Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
Parallel translations
- WEB Paul, as was his custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
- KJV And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
- BSB As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
- NASB And according to Paul’s custom, he visited them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
- NLT As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
As was his habit, Paul reasoned with them from the Scriptures for three Sabbaths.
Overview
Paul's method was to argue the gospel from the Old Testament, showing that Jesus fulfills its promises. He appealed to reason and evidence, not coercion, trusting the Spirit to work through the explained word. This grounds Christian faith in the Scriptures and models reasoned, biblical persuasion in evangelism.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Acts 18:4He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.
- Acts 9:20Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God.
- Acts 13:5When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They had also John as their attendant.
- Acts 17:17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him.
- Acts 14:1In Iconium, they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed.
- Acts 17:10The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.
- Isa 1:18“Come now, and let us reason together,” says Yahweh: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
- Luke 4:16He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.
- John 18:20Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where the Jews always meet. I said nothing in secret.
- Acts 28:23When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about God’s Kingdom, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening.
- Acts 8:35Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him about Jesus.
- Acts 13:14But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down.
- 1 Sam 12:7Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which he did to you and to your fathers.
- Acts 19:8He entered into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning God’s Kingdom.
- Acts 24:25As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, “Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.”
- Heb 7:1–10For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 17:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.