13. But when the Jewes of Thessalonica] had knowledge that the word of
God was preached of Paul at Beroe••, they came thither also, and stirred up the
people.
[Paraphrase] 13. And when those Jewes of Thessalonica, which op∣posed Paul there,
14. And immediately the brethren sent away Paul, to goe as it were to the sea;]
but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
[Paraphrase] 14. And suddenly the Christians, to delude the per∣secuters, sent Paul toward the sea side as if he meant to take ship, whereas he meant to goe a foot to Athens.
15. And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a
commandement 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 [note b] wholly given to idolatry.
17. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jewes, and with the de∣vout
persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.]
[Paraphrase] 17. And thereupon he did not onely preach in the syna∣gogue of the Jewes to the Jewes and Proselytes, but in other places of concourse he took occasion to make known the Chri∣stian doctrine to all the heathens that he met with there.
18. Then certain Philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoicks] encoun∣tred
him, and some said, What will this [note c] babler say? Other some, He seemeth to
be a setter forth of strange Gods: because he preached unto them [note d] Jesus, and the
resurrection.
[Paraphrase] 18. And some of the lear∣ned men of Athens of the two contrary sects, one that denied all providence, the other that denied all freedome of will,
19. And they took him and brought him [unto [note e] Areopagus, saying, May we
know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?]
[Paraphrase] 19. to the place of judica∣ture at Athens, and examined him what new religion 'twas that he taught.
20. For thou bringest certain strange things to our cares: we would know there∣fore
what these things mean.]
[Paraphrase] 20. For all that yet we hear, is very new and strange, we desire to have a full account of all.
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's hill, and said, Ye men of Athens,
I perceive that in all things ye are too [note f] superstitious.]
[Paraphrase] 22. Paul being brought before the Judges in Areopa∣gus, said, Ye Athenians have a greater number of Gods which ye worship, then any other cities have.
23. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this
inscription, [note g] 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:]
[Paraphrase] 23, 24. This God there∣fore whom you acknowledge not to know, and yet professe to worship, is he that I preach, the invisible God of heaven and earth, ruler, because creator of all, which cannot be contained in any shrine of man's framing.
25. Neither is worshipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing,
seeing he giveth to all ••••fe, and breath, and all things;]
[Paraphrase] 25. Nor can any image made by man be a proper in∣strument to worship or propitiate him, he being so farre from wanting any help of ours, that he gives to all their very life, and all that they have.
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;]
[Paraphrase] 26. And from one Adam first, and then from one Noah hath framed a whole world of men, fixing times and places in great order, and wisdome of disposal.
27. That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and
find him, though he be not farre from every one of us.]
[Paraphrase] 27. And the end of all that is, that they might look after him that created them, and worship him. And though they were left through their sinnes, as in the dark, in grosse igno∣rance, yet was God so palpably to be discerned that by feeling, or groping, as blind men in that dark, they might, if they would but seek, find him, who is indeed very neer every one of us, even as the soule that animates every one.
28. For [note h] in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your
own poets have said,] For we are also his off-spring.
[Paraphrase] 28. For our life, motion and subsistence is wholly through him, according to that which Aratus an heathen Poet said,
29. For as much then as we are the off-spring of God, we ought not to think
that the Godhead is like to gold or silver, or stone graven by art and mans de∣vice.]
[Paraphrase] 29. God therefore being our creatour, can in no reason be supposed by us his work∣manship to be the work of our hands, such as a piece of gold, or silver, or stone, with a signature upon it.
30. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth
all men every where to repent.]
[Paraphrase] 30. And 'tis certainly long enough, that men have gone on in such prodigious conceits as this: Be it therefore now known unto you, that there is place of repentance, if you will make hast to accept it: For God not looking, or fastning his eyes upon the continued idolatry of the heathens for many years, (which might provoke him to desert them for ever) now sends us to you their progeny, to call you to repentance, enters a new covenant with you, as well as others, a covenant of free pardon upon reformation.
31. Because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world with
righteousnesse▪ by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given as∣surance
unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.]
[Paraphrase] 31. Having now determi∣ned the way by which the whole world shall be judged, viz. by their receiving or not receiving of Christ, whom, by raising him from the dead, he hath held out to all men to believe on, and woe to them that shall now refuse him.
32. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked;] and
others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
[Paraphrase] 32. And when he mentio∣ned that of rising from the dead, some of those learned men, the Epicureans especially, which denied all future life, fell a scoffing,
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.]
[Paraphrase] 34. And some believed, and associated with him, par∣ticularly Dionysius one of the senators or Judges in Areopagus, (see note c.) and Damaris his wife, and some others.