Acts 17 - NLT New Translation in Today's Language

1 Paul and Silas passed through the cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia and arrived in Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue.

2 As was his custom, Paul went there and on the next three Sabbaths he spoke about the Holy Scriptures with the people who were there in the synagogue.

3 Paul explained and proved to them that the Messiah needed to suffer and that, after dying, he had to rise again. He said: —This Jesus that I am announcing to you is the Messiah.

4 Paul and Silas managed to convince some of those people, who joined them. A large number of non-Jewish converts to Judaism and many high society ladies also joined the group.

5 But the Jews were jealous. They went to get some bad men from the street rascals and formed a band of rioters. These made a lot of confusion in the city and attacked Jason's house, looking for Paul and Silas in order to lead them out among the people.

6 But when they didn't find them, they took Jason and some other brothers by force to the presence of the city authorities, shouting: - Those men have caused disorder everywhere! Now they've come to our city,

7 and Jason hosted them in his house. They are disobeying the laws of the Roman Emperor, saying that there is another king, named Jesus.

8 Both the crowd and the officials became agitated when they heard these words.

9 And the authorities released Jason and the others, after they had paid the required amount for it.

10 As soon as it was evening, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to the city of Berea. When they got there, they went to the synagogue.

11 The people there were better educated than those in Thessalonica and listened to the message with great interest. Every day they studied the Holy Scriptures to find out if what Paul said was really true.

12 So many Jews in that city believed, and also non-Jews, both women of high society and also many men.

13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica heard that Paul had preached the word of God also in Berea, they went there and began to stir up and stir up the people against them.

14 So the brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast; but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.

15 The brothers who were protecting Paul took him to the city of Athens. Then they returned to Berea, carrying an errand from Paul; he asked Silas and Timothy to meet him in Athens as soon as possible.

16 While waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens, Paul was disgusted to see the city so full of idols.

17 He went to the synagogue and there he spoke with the Jews and non-Jewish converts to Judaism. And every day, in the public square, he spoke to the people who were there.

18 Some Epicurean teachers and some Stoics argued with him and asked: - What is this ignorant man trying to say? Others commented: —He seems to be talking about foreign gods. They said that because Paul was announcing Jesus and the resurrection.

19 So they took him to a town council meeting and said, "We would like to know what new teaching you are bringing to us."

20 For you say some things that seem strange to us, and we would like to know what they mean.

21 It's just that all the residents of Athens and the foreigners who lived there liked to spend time telling and listening to the latest news.

22 Then Paul stood before them in the town council meeting and said, “Athenians! I see that in all things you are very religious.

23 Indeed, as I was walking through the city and looking at the places where you worship your gods, I found an altar on which it is written: “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.” For this God that you worship without knowing is precisely the one I am announcing to you.

24 - 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 beings.

25 Nor does he need anyone to do anything for him, since he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

26 From one man he created all human races to live on earth. Before creating the peoples, God marked out for them where they would live and how long they would stay there.

27 He did this so that everyone could look for him and maybe find him, although he is not far from each one of us.

28 Because, as someone has said, “In him we live and move and have our being. ” And some of your poets said: “We are also his children. ”

29 And since we are his children, we must not think that God is like an idol of gold, silver, or stone, made by the art and skill of people.

30 In the past God overlooked this ignorance. But now he commands all people everywhere to repent of their sins.

31 For he has set the day when he will judge the world in righteousness by a man he has chosen. And he gave proof of this to everyone when he resurrected this man.

32 When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection, some mocked him, but others said, “We want to hear you talk about this another time.

33 So Paul went away from there.

34 But some people believed and joined him. Among these were Dionísio, who was a member of the City Council, a woman named Dâmaris and other people.

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