---
title: "Acts 17 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/acts/17/
description: "Paul preaches to the Thessalonians and Bereans. His discourse to the Athenians. Acts 17 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Acts 17

Acts 17 is chapter 17 of 28 in the Acts of the Apostles. Here are all 34 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> Paul preaches to the Thessalonians and Bereans. His discourse to the Athenians.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Acts 17 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. Now when they had walked through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they arrived at Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
2. Then Paul, according to custom, entered to them. And for three Sabbaths he disputed with them about the Scriptures,
3. interpreting and concluding that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead, and that “this is the Jesus Christ, whom I am announcing to you.”
4. And some of them believed and were joined to Paul and Silas, and a great number of these were from the worshipers and the Gentiles, and not a few were noble women.
5. But the Jews, being jealous, and joining with certain evildoers among the common men, caused a disturbance, and they stirred up the city. And taking up a position near the house of Jason, they sought to lead them out to the people.
6. And when they had not found them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers to the rulers of the city, crying out: “For these are the ones who have stirred up the city. And they came here,
7. and Jason has received them. And all these men act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”
8. And they incited the people. And the rulers of the city, upon hearing these things,
9. and having received an explanation from Jason and the others, released them.
10. Yet truly, the brothers promptly sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. And when they had arrived, they entered the synagogue of the Jews.
11. But these were more noble than those who were at Thessalonica. They received the Word with all enthusiasm, daily examining the Scriptures to see if these things were so.
12. And indeed, many believed among them, as well as not a few among the honorable Gentile men and women.
13. Then, when the Jews of Thessalonica had realized that the Word of God was also preached by Paul at Beroea, they went there also, stirring up and disturbing the multitude.
14. And then the brothers quickly sent Paul away, so that he might travel by sea. But Silas and Timothy remained there.
15. Then those who were leading Paul brought him as far as Athens. And having received an order from him to Silas and Timothy, that they should come to him quickly, they set out.
16. Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred up within him, seeing the city given over to idolatry.
17. And so, he was disputing with the Jews in the synagogue, and with the worshipers, and in public places, throughout each day, with whomever was there.
18. Now certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were arguing with him. And some were saying, “What does this sower of the Word want to say?” Yet others were saying, “He seems to be an announcer for new demons.” For he was announcing to them Jesus and the Resurrection.
19. And apprehending him, they brought him to the Areopagus, saying: “Are we able to know what this new doctrine is, about which you speak?
20. For you bring certain new ideas to our ears. And so we would like to know what these things mean.”
21. (Now all the Athenians, and arriving visitors, were occupying themselves with nothing other than speaking or hearing various new ideas.)
22. But Paul, standing in the middle of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are rather superstitious.
23. For as I was passing by and noticing your idols, I also found an altar, on which was written: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this is what I am preaching to you:
24. the God who made the world and all that is in it, the One who is the Lord of heaven and earth, who does not live in temples made with hands.
25. Neither is he served by the hands of men, as if in need of anything, since it is he who gives to all things life and breath and all else.
26. And he has made, out of one, every family of man: to live upon the face of the entire earth, determining the appointed seasons and the limits of their habitation,
27. so as to seek God, if perhaps they may consider him or find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
28. ‘For in him we live, and move, and exist.’ Just as some of your own poets have said. ‘For we are also of his family.’
29. Therefore, since we are of the family of God, we must not consider gold or silver or precious stones, or the engravings of art and of the imagination of man, to be a representation of what is Divine.
30. And indeed, God, having looked down to see the ignorance of these times, has now announced to men that everyone everywhere should do penance.
31. For he has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in equity, through the man whom he has appointed, offering faith to all, by raising him from the dead.”
32. And when they had heard about the Resurrection of the dead, indeed, some were derisive, while others said, “We will listen to you about this again.”
33. So Paul departed from their midst.
34. Yet truly, certain men, adhering to him, did believe. Among these were also Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

