|
- Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
- Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
- Then 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.
- And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
- For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
|
- While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.
- So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
- A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
- Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
- You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean."
|
- (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.)
- 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.
- For 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.
- God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
- Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
|
- (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
- Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
- For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
- "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.
- And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
|
- And 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;
- That 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:
- For 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.
- Forasmuch 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.
- And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
|
- From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
- God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
- 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
- "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an image made by man's design and skill.
- In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
|
- Because 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.
- And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
- So Paul departed from among them.
- Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
|
- 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 all men by raising him from the dead."
- When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject."
- At that, Paul left the Council.
- A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
|
|
|