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56. PAUL AT THESSALONICA, BEREA, AND

ATHENS.

FROM Philippi, Paul and Silas went to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures, showing them that Jesus was the Christ, the promised Messiah. And some of the Jews believed, and a great many of the Greeks, and of the chief women not a few.

But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, gathered a company, and made an assault upon the Christians, and raised an uproar in the city. In consequence of which the brethren sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea: and there also they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 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. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

But

From Berea Paul went to Athens, a city very celebrated for its advancement in the arts and sciences, and which was then the centre of polite learning and philosophy. Here was every thing to charm the eye, and to gratify the taste. Paul could derive no pleasure from those things while he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. It is stated by some heathen writers, that there were more idols and idolatrous feasts in Athens than in all Greece besides. Paul preached in the synagogue of the Jews, and in the market, concerning Jesus

BEREA, AND ATHENS.

and the resurrection. Then some of the philosophers of the place began to dispute with him, and they brought him to the highest court in the city, and said to him, "May we know what this new doctrine whereof thou speakest is?"

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Then Paul 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 who 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; 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: 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. a But some believed; among whom was a member of the council named Dionysius, and a woman named Damaris.

57. PAUL AT CORINTH AND EPHESUS.

AFTER this, Paul preached the gospel at the celebrated city of Corinth, which was as much given to luxury and vice as Athens was to idolatry. And many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized.

Some time after this Paul came to Ephesus, a

a Acts xvii. 16-33.

PAUL AT CORINTH AND EPHESUS.

large city in Asia Minor, where there was a very magnificent temple of the goddess Diana. Here God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul; so that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds. Many persons also who had used arts of sorcery and magic brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

But there arose a great stir at Ephesus. A certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, "Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: so that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth."

And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. And when Paul would have entered

in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre. Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people. But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians."

And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, "Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another. But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly. For we are in danger to be called into question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse. And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

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