Acts 17

King James Version

Full text for Acts Chapter 17

1¶ Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

2And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

3Opening 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.

4And 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.

5But 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.

6And 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;

7Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, [one] Jesus.

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

9And 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.

11These 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.

12Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

13But 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.

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

15And 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.

17Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

18Then 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.

19And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, [is]?

20For 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.

23For 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.

24God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

25Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth 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 seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28For 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.

29Forasmuch 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.

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

31Because 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].

33So Paul departed from among them.

34Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which [was] Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Paul and Silas preach in Thessalonica, facing intense opposition from unbelieving Jews who stir up a mob, forcing them to Berea. In Berea, the people are more receptive, diligently searching the scriptures, but again, the Thessalonian Jews cause trouble. Paul then travels to Athens, where his spirit is stirred by the city's idolatry. He addresses the Areopagus, declaring the 'Unknown God' as the Creator and calling for repentance based on God's appointed judgment through a resurrected man, leading to some belief amidst mockery.

Medium Summary

Paul and Silas arrive in Thessalonica, where Paul, for three Sabbaths, reasons from the scriptures that Christ must suffer and rise, leading to conversions among Greeks and some Jews. However, envious unbelieving Jews incite a mob, accusing the brethren of proclaiming another king, Jesus, contrary to Caesar's decrees, forcing Paul and Silas to depart for Berea. The Bereans prove more noble, eagerly receiving the word and daily searching the scriptures to confirm its truth, resulting in many believing. Yet, the Thessalonian Jews pursue them, stirring up trouble again, which leads to Paul being sent to Athens. In Athens, Paul's spirit is deeply troubled by the city's pervasive idolatry, prompting him to dispute in the synagogue and market. He is then brought to the Areopagus, where he preaches to philosophers, identifying their 'Unknown God' as the Creator of all, who commands universal repentance and will judge the world through a man He raised from the dead. While some mock, others express interest, and a few, including Dionysius, believe.

Long Summary

The chapter opens with Paul and Silas journeying through Amphipolis and Apollonia to Thessalonica, where Paul, as was his custom, reasoned from the scriptures in the synagogue for three Sabbath days. He explained and proved that Christ necessarily had to suffer and rise from the dead, asserting that Jesus, whom he preached, was this Christ. This message led to belief among some Jews, a great multitude of devout Greeks, and several chief women. However, the unbelieving Jews, moved by envy, gathered a company of lewd fellows, creating an uproar in the city. They assaulted Jason's house, accusing the brethren of turning the world upside down and proclaiming another king, Jesus, contrary to Caesar's decrees. Jason and others were released only after providing security. Consequently, Paul and Silas were immediately sent away by night to Berea, where they entered the Jewish synagogue. The Bereans were noted as more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all readiness of mind and diligently searched the scriptures daily to verify Paul's teachings. This led to many Bereans believing, including honorable Greek women and men. Nevertheless, when the Thessalonian Jews learned of Paul's preaching in Berea, they came there also and stirred up the people. The brethren then sent Paul away towards the sea, while Silas and Timotheus remained in Berea. Paul was conducted to Athens, and while awaiting his companions, his spirit was deeply stirred within him as he observed the city to be wholly given to idolatry. He disputed in the synagogue with Jews and devout persons, and daily in the market with those he met. He encountered Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, who, intrigued yet dismissive, called him a 'babbler' and a 'setter forth of strange gods' for preaching Jesus and the resurrection. They brought him to the Areopagus, desiring to understand his new doctrine. Standing on Mars' Hill, Paul addressed the Athenians, acknowledging their religiosity but pointing to an altar inscribed 'TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.' He declared this God to them as the Creator of the world and all things, the Lord of heaven and earth, who does not dwell in man-made temples or require human service, for He gives life, breath, and all things to all. He explained that God made all nations from one blood to inhabit the earth, setting their appointed times and boundaries, so that they might seek and find Him, for He is not far from anyone, and in Him, we live, and move, and have our being, as even their own poets affirmed. Paul argued that as God's offspring, they ought not to think the Godhead is like gold, silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. He declared that God had overlooked past times of ignorance but now commanded all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day to judge the world in righteousness by a man He ordained, giving assurance by raising him from the dead. Upon hearing of the resurrection, some mocked, others wished to hear more, and Paul departed. However, certain individuals believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris.

Core Concepts

  • Reasoning from ScripturesPaul's consistent method of evangelism in the synagogues involved using the Old Testament scriptures to demonstrate that Christ must suffer and rise, identifying Jesus as the fulfillment of these prophecies.
  • Jewish Opposition and EnvyIn both Thessalonica and Berea, unbelieving Jews, moved by envy, actively stirred up mobs and made false accusations against Paul and his converts, leading to unrest and forced departures.
  • Noble BereansThe Bereans are commended for their open-mindedness in receiving the word with readiness and their diligence in daily searching the scriptures to verify the truth of Paul's teachings.
  • Idolatry in AthensPaul's spirit was deeply troubled by the pervasive idolatry he observed in Athens, which served as a catalyst for his engagement with the city's inhabitants and philosophers.
  • The Unknown GodPaul skillfully used an Athenian altar dedicated 'TO THE UNKNOWN GOD' as a bridge to introduce the true Creator God, who is sovereign, self-sufficient, and the source of all life and being.
  • Repentance and ResurrectionCentral to Paul's Areopagus sermon was the command for all men to repent, grounded in God's appointment of a future day of righteous judgment through a man whom He raised from the dead, offering assurance of this truth.
  • Philosophical EngagementPaul engaged with Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in Athens, adapting his message to their cultural and intellectual context, though the concept of the resurrection proved a major point of contention.