1 NOW when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where 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,
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.
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.
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.
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;
7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, 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.
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.
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
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.
14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
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.
16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
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.
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.
19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would 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.)
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.
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.
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;
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;
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;
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:
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.
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.
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where 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.
32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
33 So Paul departed 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.

1Now when they had passed thorow Amphipolis, and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Iewes.

2And Paul, as his maner was, went in vnto them, and three Sabbath dayes reasoned with them out of the Scriptures,

3Opening and alleadging, that Christ must needs haue suffered and risen againe from the dead: and that this Iesus whom I preach vnto you, is Christ.

4And some of them beleeued, and consorted with Paul and Silas: and of the deuout Greekes a great multitude, and of the chiefe women not a few.

5 But the Iewes which beleeued not, mooued with enuie, tooke vnto them certaine lewd fellowes of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the citie on an vprore, and assaulted the house of Iason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

6And when they found them not, they drew Iason, and certaine brethren vnto the rulers of the citie, crying, These that haue turned the world vpside downe, are come hither also,

7Whom Iason hath receiued: and these all doe contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying, that there is another King, one Iesus.

8And they troubled the people, and the rulers of the citie, when they heard these things.

9And when they had taken securitie of Iason, and of the other, they let them goe.

10 And the brethren immediatly sent away Paul and Silas by night vnto Berea: who comming thither, went into the Synagogue of the Iewes.

11These were more noble then those in Thessalonica, in that they receiued the word with all readinesse of minde, and searched the Scriptures dayly, whether those things were so.

12Therefore many of them beleeued: also of honourable women which were Greekes, and of men not a few.

13But when the Iewes of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred vp the people.

14And then immediatly the brethren sent away Paul, to goe as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

15And they that conducted Paul, brought him vnto Athens, and receiuing a commaundement vnto Silas and Timotheus, for to come to him with all speed, they departed.

16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when hee saw the city wholy giuen to idolatrie.

17Therefore disputed he in the Synagogue with the Iewes, and with the deuout persons, and in the market dayly with them that met with him.

18Then certaine Philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoikes, encountred him: and some said, What will this babbler say? Othersome, He seemeth to be a setter foorth of strange gods: because hee preached vnto them Iesus, and the resurrection.

19And they tooke him, and brought him vnto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?

20For thou bringest certaine strange things to our eares: we would know therefore what these things meane.

21(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there, spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to heare some new thing.)

22 Then Paul stood in the mids of Mars-hill, and said, Yee men of Athens, I perceiue that in all things yee are too superstitious.

23For as I passed by, and beheld your deuotions, I found an Altar with this inscription, TO THE VNKNOWEN GOD. Whom therefore yee ignorantly worship, him declare I vnto you.

24God that made the world, and all things therein, seeing that hee is Lord of heauen and earth, dwelleth not in Temples made with hands:

25Neither is worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing, seeing hee giueth to all, life and breath, and all things,

26And 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:

27That they should seeke the Lord, if haply they might feele after him and finde him, though he be not farre from euery one of vs.

28For in him we liue, and mooue, and haue our being, as certaine also of your owne Poets haue said, For we are also his offspring.

29Forasmuch then as wee are the offspring of God, wee ought not to thinke that the Godhead is like vnto golde, or siluer, or stone grauen by arte, and mans deuice.

30And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men euery where to repent:

31Because hee hath appointed a day in the which he will iudge the world in righteousnesse, by that man whom hee hath ordeined, whereof he hath giuen assurance vnto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, Wee will heare thee againe of this matter.

33So Paul departed from among them.

34Howbeit, certaine men claue vnto him, and beleeued: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

 

1 When they took the road through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they reached Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 Following his usual custom, Paul joined them, and for three sabbaths he entered into discussions with them from the scriptures, 3 expounding and demonstrating that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and that "This is the Messiah, Jesus, whom I proclaim to you." 4 Some of them were convinced and joined Paul and Silas; so, too, a great number of Greeks who were worshipers, and not a few of the prominent women. 5 But the Jews became jealous and recruited some worthless men loitering in the public square, formed a mob, and set the city in turmoil. They marched on the house of Jason, intending to bring them before the people's assembly. 6 When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city magistrates, shouting, "These people who have been creating a disturbance all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them. They all act in opposition to the decrees of Caesar and claim instead that there is another king, Jesus." 8 They stirred up the crowd and the city magistrates who, upon hearing these charges, 9 took a surety payment from Jason and the others before releasing them. 10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas to Beroea during the night. Upon arrival they went to the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These Jews were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all willingness and examined the scriptures daily to determine whether these things were so. 12 Many of them became believers, as did not a few of the influential Greek women and men. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God had now been proclaimed by Paul in Beroea also, they came there too to cause a commotion and stir up the crowds. 14 So the brothers at once sent Paul on his way to the seacoast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind. 15 After Paul's escorts had taken him to Athens, they came away with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. 16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he grew exasperated at the sight of the city full of idols. 17 So he debated in the synagogue with the Jews and with the worshipers, and daily in the public square with whoever happened to be there. 18 Even some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers engaged him in discussion. Some asked, "What is this scavenger trying to say?" Others said, "He sounds like a promoter of foreign deities," because he was preaching about 'Jesus' and 'Resurrection.' 19 They took him and led him to the Areopagus and said, "May we learn what this new teaching is that you speak of? 20 For you bring some strange notions to our ears; we should like to know what these things mean." 21 Now all the Athenians as well as the foreigners residing there used their time for nothing else but telling or hearing something new. 22 Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said: "You Athenians, I see that in every respect you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines, I even discovered an altar inscribed, 'To an Unknown God.' What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and all that is in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, 25 nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything. Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything. 26 He made from one the whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions, 27 so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us. 28 For 'In him we live and move and have our being,' as even some of your poets have said, 'For we too are his offspring.' 29 Since therefore we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the divinity is like an image fashioned from gold, silver, or stone by human art and imagination. 30 God has overlooked the times of ignorance, but now he demands that all people everywhere repent 31 because he has established a day on which he will 'judge the world with justice' through a man he has appointed, and he has provided confirmation for all by raising him from the dead." 32 When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, "We should like to hear you on this some other time." 33 And so Paul left them. 34 But some did join him, and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the Court of the Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.  

