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and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness." And even with these sayings scarce restrained they the people from doing sacrifice to them.

And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who, having persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up and came into the city; and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had made. many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, that we must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God.

PAUL AT ATHENS.

(Acts xvii. 15-34.)

Now while Paul waited for Silas and Timotheus at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city full of idols. Therefore, disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons,* and in the market daily with them that met him. Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans and Stoics† encountered him. And some said, "What will this babbler say?" Others, "He seemeth to be a setterforth of strange Gods;" because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection. And they took him and brought

* These were Athenians, who worshiped the true God, the God of the Jews.

These were the followers of Epicurus and Zeno, two Greek philosophers, who held opinions respecting religion very inconsistent with what Paul was then teaching.

him to Areopagus,* saying, "May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know, therefore, what these things mean." (For all the Athenians and strangers who were there, spent their time in nothing else than either telling or hearing some new thing.)

Then Paul stood in the midst of Areopagus, and said, "Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are more given to the worship of demons† than others are. For as I passed by, and beheld your sacred things, I found an altar with this inscription, To the Unknown

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* Areopagus or Mars' Hill was a hill at Athens, on which the highest court of justice was held. Dionysius, who was converted by Paul, was a judge in this court.

+ The Athenians believed in many demons, or false gods, and to each of these they erected a separate altar, with the name of the god written upon it.

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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, nor is he worshiped by 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, to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they might seek after the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he be not far from any 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 overlooked, but

now commandeth all men every where to repent, because he hath appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; of which 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. Yet certain persons clave unto him, and believed; among whom was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

PAUL AND THE ELDERS OF EPHESUS. (Acts xx. 16-38.)

Now Paul hasted, if it were possible, to be at Jerusalem, on the day of Pentecost. And from Miletus he sent to

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