## Acts 17 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Cum autem perambulassent Amphipolim et Apolloniam, venerunt Thessalonicam, ubi erat synagoga Judæorum.
2. Secundum consuetudinem autem Paulus introivit ad eos, et per sabbata tria disserebat eis de Scripturis,
3. adaperiens et insinuans quia Christum oportuit pati, et resurgere a mortuis: et quia hic est Jesus Christus, quem ego annuntio vobis.
4. Et quidam ex eis crediderunt et adjuncti sunt Paulo et Silæ: et de colentibus gentilibusque multitudo magna, et mulieres nobiles non paucæ.
5. Zelantes autem Judæi, assumentesque de vulgo viros quosdam malos, et turba facta, concitaverunt civitatem: et assistentes domui Jasonis quærebant eos producere in populum.
6. Et cum non invenissent eos, trahebant Jasonem et quosdam fratres ad principes civitatis, clamantes: Quoniam hi qui urbem concitant, et huc venerunt,
7. quos suscepit Jason, et hi omnes contra decreta Cæsaris faciunt, regem alium dicentes esse, Jesum.
8. Concitaverunt autem plebem et principes civitatis audientes hæc.
9. Et accepta satisfactione a Jasone et a ceteris, dimiserunt eos.
10. Fratres vero confestim per noctem dimiserunt Paulum et Silam in Berœam. Qui cum venissent, in synagogam Judæorum introierunt.
11. Hi autem erant nobiliores eorum qui sunt Thessalonicæ, qui susceperunt verbum cum omni aviditate, quotidie scrutantes Scripturas, si hæc ita se haberent.
12. Et multi quidem crediderunt ex eis, et mulierum gentilium honestarum, et viri non pauci.
13. Cum autem cognovissent in Thessalonica Judæi quia et Berœæ prædicatum est a Paulo verbum Dei, venerunt et illuc commoventes, et turbantes multitudinem.
14. Statimque tunc Paulum dimiserunt fratres, ut iret usque ad mare: Silas autem et Timotheus remanserunt ibi.
15. Qui autem deducebant Paulum, perduxerunt eum usque Athenas, et accepto mandato ab eo ad Silam et Timotheum ut quam celeriter venirent ad illum, profecti sunt.
16. Paulus autem cum Athenis eos exspectaret, incitabatur spiritus ejus in ipso, videns idololatriæ deditam civitatem.
17. Disputabat igitur in synagoga cum Judæis et colentibus, et in foro, per omnes dies ad eos qui aderant.
18. Quidam autem epicurei et stoici philosophi disserebant cum eo, et quidam dicebant: Quid vult seminiverbius hic dicere? Alii vero: Novorum dæmoniorum videtur annuntiator esse: quia Jesum et resurrectionem annuntiabat eis.
19. Et apprehensum eum ad Areopagum duxerunt, dicentes: Possumus scire quæ est hæc nova, quæ a te dicitur, doctrina?
20. nova enim quædam infers auribus nostris: volumus ergo scire quidnam velint hæc esse.
21. (Athenienses autem omnes, et advenæ hospites, ad nihil aliud vacabant nisi aut dicere aut audire aliquid novi.)
22. Stans autem Paulus in medio Areopagi, ait: Viri Athenienses, per omnia quasi superstitiosiores vos video.
23. Præteriens enim, et videns simulacra vestra, inveni et aram in qua scriptum erat: Ignoto Deo. Quod ergo ignorantes colitis, hoc ego annuntio vobis.
24. Deus, qui fecit mundum, et omnia quæ in eo sunt, hic cæli et terræ cum sit Dominus, non in manufactis templis habitat,
25. nec manibus humanis colitur indigens aliquo, cum ipse det omnibus vitam, et inspirationem, et omnia:
26. fecitque ex uno omne genus hominum inhabitare super universam faciem terræ, definiens statuta tempora, et terminos habitationis eorum,
27. quærere Deum si forte attrectent eum, aut inveniant, quamvis non longe sit ab unoquoque nostrum.
28. In ipso enim vivimus, et movemur, et sumus: sicut et quidam vestrorum poëtarum dixerunt: Ipsius enim et genus sumus.
29. Genus ergo cum simus Dei, non debemus æstimare auro, aut argento, aut lapidi, sculpturæ artis, et cogitationis hominis, divinum esse simile.
30. Et tempora quidem hujus ignorantiæ despiciens Deus, nunc annuntiat hominibus ut omnes ubique pœnitentiam agant,
31. eo quod statuit diem in quo judicaturus est orbem in æquitate, in viro in quo statuit, fidem præbens omnibus, suscitans eum a mortuis.
32. Cum audissent autem resurrectionem mortuorum, quidam quidem irridebant, quidam vero dixerunt: Audiemus te de hoc iterum.
33. Sic Paulus exivit de medio eorum.
34. Quidam vero viri adhærentes ei, crediderunt: in quibus et Dionysius Areopagita, et mulier nomine Damaris, et alii cum eis.

## Catechism of the Catholic Church

Paragraph numbers and the Catechism's own section headings (never quoted); text at vatican.va.
- cf. CCC ¶ 287: The Creator ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 28: The Desire for God ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 360: Man ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 57: The Stages of Revelation ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 32: Ways of Coming to Know God ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 2566: The Revelation of Prayer - the Universal Call To Prayer ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 300: The Creator ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 679: To Judge the Living and the Dead ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 996: Christ's Resurrection and Ours ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))

## Bishop Challoner's notes

Bp. Richard Challoner, notes on the Douay-Rheims (1750); they comment on its older wording.
- Verse 6: “City” … Urbem. In the Greek, the world.
- Verse 11: “More noble” … The Jews of Berea are justly commended, for their eagerly embracing the truth, and searching the scriptures, to find out the texts alleged by the apostle: which was a far more generous proceeding than that of their countrymen at Thessalonica, who persecuted the preachers of the gospel, without examining the grounds they alleged for what they taught.
- Verse 24: God is not contained in temples; so as to need them for his dwelling, or any other uses, as the heathens imagined. Yet by his omnipresence, he is both there and everywhere.

## Read at Mass (US)

- Wed, May 5, 2027: Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter — First Reading, Acts 17:15, 22—18:1
- Wed, May 24, 2028 (computed): Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter — First Reading, Acts 17:15, 22—18:1

Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option). Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).