The Acts of the Apostles

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- Kapitel 17 -

Now when they had walked through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they arrived at Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

Then Paul, according to custom, entered to them. And for three Sabbaths he disputed with them about the Scriptures,

interpreting and concluding that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead, and that “this is the Jesus Christ, whom I am announcing to you.”

And some of them believed and were joined to Paul and Silas, and a great number of these were from the worshipers and the Gentiles, and not a few were noble women.(a)

But the Jews, being jealous, and joining with certain evildoers among the common men, caused a disturbance, and they stirred up the city. And taking up a position near the house of Jason, they sought to lead them out to the people.

And when they had not found them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers to the rulers of the city, crying out: “For these are the ones who have stirred up the city. And they came here,(b)

and Jason has received them. And all these men act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

And they incited the people. And the rulers of the city, upon hearing these things,

and having received an explanation from Jason and the others, released them.

The Character of the Bereans

Yet truly, the brothers promptly sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. And when they had arrived, they entered the synagogue of the Jews.

But these were more noble than those who were at Thessalonica. They received the Word with all enthusiasm, daily examining the Scriptures to see if these things were so.(c)

And indeed, many believed among them, as well as not a few among the honorable Gentile men and women.

Then, when the Jews of Thessalonica had realized that the Word of God was also preached by Paul at Beroea, they went there also, stirring up and disturbing the multitude.

And then the brothers quickly sent Paul away, so that he might travel by sea. But Silas and Timothy remained there.

Then those who were leading Paul brought him as far as Athens. And having received an order from him to Silas and Timothy, that they should come to him quickly, they set out.

Paul in Athens

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred up within him, seeing the city given over to idolatry.

And so, he was disputing with the Jews in the synagogue, and with the worshipers, and in public places, throughout each day, with whomever was there.

Now certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were arguing with him. And some were saying, “What does this sower of the Word want to say?” Yet others were saying, “He seems to be an announcer for new demons.” For he was announcing to them Jesus and the Resurrection.

And apprehending him, they brought him to the Areopagus, saying: “Are we able to know what this new doctrine is, about which you speak?

For you bring certain new ideas to our ears. And so we would like to know what these things mean.”

(Now all the Athenians, and arriving visitors, were occupying themselves with nothing other than speaking or hearing various new ideas.)

Paul’s Address in the Areopagus

But Paul, standing in the middle of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are rather superstitious.

For as I was passing by and noticing your idols, I also found an altar, on which was written: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this is what I am preaching to you:

the God who made the world and all that is in it, the One who is the Lord of heaven and earth, who does not live in temples made with hands.(d)

Neither is he served by the hands of men, as if in need of anything, since it is he who gives to all things life and breath and all else.

And he has made, out of one, every family of man: to live upon the face of the entire earth, determining the appointed seasons and the limits of their habitation,(e)

so as to seek God, if perhaps they may consider him or find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

‘For in him we live, and move, and exist.’ Just as some of your own poets have said. ‘For we are also of his family.’

Therefore, since we are of the family of God, we must not consider gold or silver or precious stones, or the engravings of art and of the imagination of man, to be a representation of what is Divine.

And indeed, God, having looked down to see the ignorance of these times, has now announced to men that everyone everywhere should do penance.

For he has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in equity, through the man whom he has appointed, offering faith to all, by raising him from the dead.”

And when they had heard about the Resurrection of the dead, indeed, some were derisive, while others said, “We will listen to you about this again.”

So Paul departed from their midst.

Yet truly, certain men, adhering to him, did believe. Among these were also Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Fußnoten

(a)17:4 The ‘worshipers’ here are probably the pagan worshipers among the Gentiles, and the ‘Gentiles’ are therefore those non-Jews who did not follow even a pagan religion.(Conte)

(b)17:6 City. Urbem:In the Greek, the world.(Challoner)

(c)17:11 More noble:The Jews of Berea are justly commended, for their eagerly embracing the truth, and searching the scriptures, to find out the texts alleged by the apostle: which was a far more generous proceeding than that of their countrymen at Thessalonica, who persecuted the preachers of the gospel, without examining the grounds they alleged for what they taught.(Challoner)

(d)17:24 Dwells not in temples:God is not contained in temples; so as to need them for his dwelling, or any other uses, as the heathens imagined. Yet by his omnipresence, he is both there and everywhere.(Challoner)

(e)17:26 The one out of whom God made every family of mankind is Adam.(Conte)

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.

Paul, as was his custom, went in to them; and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”

Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas: of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the chief women.

But the unpersuaded Jews took along

(a)

some wicked men from the marketplace and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people.

When they didn’t find them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers(b) before the rulers of the city, crying, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here also,

whom Jason has received. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus!”

The multitude and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things.

When they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

The Character of the Bereans

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.

Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Beroea also, they came there likewise, agitating the multitudes.

Then the brothers immediately sent out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed there.

But those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens. Receiving a commandment to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him very quickly, they departed.

Paul in Athens

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols.

So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him.

Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also

(c)

were conversing with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign deities,” because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.

They took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is, which you are speaking about?

For you bring certain strange things to our ears. We want to know therefore what these things mean.”

Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

Paul’s Address in the Areopagus

Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, “You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.

For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, I announce to you.

The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands.

He isn’t served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath and all things.

He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons and the boundaries of their dwellings,

that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

‘For in him we live, move, and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’

Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and design of man.

The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent,

because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.”

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, “We want to hear you again concerning this.”

Thus Paul went out from among them.

But certain men joined with him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Fußnoten

(a)17:5 TR reads “And the Jews who were unpersuaded, becoming envious and taking along” instead of “But the unpersuaded Jews took along”

(b)17:6 The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may be also correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”