English Bible Presentation Sharing - Acts Book, chapter 17, verse 9 in Hcsb Version

Acts 17 : 1 (HCSB)

Then they traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.

Acts 17 : 2 (HCSB)

As usual, Paul went to them, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

Acts 17 : 3 (HCSB)

explaining and showing that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and saying: "This is the Messiah, Jesus, whom I am proclaiming to you."

Acts 17 : 4 (HCSB)

Then some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including a great number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number of the leading women.

Acts 17 : 5 (HCSB)

But the Jews became jealous, and when they had brought together some scoundrels from the marketplace and formed a mob, they set the city in an uproar. Attacking Jason's house, they searched for them to bring them out to the public assembly.

Acts 17 : 6 (HCSB)

When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, shouting, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too,

Acts 17 : 7 (HCSB)

and Jason has received them as guests! They are all acting contrary to Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king-- Jesus!"

Acts 17 : 8 (HCSB)

The Jews stirred up the crowd and the city officials who heard these things.

Acts 17 : 9 (HCSB)

So taking a security bond from Jason and the others, they released them.

Acts 17 : 10 (HCSB)

As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea. On arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.

Acts 17 : 11 (HCSB)

The people here were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, since they welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Acts 17 : 12 (HCSB)

Consequently, many of them believed, including a number of the prominent Greek women as well as men.

Acts 17 : 13 (HCSB)

But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that God's message had been proclaimed by Paul at Beroea, they came there too, agitating and disturbing the crowds.

Acts 17 : 14 (HCSB)

Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to go to the sea, but Silas and Timothy stayed on there.

Acts 17 : 15 (HCSB)

Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they departed.

Acts 17 : 16 (HCSB)

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was troubled within him when he saw that the city was full of idols.

Acts 17 : 17 (HCSB)

So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who worshiped God, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.

Acts 17 : 18 (HCSB)

Then also, some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers argued with him. Some said, "What is this pseudo-intellectual trying to say?" Others replied, "He seems to be a preacher of foreign deities"-- because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

Acts 17 : 19 (HCSB)

They took him and brought him to the Areopagus, and said, "May we learn about this new teaching you're speaking of?

Acts 17 : 20 (HCSB)

For what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these ideas mean."

Acts 17 : 21 (HCSB)

Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new.

Acts 17 : 22 (HCSB)

Then Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that you are extremely religious in every respect.

Acts 17 : 23 (HCSB)

For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

Acts 17 : 24 (HCSB)

The God who made the world and everything in it-- He is Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in shrines made by hands.

Acts 17 : 25 (HCSB)

Neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives everyone life and breath and all things.

Acts 17 : 26 (HCSB)

From one man He has made every nation of men to live all over the earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live,

Acts 17 : 27 (HCSB)

so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.

Acts 17 : 28 (HCSB)

For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

Acts 17 : 29 (HCSB)

Being God's offspring, then, we shouldn't think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination.

Acts 17 : 30 (HCSB)

"Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent,

Acts 17 : 31 (HCSB)

because He has set a day on which He is going to judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead."

Acts 17 : 32 (HCSB)

When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to ridicule him. But others said, "We will hear you about this again."

Acts 17 : 33 (HCSB)

So Paul went out from their presence.

Acts 17 : 34 (HCSB)

However, some men joined him and believed, among whom were Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.