Athens
Where is Athens? Greece's capital, where Paul spoke on the Areopagus about an altar inscribed "to an unknown god", with the chapters where it appears.
- Today
- Athens, capital of Greece
- Country
- Greece
- Status
- Capital city: the Areopagus hill beside the Acropolis
- Identification
- Certain
In Paul's day Athens had lost its political power but remained a symbol of philosophy and culture. Acts tells how Paul, while waiting for Silas and Timothy, was deeply stirred to see the city full of idols, and how he reasoned every day in the synagogue and in the marketplace. Epicurean and Stoic philosophers brought him to the Areopagus. There, starting from an altar inscribed "to an unknown god", he proclaimed the God who made the world and the resurrection of Jesus; some, such as Dionysius and Damaris, came to faith.
Read the chapters
- Acts 17
The chapter where Paul engages the varied beliefs and philosophies of Athens — a model of speaking with respect for the listener's culture yet with candor.
- Acts 18
- 1 Thessalonians 3
Related topics
Related people
- Paul
- Peter
- Barnabas
- Stephen
- Lydia
- Matthew
- Timothy
- John the Apostle
- Philip the Apostle
- Judas Iscariot
- Mark
Related verse collections
- Bible Verses About Prayer
- Bible Verses About Thankfulness
- Bible Verses About Salvation
- Bible Verses About Repentance
- Bible Verses About Generosity
- Bible Verses About Holiness
- Bible Verses About Faithfulness
- Bible Verses About Witness
- Bible Verses About Work and Labor
- Bible Verses About Friendship
Reading plans
- The Early Church Through Acts — 28 Days
- The Bible in a Year — 365 Days from Cover to Cover
- 30 Days with the Gospel — An Introduction to the New Testament
Books
Places in the Bible
Which country is Athens in, and where did Paul speak there?
Athens is the capital of Greece today; the Areopagus where Paul spoke is the rocky hill just northwest of the Acropolis in the city centre. According to Acts, Paul spoke there about an altar inscribed "to an unknown god" (Acts 17:23). Today a bronze plaque at the foot of the hill carries the Greek text of that speech, and the Ancient Agora and the Acropolis can be visited nearby.
What is the Areopagus, and what did Paul say there?
The Areopagus is the rocky hill beside the Acropolis of Athens, and also the name of the council that met there. Paul spoke there about an altar inscribed "to an unknown god" and proclaimed the God who made the world and Jesus' resurrection from the dead (Acts 17:22-31).
Who came to faith in Athens?
According to Acts, after Paul's speech on the Areopagus some people joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris (Acts 17:34).