v1. Amphipolis was about 33 miles SW of Philippi and Apollonia another 28 miles. All these cities were on the main Roman road, but perhaps none of them had the required 10 men to have a synagogue. Paul may have also decided from previous experiences to leave some distance between the scene of the last persecution. No doubt he felt Spirit led that this city of 200,000 was an ideal place for a center of the gospel.
v2. Paul used the synagogue for his point of contact whenever possible. He tried to persuade from scriptures Jews would have known. Isa. 1:16, “let us reason together”. It would appear he was here less than a month, but he only preached in the synagogue three Sabbaths. Probably opposition caused him to go to the Gentiles, because he worked at tent making, 1 Thess 2:9, and Philippi sent offerings two times.
v3. He shows from scriptures the 1 death and 2 resurrection of the one he is proclaiming, 3 Jesus Christ their Messiah.
v4. A wide cross section of those hearing believed and cast in their lot with Paul and Silas. Many of the women and men were proselyte Jews to be in the synagogue. 1 Some believed 2 some didn’t 3 some became assaultive. 
v5. These rabble rousers hired by the Jews were accustomed to gather around the public rostrum and heckle or applaud according to what they were being paid to do. They were effective in stirring up mob action to capture Paul and Silas.
v6. Jason was a Jewish believer with a Greek name. The word translated rulers is politarchs. The term is inscribed on the city arch, substantiating the scriptural account. They had heard reports of Paul’s ministry and problems in other places.
v7. The same accusation that was used against Christ, but the accusers in most cases knew Jesus was not a king trying to overthrow Caesar, and if that had been true, they would have to acknowledge he had risen from the dead.
v8. Any believing there was a rival king would certainly be troubled.
v9. They probably had to pay at least a deposit in order to be released with the promise the preachers would cause no more trouble.
v10. The safest course and again they go to a synagogue.
v11. They had open minds and searched scriptures to see if what Paul was saying was true. Good idea to check what preachers and teachers say today too.
v12. Honorable and chief women must indicate he was reaching some of the upper echelon of society.
v13. Berea would have been over 50 miles from Thessalonica, which shows the vindictiveness of those people to come so far to stir up the Bereans against Paul.
v14. With Paul having left by ship, Silas and Timothy would not be at risk and they could throw off the pursuers.
v15. Silas and Timothy would not have been followed in their hasty departure. Paul’s stay at Athens was short and he soon sent Timothy back to help the infant church at Thessalonica, 1 Thess. 3:1.
v16,17. When Paul saw the idolatry, he didn’t wait for the others but went right to the synagogue to preach. Next he went to the market place or wherever people would listen. Market places were artistically designed and a place for public assembly.
v18. Epicureans had given up the search for truth and given themselves over to present pleasure, sensual and otherwise. Their philosophy had become, “Eat and drink for tomorrow we die.” Stoics in contrast had a philosophy of stern self repression, relying on human self-sufficiency. They did not agree on their views of future life. Some thought Paul was just babbling with nothing important to say, while others thought a resurrected Jesus must just be another strange god.
v19-21. A hill 377 feet high where the city court met at the top. At times a criminal court, but main city fathers also had complete authority in both political and religious issues. The people of Athens considered it culturally enlightening to hear the newest ideas and evaluate the competence of visiting lecturers.
v22. Paul begins by commending them for their intense interest in religion.
v23-25. He had observed that among the objects of their devotion was an altar to the unknown god, in case they should have missed any. This was a wide open opportunity to proclaim the Lord of heaven, the creator of all things who had no need of human help.
v26. All men stem from one blood source, Adam, and God is in complete control.
v27. If any heathen seek and feel after the Lord, He will send them the Word so they can be saved. Missionaries tell of heathen people prepared to receive the gospel.
v28. Here and two other places Paul quotes from their own poets, which demonstrated the credibility of his intelligence.
v29,30. God had permitted the worship of these man made idols, “but now” having heard the truth, he will hold them to a greater measure of accountability in the coming day of judgment.
v31. Christ who was raised from the dead will be the judge, and this no doubt made an impression as they were then standing on the hill of judgment.
v32. The concept of resurrection was so foreign to the Greek view of life that some thought it ridiculous. Some, whether in sincerity of to ease their consciences offered to hear more about it. 1 Some mocked, 2 some wanted to hear more, 3 some believed.
v33,34. Paul could see there was no point in further preaching to this crowd, but there were a few who did truly believe. Dionysius was one of the Areopagite council, and according to tradition he was left in charge of the little group of believers when Paul left. We know nothing more of Damaris, but she must have been a prominent woman to have her name mentioned.