Acts17

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.
Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

Paul and Silas Preach in Thessalonica

1
When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
2
As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, ​
3
explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he declared. ​
4
Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women.
5
The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people. ​
6
But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here, ​
7
and Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, named Jesus!” ​
8
On hearing this, the crowd and city officials were greatly disturbed.
9
And they collected bond from Jason and the others, and then released them.

The Ministry in Berea

10
As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue.
11
Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true. ​
12
As a result, many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men.
13
But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul was also proclaiming the word of God in Berea, they went there themselves to incite and agitate the crowds. ​
14
The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.
15
Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. ​

Paul in Athens: Confronting Idolatry

16
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols. ​
17
So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day.
18
Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection. ​
19
So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, where they asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? ​
20
For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”
21
Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas. ​

Paul’s Address on the Areopagus

22
Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious. ​
23
For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you. ​
24
The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands. ​
25
Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
26
From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands. ​
27
God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.
28
‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’ ​
29
Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination. ​
30
Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent. ​
31
For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.” ​

The Mixed Response to Paul’s Sermon

32
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock him, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this topic.”
33
At that, Paul left the Areopagus.
34
But some joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others who were with them. ​

Study Notes for Acts 17

Verse 2

Paul consistently followed the pattern of preaching first in the local synagogue, reasoning (dialoguing or debating) from the established Jewish Scriptures (the Old Testament).

Verse 3

Paul’s central argument was that the Messiah (Christ) must suffer and rise, fulfilling prophecy, and that Jesus of Nazareth was this promised Messiah. This suffering Messiah concept was a stumbling block for many Jews (1 Cor. 1:23).

Verse 5

The unbelieving Jews, motivated by envy over Paul’s success, utilized disgruntled citizens ('lewd fellows of the baser sort,' or marketplace loafers) to incite a riot, a common tactic of opposition in Acts.

Verse 6

The charge that they 'turned the world upside down' (or 'agitated the inhabited earth') confirms the widespread impact of the Gospel message and the resulting social disruption it caused by challenging established religious and political norms.

Verse 7

This accusation was political, alleging treason against Rome. Claiming Jesus as 'another king' directly challenged Caesar’s ultimate authority, making the Christian movement a legal threat.

Verse 11

The Bereans are commended as 'more noble' because they displayed two essential qualities: a willingness to receive the word immediately, and a commitment to diligently verify Paul’s message against the Scriptures.

Verse 13

The persistent persecution initiated by the Thessalonian Jews demonstrates their deep hostility toward the Gospel and their determination to suppress Paul's ministry across geographical boundaries.

Verse 15

Paul’s journey to Athens marks a significant transition, moving from the synagogues and Jewish centers of ministry to the intellectual heartland of the Greek world.

Verse 16

Paul’s 'spirit was stirred' (literally, 'sharply provoked') by the pervasive idolatry he witnessed. Athens, though a center of philosophy, was filled with countless images and altars dedicated to various gods.

Verse 18

Epicureans denied divine providence, while Stoics emphasized reason and fate. Both schools found Paul's message of resurrection and judgment strange, calling him a 'babbler' (a seed-picker, one who collects scraps of ideas).

Verse 19

The Areopagus (Mars' Hill) was the location of the city council (the highest court) and the traditional site for public debate, making it an ideal venue for Paul to present his doctrine before the city's intellectual elite.

Verse 21

Luke provides this parenthetical observation to explain Athenian culture: they were obsessed with intellectual novelty and gossip, valuing the process of debate more than the search for truth.

Verse 22

Paul begins his address by acknowledging their deep religious devotion (often translated 'very religious' rather than 'too superstitious'), using it as a starting point for dialogue rather than immediate confrontation.

Verse 23

By referencing the altar 'TO THE UNKNOWN GOD,' Paul masterfully bridges the gap between their polytheism and the monotheism he preaches, claiming to reveal the deity they inadvertently sought to appease.

Verse 24

This verse directly challenges the Athenian worldview, contrasting the transcendent Creator God (Lord of heaven and earth) with the localized, house-bound idols and temples they relied upon (a quote from Isaiah 66:1-2).

Verse 26

The doctrine of 'one blood' asserts the unity and common origin of all humanity, undermining Greek notions of racial superiority and demonstrating God's sovereign control over history and geography.

Verse 28

Paul quotes two Greek poets (Epimenides of Crete and Aratus) to establish common ground, showing that even their own intellectual tradition recognized humanity’s dependence on and kinship with the divine.

Verse 29

If humans are God's intelligent offspring, the divine nature cannot be reduced to lifeless, man-made images of gold, silver, or stone, providing a logical conclusion to the argument against idolatry.

Verse 30

The 'times of this ignorance' refers to the period before the full revelation of Christ. God now commands universal repentance because the judgment is imminent and the standard of accountability has been raised.

Verse 31

The climax of the sermon introduces the doctrine of future judgment administered by Jesus. The resurrection of Christ serves as the ultimate proof (assurance) of Jesus' identity and future judicial role.

Verse 34

Despite the mixed reaction, some converts were made. Dionysius the Areopagite was a member of the elite council (Areopagus court), signifying that Paul’s message reached the highest levels of Athenian society.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate
Settings

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Reading Width 45 chars

Options