Acts 17:5-18

⁵But the Jewish leaders, becoming jealous, engaged some worthless fellows from the streets, and, getting a mob together, kept the city in an uproar. They attacked Jason's house, with the intention of bringing Paul and Silas before the Popular Assembly;

⁶and, not finding them there, they proceeded to drag Jason and some of the Lord's followers before the city magistrates, shouting out, “These men, who have turned the world upside down, have now come here,

⁷and have been harbored by Jason! They are all defying the decrees of the Emperor. They say that someone else is king — a man called Jesus!”

⁸On hearing this, the people and the city magistrates were much concerned;

⁹and, before letting them go, they took bail from Jason and the others.

¹⁰That very night the followers sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea; and on reaching that place, they went to the Jewish synagogue.

¹¹These Jews of Beroea were better disposed than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message with great readiness, and daily examined the scriptures to see if what was said was true.

¹²As a consequence, many of them became believers in Christ, besides a considerable number of Greek women of position, and of men also.

¹³But, when the Jewish leaders in Thessalonica found out that God's message had been delivered by Paul at Beroea, they came there too, exciting and disturbing the minds of the people.

¹⁴The followers immediately arranged for Paul to go away to the coast, but both Silas and Timothy stayed behind in Beroea.

¹⁵The friends who escorted Paul took him as far as Athens, and, after receiving a message for Silas and Timothy to join him as quickly as possible, they started on their return.

¹⁶While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his heart was stirred at seeing the whole city full of idols.

¹⁷So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who joined in their worship, as well as daily in the public Square with those who happened to be there.

¹⁸Among others, some Epicurean and Stoic Philosophers joined issue with him. Some asked “What is this prater wanting to make out?”, while others said “He seems to be a preacher of foreign Deities.” (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection).