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Acts 17

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Paul and Silas Preach in Thessalonica 1–9

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Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
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and Paul, as his custom was, went in unto them, and for three sabbath days reasoned with them from the scriptures, ​
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opening and alleging that it behooved the Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom, said he, I proclaim unto you, is the Christ. ​
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And some of them were persuaded, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
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But the Jews, being moved with jealousy, took unto them certain vile fellows of the rabble, and gathering a crowd, set the city on an uproar; and assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them forth to the people. ​
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And when they found them not, they dragged Jason and certain brethren before the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; ​
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whom Jason hath received: and these all act contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. ​
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And they troubled the multitude and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
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And when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

The Ministry in Berea 10–15

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And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Beroea: who when they were come thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
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Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the scriptures daily, whether these things were so. ​
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Many of them therefore believed; also of the Greek women of honorable estate, and of men, not a few.
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But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed of Paul at Beroea also, they came thither likewise, stirring up and troubling the multitudes. ​
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And then immediately the brethren sent forth Paul to go as far as to the sea: and Silas and Timothy abode there still.
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But they that conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timothy that they should come to him with all speed, they departed. ​

Paul in Athens: Confronting Idolatry 16–21

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Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols. ​
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So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with them that met him.
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And certain also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, What would this babbler say? others, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached Jesus and the resurrection. ​
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And they took hold of him, and brought him unto the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by thee? ​
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For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
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(Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.) ​

Paul's Sermon on Mars Hill 22–31

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And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, in all things I perceive that ye are very religious. ​
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For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you. ​
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The God that made the world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; ​
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neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
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and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation; ​
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that they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us:
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for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. ​
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Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man. ​
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The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent: ​
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inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. ​

The Mixed Response to Paul’s Sermon 32–34

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Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, We will hear thee concerning this yet again.
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Thus Paul went out from among them.
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But certain men clave unto him, and believed: among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Acts 17

Verse 2

three sabbath days reasoned — Dialegomai, to discuss thoroughly, the verb rendered 'disputed' in v.17. The ground was 'the scriptures' (graphe), as with Christ, who said 'I ever taught in the synagogue' (John 18:20). The 'manner' (etho) was Paul's custom of beginning with the synagogue.

Verse 3

Opening and alleging — Dianoigo, to open thoroughly, and paratithemi, to set before. 'Must needs' is dei, divine necessity, the pattern of Christ's own word: 'thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day' (Luke 24:46). The proof was that 'this Jesus' is the Christ.

Verse 5

moved with envy — Zeloo, to be jealous; the Jews 'which believed not' (apeitheo, to refuse belief wilfully) acted against the many who had joined Paul (v.4). 'Baser sort' is agoraios, men of the market-place. Jason, whose house was assaulted, is probably the Jason of Rom 16:21.

Verse 6

turned the world upside down — Anastatoo, to unsettle or drive from home; 'world' is oikoumene, the inhabited earth, the word used of the judged 'world' in v.31. 'Rulers of the city' translates politarches, found only here and in v.8. A like charge of troubling the city was made at Philippi, by the masters of the slave girl (Acts 16:19–21).

Verse 7

decrees of Caesar — Dogma, an authoritative ruling. The charge is political, as before Pilate: 'forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King' (Luke 23:2); 'whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar' (John 19:12). The word 'king' (basileus) was the point of attack.

Verse 11

more noble — Eugenes, literally well-born, here of character: they were open-minded, not high in rank. 'Searched' is anakrino, to examine as in an inquiry, done 'daily'. Their conduct matches Christ's command, 'Search the scriptures' (John 5:39), for the scriptures 'testify of me'.

Verse 13

stirred up the people — Saleuo, to shake or agitate, as a reed in wind. The Thessalonian Jews followed Paul to a second city, 'thither also'. Paul writes to the Thessalonians of the Jews who forbade 'us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved' (1 Thess 2:16).

