1161" said|strong="G5346", “Men|strong="G0435" of|strong="G0435" Athens|strong="G0117", everything|strong="G3956" I|strong="G1161" see|strong="G2334" here|strong="G1722" tells me|strong="G2334" you|strong="G5210" are|strong="G3956" very religious.
23 I|strong="G1473" was|strong="G3739" going|strong="G1330" through|strong="G1722" your|strong="G2532" city and|strong="G2532" I|strong="G1473" saw the|strong="G3588" things|strong="G3778" you|strong="G5210" worship|strong="G4574". I|strong="G1473" found|strong="G2147" an|strong="G2532" altar|strong="G1041" that|strong="G3739" had|strong="G3739" these|strong="G3778" words|strong="G2532" written|strong="G1924" on|strong="G1722" it|strong="G2147": ‘\+w to|strong="G2532"\+w* \+w an|strong="G2532"\+w* \+w unknown|strong="G0050"\+w* \+w god|strong="G2316"\+w*.’ You|strong="G5210" worship|strong="G4574" a|strong="G2147" god|strong="G2316" that|strong="G3739" you|strong="G5210" don’t know|strong="G0050". This|strong="G3778" is|strong="G2316" the|strong="G3588" God|strong="G2316" I|strong="G1473" want to|strong="G2532" tell you|strong="G5210" about|strong="G1722".
24 “He|strong="G2532" is|strong="G2316" the|strong="G3956" God|strong="G2316" who|strong="G3588" made|strong="G4160" the|strong="G3956" whole|strong="G3956" world|strong="G2889" and|strong="G2532" everything|strong="G3956" in|strong="G1722" it|strong="G0846". He|strong="G2532" is|strong="G2316" the|strong="G3956" Lord|strong="G2962" of|strong="G2316" the|strong="G3956" land|strong="G1093" and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3956" sky|strong="G3772". He|strong="G2532" does|strong="G4160" not|strong="G3756" live|strong="G2730" in|strong="G1722" temples|strong="G3485" built by|strong="G1722" human|strong="G5499" hands|strong="G5499".
25 He|strong="G2532" is|strong="G5100" the|strong="G3956" one|strong="G5100" who|strong="G3588" gives|strong="G1325" people|strong="G3956" life|strong="G2222", breath|strong="G4157", and|strong="G2532" everything|strong="G3956" else|strong="G2532" they|strong="G0846" need. He|strong="G2532" does|strong="G3761" not|strong="G3761" need any|strong="G5100" help|strong="G5495" from|strong="G5259" them|strong="G0846". He|strong="G2532" has|strong="G5100" everything|strong="G3956" he|strong="G2532" needs.
26 God|strong="G0846" began|strong="G1909" by|strong="G1537" making|strong="G4160" one|strong="G1520" man|strong="G0444", and|strong="G2532" from|strong="G1537" him|strong="G0846" he|strong="G2532" made|strong="G4160" all|strong="G3956" the|strong="G3956" different people|strong="G0444" who|strong="G3588" live|strong="G2730" everywhere in|strong="G1909" the|strong="G3956" world|strong="G1093". He|strong="G2532" decided|strong="G3724" exactly when|strong="G2532" and|strong="G2532" where they|strong="G0846" would|strong="G0846" live|strong="G2730".
27 “God|strong="G2316" wanted|strong="G2212" people|strong="G0846" to|strong="G2212" look for|strong="G2212" him|strong="G0846", and|strong="G2532" perhaps|strong="G0686" in|strong="G2316" searching|strong="G2212" all|strong="G3588" around for|strong="G2212" him|strong="G0846", they|strong="G0846" would|strong="G0846" find|strong="G2147" him|strong="G0846". But|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" is|strong="G2316" not|strong="G3756" far|strong="G3112" from|strong="G0575" any|strong="G3756" of|strong="G0575" us.
