Psalms 4; Psalms 5; Psalms 6; Acts 17:16-34

1 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness. You have freed me from my troubles. Have pity on me, and hear my prayer!

2 You important people, how long are you going to insult my honor? How long are you going to love what is empty and seek what is a lie? Selah

3 Know that the LORD singles out godly people for himself. The LORD hears me when I call to him.

4 Tremble and do not sin. Think about this on your bed and remain quiet. Selah

5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness by trusting the LORD.

6 Many are saying, "Who can show us anything good?" Let the light of your presence shine on us, O LORD.

7 You put more joy in my heart than when their grain and new wine increase.

8 I fall asleep in peace the moment I lie down because you alone, O LORD, enable me to live securely.

1 Open your ears to my words, O LORD. Consider my innermost thoughts.

2 Pay attention to my cry for help, my king and my God, because I pray only to you.

3 In the morning, O LORD, hear my voice. In the morning I lay my needs in front of you, and I wait.

4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness. Evil will never be your guest.

5 Those who brag cannot stand in your sight. You hate all troublemakers.

6 You destroy those who tell lies. The LORD is disgusted with bloodthirsty and deceitful people.

7 But I will enter your house because of your great mercy. Out of reverence for you, I will bow toward your holy temple.

8 O LORD, lead me in your righteousness because of those who spy on me. Make your way in front of me smooth.

9 Nothing in their mouths is truthful. Destruction comes from their hearts. Their throats are open graves. They flatter with their tongues.

10 Condemn them, O God. Let their own schemes be their downfall. Throw them out for their many crimes because they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice. Let them sing with joy forever. Protect them, and let those who love your name triumph in you.

12 You bless righteous people, O LORD. Like a large shield, you surround them with your favor.

1 O LORD, do not punish me in your anger or discipline me in your rage.

2 Have pity on me, O LORD, because I am weak. Heal me, O LORD, because my bones shake with terror.

3 My soul has been deeply shaken with terror. But you, O LORD, how long...?

4 Come back, O LORD. Rescue me. Save me because of your mercy!

5 In death, no one remembers you. In the grave, who praises you?

6 I am worn out from my groaning. My eyes flood my bed every night. I soak my couch with tears.

7 My eyes blur from grief. They fail because of my enemies.

8 Get away from me, all you troublemakers, because the LORD has heard the sound of my crying.

9 The LORD has heard my plea for mercy. The LORD accepts my prayer.

10 All my enemies will be put to shame and deeply shaken with terror. In a moment they will retreat and be put to shame.

16 While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens, he saw that the city had statues of false gods everywhere. This upset him.

17 He held discussions in the synagogue with Jews and converts to Judaism. He also held discussions every day in the public square with anyone who happened to be there.

18 Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers had discussions with him. Some asked, "What is this babbling fool trying to say?" Others said, "He seems to be speaking about foreign gods." The philosophers said these things because Paul was telling the Good News about Jesus and saying that people would come back to life.

19 Then they brought Paul to the city court, the Areopagus, and asked, "Could you tell us these new ideas that you're teaching?

20 Some of the things you say sound strange to us. So we would like to know what they mean."

21 Everyone who lived in Athens looked for opportunities to tell or hear something new and unusual.

22 Paul stood in the middle of the court and said, "Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious.

23 As I was going through your city and looking closely at the objects you worship, I noticed an altar with this written on it: 'To an unknown god.' I'm telling you about the unknown god you worship.

24 The God who made the universe and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn't live in shrines made by humans,

25 and he isn't served by humans as if he needed anything. He gives everyone life, breath, and everything they have.

26 From one man he has made every nation of humanity to live all over the earth. He has given them the seasons of the year and the boundaries within which to live.

27 He has done this so that they would look for God, somehow reach for him, and find him. In fact, he is never far from any one of us.

28 Certainly, we live, move, and exist because of him. As some of your poets have said, 'We are God's children.'

29 So if we are God's children, we shouldn't think that the divine being is like an image made from gold, silver, or stone, an image that is the product of human imagination and skill.

30 "God overlooked the times when people didn't know any better. But now he commands everyone everywhere to turn to him and change the way they think and act.

31 He has set a day when he is going to judge the world with justice, and he will use a man he has appointed to do this. God has given proof to everyone that he will do this by bringing that man back to life."

32 When the people of the court heard that a person had come back to life, some began joking about it, while others said, "We'll hear you talk about this some other time."

33 With this response, Paul left the court.

34 Some men joined him and became believers. With them were Dionysius, who was a member of the court, and a woman named Damaris, and some other people.