Verse 15

Athens — Those who 'conducted' Paul took him to Athens and returned with a commandment for Silas and Timotheus to follow 'with all speed'. Paul later writes of being 'left at Athens alone' (1 Thess 3:1); they rejoined him only after he reached Corinth (Acts 18:1, 5).

Verse 16

his spirit was stirred — Paroxuno, to sharpen alongside, to provoke; the English 'paroxysm' comes from it. 'Wholly given to idolatry' is kateidolos, found only here, and it describes a city full of images. The reaction echoes the psalmist: 'I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved' (Ps 119:158).

Verse 18

Epicureans… Stoicks — Two schools of philosophers (philosophos, lovers of wisdom). 'Babbler' is spermologos, found only here. It means a seed-picker, a bird pecking scraps, hence one who picks up ideas at second hand. 'Strange gods' is xenos daimonion, foreign deities; the charge is that Paul preached novel gods.

Verse 19

Areopagus — Areios Pagos, the hill of Ares, which the KJV calls 'Mars' hill' in v.22. They 'took' him there to give an account of the 'new doctrine' (kaine didache). The same question was asked of Christ in Capernaum: 'What new doctrine is this?' (Mark 1:27).

Verse 21

spent their time — Eukaireo, to have leisure. Both Athenians and resident 'strangers' (xenos, foreigners) spent it on nothing but telling or hearing 'some new thing' (kainos). Luke's aside explains the readiness to hear Paul in vv.19–20 and the lack of commitment in v.32.

Verse 22

too superstitious — Deisidaimonesteros, the comparative of a word built on 'fear' and 'deity': more given to the fear of deities than others. The sense may be taken mildly, as more religious than most. Paul begins with what he 'perceived' (theoreo, to observe closely) in the city he had walked through (v.16).

Verse 23

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD — Agnostos, unknown; 'ignorantly' is agnoeo, from the same root: they worship what they do not know. Christ said the same of the Samaritans: 'Ye worship ye know not what' (John 4:22). 'Devotions' is sebasma, objects of worship; 'declare' is katangello, to proclaim.

Verse 24

dwelleth not in temples made with hands — Cheiropoietos, hand-made. Stephen said the same: 'the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands' (Acts 7:48), citing Isa 66:1. Solomon had already said 'the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee' (1 Kings 8:27). 'Lord of heaven and earth' is Christ's own title for the Father (Matt 11:25).

Verse 26

of one blood — Haima, blood as descent: every nation comes from one man, Adam. 'Determined' (horizo) the times and the 'bounds' (horothesia) recalls Deut 32:8, where the most High 'set the bounds of the people'. The verb horizo is used again of the Judge in v.31.

Verse 28

in him we live, and move, and have our being — These words speak of dependence in life, motion and existence. Paul then cites 'your own poets' (poietes) for 'we are also his offspring'; genos, kin or race, is the word of 'offspring of God' in v.29, where the argument is drawn out. The truth is stated in Paul's words and confirmed from their own writers.

Verse 29

the Godhead — Theios, the divine nature. If men, who live, are God's offspring, the divine nature cannot resemble metal or stone 'graven by art and man's device' (enthumesis, a human conception). Scripture says the same of idols: 'Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands' (Ps 115:4).

Verse 30

winked at — Huperido, to overlook, found only here: God looked past and did not yet punish. Compare 'Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways' (Acts 14:16). The overlooking ends in 'now': he 'commandeth' (paraggello) 'all men every where' to repent (metanoeo, to change the mind).

Verse 31

he hath appointed a day — The judgment is certain and dated by God. 'Ordained' is horizo, the verb of 'determined' in v.26. 'Judge the world in righteousness' echoes Ps 9:8. 'Given assurance' is literally furnished pistis, faith or proof, and the resurrection is the pledge. 'World' is oikoumene, as in v.6.

Verse 34

clave unto him — Kollao, to glue, to join closely. Among the believers were 'Dionysius the Areopagite', a member of the court on Mars' hill (v.19), and 'a woman named Damaris'. Luke records only these two by name, with 'others with them'.