1. When they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
2. According to his custom, Paul went in, and on three Sabbaths he lectured to them from the Scriptures,
3. explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I preach to you, is the Christ.”
4. Some of them were persuaded and joined with Paul and Silas, including a great crowd of devout Greeks and many leading women.
5. But the Jews who did not believe became jealous and, taking some evil men from the marketplace, gathered a crowd, stirred up the city, and attacked the house of Jason, trying to bring them out to the mob.
6. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers to the city officials, crying out, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,
7. and Jason has received them. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”
8. They troubled the crowd and the city officials when they heard these things.
9. When they had taken a bail payment from Jason and the rest, they released them.
10. The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all eagerness, daily examining the Scriptures, to find out if these things were so.
12. Therefore many of them believed, including honorable Greek women and many Greek men.
13. But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also, stirring up the crowds.
14. The brothers immediately sent Paul away to the sea. But Silas and Timothy remained there.
15. Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and departed with instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him quickly.
16. While Paul waited for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.
17. Therefore he disputed in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to there.