King James Version KJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
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Now when they had passed through Amphip'olis and Apollo'nia, they came to Thessaloni'ca, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
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And Paul went in, as was his custom, and for three weeks he argued with them from the scriptures,
3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
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explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ."
4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
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And 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 which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
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But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked fellows of the rabble, they gathered a crowd, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the people.
6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
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And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city authorities, crying, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,
7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
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and Jason has received them; and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus."
8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
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And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard this.
9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.
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And when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
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The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroe'a; and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
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Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessaloni'ca, for they received the word with all eagerness, examining the scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
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Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.
13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
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But when the Jews of Thessaloni'ca learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Beroe'a also, they came there too, stirring up and inciting the crowds.
14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
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Then the brethren immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there.
15 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.
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Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.
16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
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Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.
17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
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So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the market place every day with those who chanced to be there.
18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
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Some also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers met him. And some said, "What would this babbler say?" Others said, "He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities" --because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.
19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
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And they took hold of him and brought him to the Are-op'agus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is which you present?
20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
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For you bring some strange things to our ears; we wish to know therefore what these things mean."
21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
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Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
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So Paul, standing in the middle of the Are-op'agus, said: "Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious.
23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
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For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, 'To an unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.
24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
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The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by man,
25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
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nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and everything.
26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
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And he made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation,
27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
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that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from each one of us,
28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
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for 'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your poets have said, 'For we are indeed his offspring.'
29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
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Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the Deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, a representation by the art and imagination of man.
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
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The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all men everywhere to repent,
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
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because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all men by raising him from the dead."
32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
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Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, "We will hear you again about this."
33 So Paul departed from among them.
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So Paul went out from among them.
34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
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But some men joined him and believed, among them Dionys'ius the Are-op'agite and a woman named Dam'aris and others with them.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.