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Paul in Thessalonica

¹ Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to ^(C1)Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.² And ^(C1)according to Paul's custom, he ^(F1)visited them, and for three ^(C2)Sabbaths reasoned with them from ^(C3)the Scriptures,^3 (F1)explaining and ^(F2)giving evidence that the ^(F3)Christ ^(C1)had to suffer and ^(C2)rise from the dead, and saying, "^(C3)This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the ^(F3)Christ."^4 (C1)And some of them were persuaded and joined ^(C2)Paul and Silas, ^(F1)along with a large number of the ^(C3)God-fearing ^(C4)Greeks and ^(F2)a significant number of the ^(C5)leading women.⁵ But ^(C1)the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the marketplace, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and they attacked the house of ^(C2)Jason and were seeking to bring them out to the people.⁶ When they did not find them, they began ^(C1)dragging Jason and some brothers before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have upset ^(F1)(C2)the world have come here also;^7 (F1)and Jason ^(C1)has welcomed them, and they all act ^(C2)contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus."⁸ They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things.⁹ And when they had received a ^(F1)pledge from ^(C1)Jason and the others, they released them.

Paul in Berea

^10 (C1)The brothers immediately sent ^(C2)Paul and Silas away by night to ^(C3)Berea, ^(F1)and when they arrived, they went into ^(C4)the synagogue of the Jews.¹¹ Now these people were more noble-minded than those in ^(C1)Thessalonica, ^(F1)for they received the word with ^(F2)great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.¹² Therefore, ^(C1)many of them believed, ^(F1)along with a significant number of ^(C2)prominent Greek ^(C3)women and men.¹³ But when the Jews of ^(C1)Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in ^(C2)Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds.¹⁴ Then immediately ^(C1)the brothers sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and ^(C2)Silas and ^(C3)Timothy remained there.¹⁵ Now ^(C1)those who escorted Paul brought him as far as ^(C2)Athens; and receiving a command for ^(C3)Silas and Timothy to ^(C4)come to him as soon as possible, they left.

Paul in Athens

¹⁶ Now while Paul was waiting for them in ^(C1)Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he observed that the city was full of idols.¹⁷ So he was reasoning ^(C1)in the synagogue with the Jews and ^(C2)the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be present.¹⁸ And some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers as well were ^(F1)conversing with him. Some were saying, "What could ^(C1)this ^(F2)scavenger of tidbits want to say?" Others, "He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,"—because he was preaching ^(C2)Jesus and the resurrection.¹⁹ And they ^(C1)took him and brought him ^(F1)to the ^(F2)(C2)Areopagus, saying, "May we know what ^(C3)this new teaching is ^(F3)which you are proclaiming?²⁰ "For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean."²¹ (Now all the Athenians and the strangers ^(C1)visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

Sermon on Mars Hill

²² So Paul stood in the midst of the ^(F1)Areopagus and said, "Men of ^(C1)Athens, I see that you are very ^(C2)religious in all respects.²³ "For while I was passing through and examining the ^(C1)objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' Therefore, what ^(C2)you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.²⁴ "^(C1)The God who made the world and everything that is in it, since He is ^(C2)Lord of heaven and earth, does not ^(C3)dwell in temples made by hands;²⁵ nor is He served by human hands, ^(C1)as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;²⁶ and ^(C1)He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having ^(C2)determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,²⁷ that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, ^(C1)though He is not far from each one of us;²⁸ for ^(C1)in Him we live and move and ^(F1)exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His descendants.'²⁹ "Therefore, since we are the descendants of God, we ^(C1)ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought.³⁰ "So having ^(C1)overlooked ^(C2)the times of ignorance, God is ^(C3)now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent,³¹ because He has set ^(C1)a day on which ^(C2)He will judge ^(F1)(C3)the world in righteousness ^(F2)through a Man whom He has ^(C4)appointed, having furnished proof to all people ^(F3)by ^(C5)raising Him from the dead."

³² Now when they heard of ^(C1)the resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, "We shall hear from you ^(F1)again concerning this."³³ So Paul went out from among them.³⁴ But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the ^(C1)Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.