Psalms 1; Psalms 2; Psalms 3; Acts 17:1-15

1 Blessed is the person who does not follow the advice of wicked people, take the path of sinners, or join the company of mockers.

2 Rather, he delights in the teachings of the LORD and reflects on his teachings day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted beside streams-- a tree that produces fruit in season and whose leaves do not wither. He succeeds in everything he does.

4 Wicked people are not like that. Instead, they are like husks that the wind blows away.

5 That is why wicked people will not be able to stand in the judgment and sinners will not be able to stand where righteous people gather.

6 The LORD knows the way of righteous people, but the way of wicked people will end.

1 Why do the nations gather together? Why do their people devise useless plots?

2 Kings take their stands. Rulers make plans together against the LORD and against his Messiah by saying,

3 "Let's break apart their chains and shake off their ropes."

4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs. The Lord makes fun of them.

5 Then he speaks to them in his anger. In his burning anger he terrifies them by saying,

6 "I have installed my own king on Zion, my holy mountain."

7 I will announce the LORD's decree. He said to me: "You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.

8 Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance and the ends of the earth as your own possession.

9 You will break them with an iron scepter. You will smash them to pieces like pottery."

10 Now, you kings, act wisely. Be warned, you rulers of the earth!

11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, or he will become angry and you will die on your way because his anger will burst into flames. Blessed is everyone who takes refuge in him.

1 O LORD, look how my enemies have increased! Many are attacking me.

2 Many are saying about me, "Even with God [on his side], he won't be victorious." Selah

3 But you, O LORD, are a shield that surrounds me. You are my glory. You hold my head high.

4 I call aloud to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain. Selah

5 I lie down and sleep. I wake up again because the LORD continues to support me.

6 I am not afraid of the tens of thousands who have taken positions against me on all sides.

7 Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! You have slapped all my enemies in the face. You have smashed the teeth of wicked people.

8 Victory belongs to the LORD! May your blessing rest on your people. Selah

1 Paul and Silas traveled through the cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to the city of Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue.

2 As usual, Paul went into the synagogue. On three consecutive days of worship, he had discussions about Scripture with the synagogue members.

3 He explained and showed them that the Messiah had to suffer, die, and come back to life, and that Jesus, the person he talked about, was this Messiah.

4 Some of the Jews were persuaded to join Paul and Silas, especially a large group of Greeks who had converted to Judaism and the wives of many prominent men.

5 Then the Jews became jealous. They took some low-class characters who hung around the public square, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. They attacked Jason's home and searched it for Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.

6 When they didn't find Paul and Silas, they dragged Jason and some other believers in front of the city officials. They shouted, "Those men who have made trouble all over the world are now here in Thessalonica,

7 and Jason has welcomed them as his guests. All of them oppose the emperor's decrees by saying that there is another king, whose name is Jesus."

8 The crowd and the officials were upset when they heard this.

9 But after they had made Jason and the others post bond, they let them go.

10 Immediately when night came, the believers sent Paul and Silas to the city of Berea. When Paul and Silas arrived in the city of Berea, they entered the synagogue.

11 The people of Berea were more open-minded than the people of Thessalonica. They were very willing to receive God's message, and every day they carefully examined the Scriptures to see if what Paul said was true.

12 Many of them became believers, and quite a number of them were prominent Greek men and women.

13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica found out that Paul was also spreading God's word in Berea, they went there to upset and confuse the people.

14 The believers immediately sent Paul to the seacoast, but Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea.

15 The men who escorted Paul took him all the way to the city of Athens. When the men left Athens, they took instructions back to Silas and Timothy to join Paul as soon as possible.