Paul ministers in Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens convincing many and stirring up others
| Text | Comments |
| 1 ¶ Now
when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica,
where was a synagogue of the Jews:
2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. 4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. |
2 -
A
synagogue For the author of Acts, the Sabbath was still the
day the Jews kept.
4 - Chief women Notice Paul's high regard for women. Also v12. |
| 5 But the Jews which believed
not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser
sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted
the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; 7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. 8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go. |
6 - Turning the world upside down Although a metaphor, this would have been a serious charge. People who choose to reject truth have nothing better to argue. |
| 10
¶ And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto
Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. 14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still. 15 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed. |
11
- Noble Literally, "wellborn" 1co0126.
Attributing to the Bereans the qualities attributed to people of aristocratic
birth. They were not like those holding to tradition in Thessalonica. Tradition
blocks reaching people today.
11 - Receiving the Word They relied on the Scriptures. Compare v1. 11 - Searched From a word used for legal investigations, anakrino, meaning "to investigate," "to examine," or "to sift." See it in ac0409,ac1219. "To search" in jn0539 is from ereunao "to examine into." |
| 16 ¶ Now while Paul waited
for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city
wholly given to idolatry.
17 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. 18 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. 19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. 21 (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.) |
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| 22
¶ 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.
23 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. 24 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; 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 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; 27 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: 28 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. 29 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. 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: |
22
- Then Compare
1co0201ff.
26 - Made of one blood The idea is that all came from Adam. 26 - Times before appointed More accurately "appointed times [or "seasons"] "Times" is from kairoi meaning epochs in history rather than seasons in the yearly cycle. |
| 31 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.
32 ¶ And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them. |
30
- Ignorance God holds us accountable for what we know or
have an opportunity to know. am0302.
31 - Appointed a day The "day" of judgment is the Day of Atonement represented in the yearly sanctuary calendar as the day when the high priest entered the most holy place. It was "appointed" in the sense that the time of the work of Christ which it represented it was precisely predicted by Daniel da0814. Compare le2327 where the time is called the "day of atonement." For another use of the word "day" to represent the time of this judgment see zc0309. |
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