Parallel Bible results for "Acts 17"

Acts 17

Common English Bible CEB

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

2 As was Paul's custom, he entered the synagogue and for three Sabbaths interacted with them on the basis of the scriptures.

3 Through his interpretation of the scriptures, he demonstrated that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. He declared, "This Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the Christ."

4 Some were convinced and joined Paul and Silas, including a larger number of Greek God-worshippers and quite a few prominent women.

5 But the Jews became jealous and brought along some thugs who were hanging out in the marketplace. They formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They attacked Jason's house, intending to bring Paul and Silas before the people.

6 When they didn't find them, they dragged Jason and some believers before the city officials. They were shouting, "These people who have been disturbing the peace throughout the empire have also come here.

7 What is more, Jason has welcomed them into his home. Every one of them does what is contrary to Caesar's decrees by naming someone else as king: Jesus."

8 This provoked the crowd and the city officials even more.

9 After Jason and the others posted bail, they released them.

10 As soon as it was dark, the brothers and sisters sent Paul and Silas on to Beroea. When they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue.

11 The Beroean Jews were more honorable than those in Thessalonica. This was evident in the great eagerness with which they accepted the word and examined the scriptures each day to see whether Paul and Silas' teaching was true.

12 Many came to believe, including a number of reputable Greek women and many Greek men.

13 The Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul also proclaimed God's word in Beroea, so they went there too and were upsetting and disturbing the crowds.

14 The brothers and sisters sent Paul away to the seacoast at once, but Silas and Timothy remained at Beroea.

15 Those who escorted Paul led him as far as Athens, then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible.

16 While Paul waited for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to find that the city was flooded with idols.

17 He began to interact with the Jews and Gentile God-worshippers in the synagogue. He also addressed whoever happened to be in the marketplace each day.

18 Certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers engaged him in discussion too. Some said, "What an amateur! What's he trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods." (They said this because he was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.)

19 They took him into custody and brought him to the council on Mars Hill. "What is this new teaching? Can we learn what you are talking about?

20 You've told us some strange things and we want to know what they mean." (

21 They said this because all Athenians as well as the foreigners who live in Athens used to spend their time doing nothing but talking about or listening to the newest thing.)

22 Paul stood up in the middle of the council on Mars Hill and said, “People of Athens, I see that you are very religious in every way.

23 As I was walking through town and carefully observing your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: ‘To an unknown God.' What you worship as unknown, I now proclaim to you.

24 God, who made the world and everything in it, is Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn't live in temples made with human hands.

25 Nor is God served by human hands, as though he needed something, since he is the one who gives life, breath, and everything else.

26 From one person God created every human nation to live on the whole earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.

27 God made the nations so they would seek him, perhaps even reach out to him and find him. In fact, God isn't far away from any of us.

28 In God we live, move, and exist. As some of your own poets said, ‘We are his offspring.'

29 "Therefore, as God's offspring, we have no need to imagine that the divine being is like a gold, silver, or stone image made by human skill and thought.

30 God overlooks ignorance of these things in times past, but now directs everyone everywhere to change their hearts and lives.

31 This is because God has set a day when he intends to judge the world justly by a man he has appointed. God has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead."

32 When they heard about the resurrection from the dead, some began to ridicule Paul. However, others said, "We'll hear from you about this again."

33 At that, Paul left the council.

34 Some people joined him and came to believe, including Dionysius, a member of the council on Mars Hill, a woman named Damaris, and several others.

New Revised Standard NRS

1 After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three sabbath days argued with them from the scriptures,

3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, "This is the Messiah, Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you."

4 Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.

5 But the Jews became jealous, and with the help of some ruffians in the marketplaces they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. While they were searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly, they attacked Jason's house.

6 When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some believers before the city authorities, shouting, "These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also,

7 and Jason has entertained them as guests. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor, saying that there is another king named Jesus."

8 The people and the city officials were disturbed when they heard this,

9 and after they had taken bail from Jason and the others, they let them go.

10 That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea; and when they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue.

11 These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so.

12 Many of them therefore believed, including not a few Greek women and men of high standing.

13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Beroea as well, they came there too, to stir up and incite the crowds.

14 Then the believers immediately sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained behind.

15 Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and after receiving instructions to have Silas and Timothy join him as soon as possible, they left him.

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols.

17 So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.

18 Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, "What does this babbler want to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities." (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.)

19 So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?

20 It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means."

21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new.

22 Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, "Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way.

23 For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, "To an unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.

24 The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands,

25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things.

26 From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live,

27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us.

28 For "In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, "For we too are his offspring.'

29 Since we are God's offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals.

30 While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

31 because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."

32 When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed; but others said, "We will hear you again about this."

33 At that point Paul left them.

34 But some of them joined him and became believers, including Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.