Download

Reference

Acts 17
Book of Acts Episode 17 - Acts 17

Today we studied Paul and his amazing journey. Up until this chapter he's been beat, throwed in prison, rejeccted by society, etc., for his position on Jesus. What a mighty man of God! We also learn how bold he is!

*******************************************************

Acts 17 details Paul’s second missionary journey across three distinct Greek cities—Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens—highlighting how different audiences respond to the gospel message. [1, 2]

Paul in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1–9)

  • Preaching the Messiah: Paul visits the local synagogue for three Sabbaths, explaining from the Scriptures that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. [1, 2]

  • The Response: Some Jews, many devout Greeks, and prominent women believe, but jealous opponents form a mob and start a riot. [1, 2]

  • The Accusation: Attackers target the house of a believer named Jason and accuse the missionaries of "turning the world upside down" and defying Caesar by proclaiming Jesus as king. [1]

 

 

Paul in Berea (Acts 17:10–15)

  • The Noble Hearers: Smuggled out by night, Paul and Silas go to Berea, where the Jewish community is described as more noble-minded. [1, 2]

  • Daily Examination: The Bereans eagerly receive the message and examine the Scriptures every day to verify whether Paul's teachings are true. [1]

 

  • The Result: Many believe, but hostile agitators from Thessalonica travel down to stir up the crowds again, prompting Paul to move on toward the coast. [1]

Paul in Athens and the Areopagus (Acts 17:16–34)

  • Distressed by Idols: While waiting for Timothy and Silas in the intellectual heart of Greece, Paul is deeply troubled by the city's widespread idolatry. [1, 2]

  • Marketplace Debates: He reasons daily in the synagogue and the public square, engaging Epicurean and Stoic philosophers who dismiss him as a "babbler" or curious about foreign deities. [1, 2]

  • The "Unknown God" Speech: Brought before the council at the Areopagus (Mars Hill), Paul uses an Athenian altar inscribed "To an unknown God" as a bridge to introduce the Creator of the world who does not live in temples made by human hands. [1, 2, 3]

 

 

  • The Reaction: His speech on the Creator, repentance, and the bodily resurrection receives mixed reviews: some mock, some want to hear more later, and a few individuals—including Dionysius and Damaris—believe.