16Now while Paul was waiting for them at 1Athens, his spirit was being provokedwithin him as he was observing the cityfull of idols.
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So he was reasoning2in the synagogue with the Jews and 3the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplaceeveryday with those who happened to be present.
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And alsosome of the Epicurean and Stoicphilosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, "What would 4thisidlebabblerwish to say?" Others*, "He seems to be a proclaimer of strangedeities,"-because he was preaching5Jesus and the resurrection.
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And they 6took him and brought him to the 7Areopagus, saying, "May we knowwhat8thisnewteaching is which you are proclaiming?
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"For you are bringingsomestrangethings to our ears; so we want to knowwhatthesethingsmean*."
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(Nowall the Athenians and the strangers9visiting there used to spend their time in nothingotherthantellingorhearingsomethingnew.)
Sermon on Mars Hill
22SoPaulstood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of 10Athens, I observe that you are very11religious in allrespects.
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"For while I was passingthrough and examining the 12objects of your worship, I alsofound an altar with thisinscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWNGOD.' Thereforewhat13you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.
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"14The God who made the world and allthings in it, since He is 15Lord of heaven and earth, does not 16dwell in templesmade with hands;
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nor is He served by humanhands, 17as though He neededanything, since He Himselfgives to all people life and breath and allthings;
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and 18He made from one man everynation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having 19determined their appointedtimes and the boundaries of their habitation,
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that they would seekGod, ifperhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, 20though* He is not far from eachone of us;
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for 21in Him we live and move and exist, as evensome of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.'
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"Beingthen the children of God, we 22ought not to think that the DivineNature is likegoldorsilverorstone, an imageformed by the art and thought of man.
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"Therefore having 23overlooked24the times of ignorance, God is 25nowdeclaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,
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because He has fixed26a day in which27He willjudge28the world in righteousnessthrough a Manwhom He has 29appointed, having furnishedproof to allmen by 30raising Him from the dead."
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Now when they heard of 31the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but otherssaid, "We shall hear you again*concerningthis."