28 It|strong="G0846" is|strong="G1510" through|strong="G1722" him|strong="G0846" that|strong="G3004" we|strong="G2532" are|strong="G1510" able to|strong="G3004" live|strong="G2198", to|strong="G3004" do|strong="G1510" what|strong="G3588" we|strong="G2532" do|strong="G1510", and|strong="G2532" to|strong="G3004" be|strong="G1510" who|strong="G3588" we|strong="G2532" are|strong="G1510". As|strong="G5613" your|strong="G2532" own|strong="G0846" poets|strong="G4163" have|strong="G1510" said|strong="G3004", ‘We|strong="G2532" all|strong="G3588" come|strong="G1510" from|strong="G2596" him|strong="G0846".’
29 “That’s right. We|strong="G2532" all|strong="G3588" come|strong="G1510" from|strong="G2228" God|strong="G2316". So|strong="G3767" you|strong="G1510" must|strong="G1510" not|strong="G3756" think|strong="G3543" that|strong="G2316" he|strong="G2532" is|strong="G1510" like|strong="G3664" something|strong="G1510" people|strong="G0444" imagine or|strong="G2228" make|strong="G3756". He|strong="G2532" is|strong="G1510" not|strong="G3756" made of|strong="G2316" gold|strong="G5557", silver|strong="G0696", or|strong="G2228" stone|strong="G3037".
30 In|strong="G2316" the|strong="G3956" past people|strong="G0444" did|strong="G3340" not understand God|strong="G2316", and|strong="G2316" he|strong="G3767" overlooked|strong="G5237" this|strong="G3588". But|strong="G2316" now|strong="G3568" he|strong="G3767" is|strong="G2316" telling everyone|strong="G3956" in|strong="G2316" the|strong="G3956" world to|strong="G0444" change and|strong="G2316" turn to|strong="G0444" him|strong="G0444".
31 He|strong="G0846" has|strong="G3739" decided|strong="G2919" on|strong="G1722" a|strong="G3739" day|strong="G2250" when|strong="G1722" he|strong="G0846" will|strong="G3739" judge|strong="G2919" all|strong="G3956" the|strong="G3956" people|strong="G3956" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3956" world|strong="G3625" in|strong="G1722" a|strong="G3739" way|strong="G1722" that|strong="G3739" is|strong="G3739" fair. To|strong="G3195" do|strong="G2919" this|strong="G3588" he|strong="G0846" will|strong="G3739" use a|strong="G3739" man|strong="G0435" he|strong="G0846" chose long|strong="G2250" ago. And|strong="G2250" he|strong="G0846" has|strong="G3739" proved to|strong="G3195" everyone|strong="G3956" that|strong="G3739" this|strong="G3588" is|strong="G3739" the|strong="G3956" man|strong="G0435" to|strong="G3195" do|strong="G2919" it|strong="G0846". He|strong="G0846" proved it|strong="G0846" by|strong="G1722" raising|strong="G0450" him|strong="G0846" from|strong="G1537" death|strong="G3498"!”
32 When|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" people|strong="G3778" heard|strong="G0191" about|strong="G4012" Jesus|strong="G3004" being|strong="G3825" raised from|strong="G0191" death|strong="G3498", some|strong="G3588" of|strong="G4012" them|strong="G3004" laughed. But|strong="G1161" others|strong="G3588" said|strong="G3004", “We|strong="G3778" will|strong="G3778" hear|strong="G0191" more|strong="G3825" about|strong="G4012" this|strong="G3778" from|strong="G0191" you|strong="G4771" later.”
33 So|strong="G3779" Paul|strong="G3972" left|strong="G1831" the|strong="G3588" council meeting.
34 But|strong="G1161" some|strong="G5100" of|strong="G0435" the|strong="G3588" people|strong="G0846" joined|strong="G2853" with|strong="G1722" Paul|strong="G0846" and|strong="G2532" became believers|strong="G4100". Among|strong="G1722" these|strong="G3739" were|strong="G3739" Dionysius|strong="G1354", a|strong="G3739" member of|strong="G0435" the|strong="G3588" Areopagus council, a|strong="G3739" woman|strong="G1135" named|strong="G3686" Damaris|strong="G1152", and|strong="G2532" some|strong="G5100" others|strong="G2087".