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

1 Happy are those who don't listen to the wicked, who don't go where sinners go, who don't do what evil people do.

2 They love the Lord's teachings, and they think about those teachings day and night.

3 They are strong, like a tree planted by a river. The tree produces fruit in season, and its leaves don't die. Everything they do will succeed.

4 But wicked people are not like that. They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

5 So the wicked will not escape God's punishment. Sinners will not worship with God's people.

6 This is because the Lord takes care of his people, but the wicked will be destroyed.

1 Why are the nations so angry? Why are the people making useless plans?

2 The kings of the earth prepare to fight, and their leaders make plans together against the Lord and his appointed one.

3 They say, "Let's break the chains that hold us back and throw off the ropes that tie us down."

4 But the one who sits in heaven laughs; the Lord makes fun of them.

5 Then the Lord warns them and frightens them with his anger.

6 He says, "I have appointed my own king to rule in Jerusalem on my holy mountain, Zion."

7 Now I will tell you what the Lord has declared: He said to me, "You are my son. Today I have become your father.

8 If you ask me, I will give you the nations; all the people on earth will be yours.

9 You will rule over them with an iron rod. You will break them into pieces like pottery."

10 So, kings, be wise; rulers, learn this lesson.

11 Obey the Lord with great fear. Be happy, but tremble.

12 Show that you are loyal to his son, or you will be destroyed by his anger, because he can quickly become angry. But happy are those who trust him for protection. David sang this when he ran away from his son Absalom.

1 Lord, I have many enemies! Many people have turned against me.

2 Many are saying about me, "God won't rescue him."Selah

3 But, Lord, you are my shield, my wonderful God who gives me courage.

4 I will pray to the Lord, and he will answer me from his holy mountain.Selah

5 I can lie down and go to sleep, and I will wake up again, because the Lord gives me strength.

6 Thousands of troops may surround me, but I am not afraid.

7 Lord, rise up! My God, come save me! You have struck my enemies on the cheek; you have broken the teeth of the wicked.

8 The Lord can save his people. Lord, bless your people.Selah For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

1 Paul and Silas traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica where there was a Jewish synagogue.

2 Paul went into the synagogue as he always did, and on each Sabbath day for three weeks, he talked with the Jews about the Scriptures.

3 He explained and proved that the Christ must die and then rise from the dead. He said, "This Jesus I am telling you about is the Christ."

4 Some of the Jews were convinced and joined Paul and Silas, along with many of the Greeks who worshiped God and many of the important women.

5 But the Jews became jealous. So they got some evil men from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a riot. They ran to Jason's house, looking for Paul and Silas, wanting to bring them out to the people.

6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers to the leaders of the city. The people were yelling, "These people have made trouble everywhere in the world, and now they have come here too!

7 Jason is keeping them in his house. All of them do things against the laws of Caesar, saying there is another king, called Jesus."

8 When the people and the leaders of the city heard these things, they became very upset.

9 They made Jason and the others put up a sum of money. Then they let the believers go free.

10 That same night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea where they went to the Jewish synagogue.

11 These Jews were more willing to listen than the Jews in Thessalonica. The Bereans were eager to hear what Paul and Silas said and studied the Scriptures every day to find out if these things were true.

12 So, many of them believed, as well as many important Greek women and men.

13 But the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, too. So they came there, upsetting the people and making trouble.

14 The believers quickly sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea.

15 The people leading Paul went with him to Athens. Then they carried a message from Paul back to Silas and Timothy for them to come to him as soon as they could.