And some

Stoics, contended with him. said, What would this babbler say; others, He seemeth to be a preacher of strange gods: because he spake to them of Jesus, and of a 19 resurrection. And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus,† saying, May we know what this new doctrine is of which thou speak20 est? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears we would know therefore what 21 these things mean. (For all the Athenians and strangers who 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-hill,

*The Epicureans supposed that God was indifferent to the conduct of men, and in effect denied his moral government and providential superintendance of the world. They believed in the unhappy effects of vice, no further than were experienced in the present life. It does not appear that they had any expectation of a future existence. Their views were confined to this world; and their object was to secure and enjoy the greatest temporal good. The Stoics perhaps, had not more correct or exalted ideas of the Divinity than the Epicureans; but they supposed it necessary to become insensible (as far as possible) to the natural effect of misfortune and privation upon the senses; and they made happiness to consist in an indifference or superiority to all worldly objects and animal pleasures. They affected, indeed, to have great fortitude under sufferings: But at the same time endeavoured to suppress all those sympathies, which are the natural attributes and the ornament of humanity.

† Or Mars-hill, where was a temple dedicated to Mars, the god of war among the heathens. In 224 verse it is rendered Mars-hill.

New or strange stories, which are foreign to any opin ions or doctrines known among us.

and said, Men of Athens, I perceive that in 23 all things ye are very superstitious;* for as I passed by, and beheld your places of devotion, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him I declare unto 24 you. God, who made the world, and all things therein, he being Lord of heaven and earth,dwelleth not in temples made with hands: 25 neither is worshipped with men's hands, as needing any thing, since be giveth to all life, 26 and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men, to dwell on the whole face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed to them, and the 27 bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might be conscious of him, and find him, though indeed he 28 be not far from any one of us;t for by him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain of your own poets have said: "For 29 we are also his offspring." Being then the

* The literal meaning is, that they were very fearful of demons. Dr. Doddridge translates the word,greatly addicted to the worship of invisible beings. But no one word so well expresses the sense of the original term as superstitious. We call those superstitious among Christians, who have fears of invisible beings, or who have imbibed erroneous opinions of the Deity, and indulge in needless apprehensions and terrors. The Athenians worshipped many gods, and seemed ambitious of surpassing their neighbors in the number of their deities.

† It would seem that a great part of mankind were left to their own reasonings and opinions, to shew us how inadequate are human powers to teach the character of God, and the way of immortal life.

offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Deity is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, 30 wrought by human art and device. The

times of this ignorance, God indeed overlooked, but now commandeth all men every where to 31 repent; for he hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by the man whom he hath ordained: Of which he hath given assurance unto all men, by raising him from the dead.

32

And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed, and others said, We 33 will hear thee again on this subject. Then 34 Paul departed from among them. But certain men joined him, and believed: among whom were Dionysius the Areopagite,* a woman named Damaris, and several others.

1

CHAP. XVIII.

AFTER these things, Paul departed from 2 Athens, and came to Corinth;† and found a certain Jew, named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome) and he came unto them. 3 And as he was of the same trade, he abode

with them, and labored (for by their occupa4 tion they were tent-makers.) And he reason

* Dionysius was a man of great dignity and learning. † A city of Greece, not far from Athens.

ed in the synagogue every sabbath,* and per5 suaded the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timothy were come from Macedonia, Paul became earnest in preaching, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messi6 ah. And when they opposed him, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am innocent: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, who worshipped God, whose house was adjoining the 8 synagogue. And Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house and many of the Corinthians, when they 9 heard Paul, believed, and were baptized. Then the Lord spake to Paul in the night by a vision, saying, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not 10 thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall oppose thee, to thy hurt: for I have 11 much people in this city. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

12

And while Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews with one mind rose up against Paul, 13 and brought him to the judgment-seat, saying, This man persuadeth men to worship 14 God contrary to the law. And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of injustice, or

* In this city then, it appears the Jews had a place of worship.

licentiousness, O ye Jews, it would be reason15 ble that I should bear with you: But if it be a mere question of tenets and names, and of your

own law, look ye to it: for I will be no judge 16 of such matters. And he drave them from 17 the judgment-seat. Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment-seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.*

18

And Paul continued there many days, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence for Syria, (and with him Priscilla and Aquila;) having shorn his head in Cenchrea: 19 for he had a vow. And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the 20 Jews. And though they desired him to abide a 21 longer time with them, he consented not; but bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep the approaching feast in Jerusalem; but I will return unto you, if God will. And 22 he sailed from Ephesus. And when he had landed at Cæsarea, and gone up to Jerusalem, and saluted the church, he went down to An..

* But Gallio would not interfere in the affair.

+ Critics are not agreed in their interpretation of this passage. It is probable this act was done by Paul in consequence of a solemn vow, and experiencing some great deliverance. See chap. xx. 24.

A celebrated city of Asia Minor, not far distant from Laodicea, Hierapolis, Colosse, &c.

The Syriac version inserts in this place, a part of the 19th verse, viz. that Paul left Aquila and Priscilla at Ephesus, when he went from that city to Syria. Such reading is most natural