1Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 2And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3Opening 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. 4And 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. 6And 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; 7Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. 8And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. 9And 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. 11These 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. 12Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. 13But 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. 14And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still. 15And 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. 17Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. 18Then 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. 19And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 20For 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. 23For 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. 24God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26And 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; 27That 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: 28For 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. 29Forasmuch 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. 30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31Because 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. 33So Paul departed from among them. 34Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Ghasia Huko Thesalonike
117:1 2The 1:1; 2Tim 4:10Wakasafiri kupitia Amfipoli na Apolonia wakafika Thesalonike, ambako kulikuwa na sinagogi la Wayahudi. 2Kama desturi yake, Paulo aliingia ndani ya sinagogi, na kwa muda wa Sabato tatu akawa anahojiana nao kutoka kwenye Maandiko, 317:3 Mdo 9:20; 13:14; 8:35; 18:2817:3 Lk 24:26; Mdo 3:18; Lk 24:46; Mdo 2:24; 9; 22; 18:28akidhihirisha wazi na kuthibitisha kwamba ilikuwa lazima Kristo17:3 Kristo maana yake ni Masiya, yaani Aliyetiwa mafuta. ateswe na afufuke kutoka kwa wafu. Akasema, “Huyu Yesu ninayewaambia habari zake, ndiye Kristo.” 417:4 Mdo 15:22Baadhi ya Wayahudi wakasadiki, wakaungana na Paulo na Sila, wakiwepo idadi kubwa ya Wayunani waliomcha Mungu na wanawake wengi mashuhuri.
517:5 1The 2:16; Rum 16:21Lakini Wayahudi ambao hawakuwa wameamini wakawa na wivu, wakawakodi watu waovu kutoka sokoni, wakakutanisha umati wa watu, wakaanzisha ghasia mjini. Wakaenda mbio nyumbani kwa Yasoni wakiwatafuta Paulo na Sila ili kuwaleta nje penye ule umati wa watu. 617:6 Mdo 16:19; Mt 24:14; Mdo 16:20Lakini walipowakosa wakamburuta Yasoni na ndugu wengine mbele ya maafisa wa mji, wakipiga kelele: “Watu hawa ni wale walioupindua ulimwengu wamekuja huku, 717:7 Lk 23:2; Yn 19:12naye Yasoni amewakaribisha nyumbani mwake. Hawa wote wanaasi amri za Kaisari wakisema yuko mfalme mwingine aitwaye Yesu.” 8Waliposikia haya, ule umati wa watu na maafisa wa mji wakaongeza ghasia. 917:9 Mdo 17:5Nao baada ya kuchukua dhamana kwa ajili ya Yasoni na wenzake wakawaacha waende zao.
Paulo Na Sila Huko Beroya
1017:10 Mdo 20:4Usiku ule ule, wale ndugu walioamini wakawapeleka Paulo na Sila waende zao Beroya. Walipowasili huko wakaenda kwenye sinagogi la Wayahudi. 1117:11 Lk 16:29; Yn 5:39Hawa Waberoya walikuwa waungwana zaidi kuliko wale wa Thesalonike, kwa kuwa waliupokea ule ujumbe kwa shauku kubwa na kuyachunguza Maandiko kila siku ili kuona kama yale Paulo aliyosema yalikuwa kweli. 1217:12 Mdo 2:41Wayahudi wengi wakaamini pamoja na wanawake na wanaume wa Kiyunani wa tabaka la juu.
1317:13 Ebr 4:12; 1The 2:14Lakini wale Wayahudi wa Thesalonike waliposikia kuwa Paulo anahubiri neno la Mungu huko Beroya, wakaenda huko ili kuwashawishi watu na kuwachochea. 1417:14 Mdo 15:22; 16:1Mara hiyo, wale ndugu wakamsafirisha Paulo hadi pwani, lakini Sila na Timotheo wakabaki Beroya. 1517:15 Mdo 18:1; 1The 3:1; Mdo 18:5Wale waliomsindikiza Paulo wakaenda naye mpaka Athene, kisha wakarudi Beroya wakiwa na maagizo kutoka kwa Paulo kuhusu Sila na Timotheo kwamba wamfuate upesi iwezekanavyo.
Paulo Huko Athene
1617:16 2Pet 2:8Paulo alipokuwa akiwasubiri huko Athene, alisumbuka sana moyoni mwake kuona vile mji huo ulivyojaa sanamu. 1717:17 Mdo 9:20Hivyo akahojiana kwenye sinagogi na Wayahudi pamoja na Wayunani waliomcha Mungu, na pia sokoni kila siku na watu aliopatana nao huko. 1817:18 Mdo 4:2Kisha baadhi ya Waepikureo na Wastoiko wenye falsafa wakakutana naye. Baadhi yao wakasema, “Je, huyu mpayukaji anajaribu kusema nini?” Wengine wakasema, “Inaonekana anasema habari za miungu ya kigeni.” Walisema haya kwa sababu Paulo alikuwa anahubiri habari njema kuhusu Yesu na ufufuo wa wafu. 1917:19 Mk 1:27Hivyo wakamchukua na kumleta kwenye mkutano wa Areopago, walikomwambia, “Je, tunaweza kujua mafundisho haya mapya unayofundisha ni nini? 20Wewe unaleta mambo mapya masikioni mwetu, hivyo tungetaka kujua maana yake ni nini.” 2117:21 Mdo 17:15(Waathene na wageni wote walioishi humo hawakutumia muda wao kufanya chochote kingine isipokuwa kueleza au kusikia mambo mapya).
2217:22 Mdo 17:16, 19Ndipo Paulo akasimama katikati ya Areopago akasema, “Enyi watu wa Athene! Ninaona kwamba katika kila jambo ninyi ni watu wa dini sana. 2317:23 Yn 4:22Kwa kuwa nilipokuwa nikitembea mjini na kuangalia kwa bidii vitu vyenu vya kuabudiwa, niliona huko madhabahu moja iliyoandikwa: Kwa Mungu Asiyejulikana. Basi sasa kile ambacho mmekuwa mkikiabudu kama kisichojulikana, ndicho ninachowahubiria.
2417:24 Isa 42:5; Mdo 14:15; Isa 66:1-2; Mt 11:25; Mdo 7:48“Mungu aliyeumba dunia na vyote vilivyomo ndani yake, yeye ndiye Bwana wa mbingu na nchi, hakai katika mahekalu yaliyojengwa kwa mikono ya wanadamu. 2517:25 Za 50:10-12; Isa 42:5Wala hatumikiwi na mikono ya wanadamu kana kwamba anahitaji chochote, kwa sababu yeye mwenyewe ndiye awapaye watu wote uhai na pumzi na vitu vyote. 2617:26 Kum 32:8; Ay 12:23Kutoka kwa mtu mmoja, yeye aliumba mataifa yote ya wanadamu ili waikalie dunia yote, naye akaweka nyakati za kuishi. 2717:27 Isa 55:6; Mdo 14:17Mungu alifanya hivyo ili wanadamu wamtafute na huenda wakamfikia ingawa kwa kupapasapapasa ijapokuwa kwa kweli hakai mbali na kila mmoja wetu. 2817:28 Kum 30:20; Ay 12:10‘Kwa kuwa katika yeye tunaishi, tunatembea na kuwa na uzima wetu.’ Kama baadhi ya watunga mashairi wenu walivyosema, ‘Sisi ni watoto wake.’
2917:29 Isa 40:18-20; Rum 3:25; 1Pet 1:14; Lk 24:47“Kwa kuwa sisi ni watoto wa Mungu, haitupasi kudhani kuwa uungu ni kama sanamu ya dhahabu au ya fedha au ya jiwe, mfano uliotengenezwa kwa ubunifu na ustadi wa mwanadamu. 3017:30 Mdo 14:16; Rum 3:25; 1Pet 1:14; Lk 24:47Zamani wakati wa ujinga, Mungu alijifanya kama haoni, lakini sasa anawaamuru watu wote kila mahali watubu. 3117:31 Mt 10:15; Za 96; 13; 98:9; Tit 2:11, 12Kwa kuwa ameweka siku ambayo atauhukumu ulimwengu kwa haki akimtumia mtu aliyemchagua. Amewahakikishia watu wote mambo haya kwa kumfufua Kristo kutoka kwa wafu.”
3217:32 Mdo 17:18, 31Waliposikia habari za ufufuo wa wafu, baadhi yao wakadhihaki, lakini wengine wakasema, “Tunataka kukusikia tena ukizungumza juu ya jambo hili.” 33Kwa hiyo Paulo akaondoka katikati yao. 3417:34 Mdo 17:19; 22Lakini baadhi yao wakaungana naye wakaamini. Kati yao alikuwepo Dionisio, Mwareopago na mwanamke mmoja aliyeitwa Damari na wengine wengi.
