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.
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 Cæsar, 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.
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.
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.)
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: 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.
1 Izgājuši cauri Amfipolei un Apollonijai, viņi nonāca Tesalonikā; tur bija jūdu sinagoga.
2 Pāvils, kā parasti, iegāja pie tiem un trīs nedēļas runāja ar tiem par rakstiem,
3 Tos izskaidrodams un pierādīdams, ka Kristum vajadzēja ciest un augšām celties no mirušiem, un teikdams: „Šis ir Kristus Jēzus, ko es jums sludinu.“
4 Dažus no tiem viņš pārliecināja, un tie piebiedrojās Pāvilam un Silam, ari liels pulks dievbijīgu grieķu un daudz dižciltīgu sieviešu.
5 Bet jūdi, sadusmoti un sabiedrojušies ar dažiem nelietīgiem klaidoņiem, saskrēja barā un radīja nemieru pilsētā un, apstājuši Jazona namu, meklēja viņus, lai vestu pūļa priekšā.
6 Bet tos neatraduši, viņi Jazonu un dažus brāļus vilka pilsētas valdes priekšā, kliegdami: „Tie, kas visā pasaulē rada nemieru, atnākuši arī šurp;
7 Tos Jazons uzņēmis; un tie visi rīkojas pret ķeizara pavēlēm, sacīdami, ka cits ir ķēniņš—Jēzus.“
8 Viņi uztrauca ļaudis un pilsētas valdes vīrus, kas to dzirdēja.
9 Bet dabūjuši gandarījumu no Jazona un pārējiem, viņi tos atbrīvoja.
10 Bet brāļi tūdaļ naktī Pāvilu un Silu nosūtīja uz Beroju; tur nonākuši, viņi iegāja jūdu sinagogā.
11 Tie bija labvēlīgāki par Tesalonikas jūdiem un vārdu labprāt uzņēma, meklēdami ikdienas rakstos, vai tas tā esot.
12 Daudzi no viņiem kļuva ticīgi, un ne mazums cienījamu grieķu sieviešu un vīriešu.
13 Kad Tesalonikas jūdi uzzināja, ka arī Berojā Pāvils sludina Dieva vārdu, viņi nāca arī uz turieni, uztraukdami un samulsinādami ļaudis.
14 Brāļi tūdaļ sūtīja Pāvilu prom, lai viņš ietu uz jūfu, bet Sīļa un Timotejs palika tur.
15 Pavadoņi Pāvilu aizveda līdz Atēnām un aizgāja, dabūjuši līdz pavēli Silam un Timotejam, lai tie pēc iespējas drīz nāktu pie viņa.
16 Kamēr Pāvils Atēnās viņus gaidīja, viņa gars iedegās dusmās, redzot, ka pilsēta ir pilna elku.
17 Viņš sarunājās sinagogās ar jūdiem un dievbijīgajiem un ikdienas tirgus laukumā ar visiem, kas gadījās.
18 Bet daži epikūriešu un stoiķu filozofi ar viņu sarunājās, un daži sacīja: „Ko šis pļāpa grib teikt?“ Un citi: „Šis šķiet esam svešu dievu sludinātājs“. Jo viņš sludināja Jēzu un augšāmcelšanos.
19 Saņēmuši, tie viņu veda uz areiopagu, sacīdami: „Vai mēs nevarētu dabūt zināt, kas tā par jaunu mācību, ko tu sludini?
20 Jo tu runā mūsu ausim svešas lietas; tāpēc mēs gribam zināt, kas tas ir.“
21 Bet visiem atēniešiem un sveši-niekiem, kas tur mita, nekas cits nerūpēja, kā vien ko jaunu runāt un dzirdēt.
22 Pāvils, stāvēdams areiopaga vidū, sacīja: „Atēnieši, es redzu, ka jūs visās lietās esat ļoti dievbijīgi.
23 Jo, staigādams un aplūkodams jūsu svētumus, es atradu arī altāri ar uzrakstu: Nepazīstamam Dievam. Ko jūs nepazīdami godājat, to es jums sludinu.
24 Dievs, kas radījis pasauli un visu, kas tanī, būdams debess un zemes Kungs, nemājo rokām celtos tempļos.
25 Un viņu neapkalpo cilvēku rokas, it kā viņam kā vajadzētu: viņš pats dod visiem dzīvību, elpu un visu;
26 Viņš licis visām tautām celties no vienām asinīm un dzīvot pa visu zemes virsu un nospraudis noteiktus laikus un robežas, kur tiem dzīvot,
27 Lai tie meklētu Dievu, vai tie viņu varētu nojaust un atrast, jebšu viņš nav tālu nevienam no mums.
28 Jo viņā mēs dzīvojam un rosāmies un esam, kā ari daži jūsu dziesminieki sacījuši: Mēs arī esam viņa cilts.
29 Tāpēc mums, kas esam Dieva cilts, nav jādoma, ka dievība ir līdzīga zeltam, sudrabam vai akmenim, cilvēka mākslas darinājumam vai izdomājumam.
30 Bet Dievs, atstādams neievērotus nezināšanas laikus, tagad aicina visus cilvēkus visur atgriezties no grēkiem.
31 Jo viņš nolicis dienu, kupā viņš pasauli taisnīgi tiesās caur kādu vīru, ko viņš izredzējis un par ko visiem liecību devis, uzmodinādams to no mirušiem.“
32 Par mirušo augšāmcelšanos dzirdēdami, citi zobojās, bet citi sacīja: „Par to mēs tevi vēl kādu citu reizi dzirdēsim.“
33 Tā Pāvils aizgāja no viņu vidus.
34 Bet daži viņam piebiedrojās un kļuva ticīgi. Starp tiem bija Dionisijs, areiopaga loceklis, kāda sieviete, vārdā Damarida, un vēl citi līdz ar viņiem.
