Paul in Athens – Bible lessons for kids

In this lesson, we will explore Paul’s Sermon on Mars Hill. This passage from Acts 17:16-34 teaches us valuable lessons about understanding and sharing the truth of God’s love in a world of diverse beliefs.

Key Points:

• There is only one true God, the Creator of everything.
• How to talk with people of different beliefs.
• We can share God’s love with others, just like Paul did.

Lesson Guide – Paul in Athens

Begin by setting the scene. Show your child Greece on a map or globe, explaining that Paul finds himself in Athens, a city filled with various gods, idols and beliefs. Use photos or videos of ancient Athens to help your child imagine Paul’s surroundings.

Ask your children about different religions and beliefs they may have encountered or heard of. This could include religions practised in your community or exploring cultures from around the world.

Discuss idols versus the one true God. Simplify the concept for your child, explaining that idols are statues people pretend are gods, but there’s only ONE true God—the one who made the whole world! Ask your child how they think Paul feels about sharing the real God with the people of Athens, acknowledging the mix of nerves and importance in his mission.

Talk about how people react when encountering beliefs different from their own. Discuss feelings of fear, anger, or coldness, and how Paul responded with respect, aiming to bridge the gap between differing beliefs. Set up a “bridge-building” activity with your child using household materials to craft a miniature bridge. As you work on the project together, discuss how a bridge connects two things that would otherwise be separate, just like Paul sought to connect the people of Athens with the truth and a relationship with God. Encourage your child to think about who they can share God’s love with such as friends at school, cousins, even grandparents!

Talk about how Paul noticed the people in Athens were very religious, but they worshipped many false gods. This teaches us something important: we need to be careful not to worship the wrong things, like money, toys, or fame. These are called idols, and they can distract us from knowing the real God.

Encourage your child to imagine they’re in a situation where someone believes something different from them. Then, ask them to think of a kind and respectful way to share what they believe, just like Paul did. Guide them to understand that a loving response doesn’t mean ignoring what’s wrong, but rather gently pointing out the truth with kindness and empathy. For example, they could say something like, “I understand that you believe differently, but I believe this because…” Develop this further by discussing how to share the truth to correct wrong can keep someone from harm for example someone believe something is safe but is dangerous.

Give the child some building blocks or playdough and have them create a model. When finished, ask them to tell the model to do something for them. Note how the model they made has no power. Talk about how Paul explained to the Athenians that God made people and breathed life into them, not the other way round.

Discuss how Paul pointed the Athenians to the one Creator God who deserves our praise. Explore the concept of sin and the universal need for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, emphasising the importance of accepting Jesus as Saviour. Paul used the altar to the ‘Unknown god’ to point the people to a God they can know personally.

Share that not everyone liked Paul’s message, but some people did believe Paul and entered a relationship with God. Encourage them to be brave in building bridges, point our wrong beliefs in love and sharing the gospel.

Paul in Athens – Bible story for kids

Games and Activities

Bridge Building Challenge:

Provide materials such as cardboard, popsicle sticks, tape, and glue.

Challenge the children to build their own bridges, just like Paul built bridges to share the Gospel with the people of Athens.

Encourage creativity and teamwork as they construct their bridges and discuss the importance of building bridges with others to share God’s love.

Idol Smash:

Set up a makeshift “idol” using paper cups. Provide soft balls or beanbags for the children to throw and “smash” the idols.

As they play, discuss the concept of idolatry and how Paul taught the Athenians about worshipping the one true God instead of idols.

Greek Alphabet Scavenger Hunt:

Hide cards with different letters from the Greek alphabet around the area.

Encourage children to find and collect the hidden cards.

Discuss the significance of the Greek alphabet, especially its role in the New Testament, tying it to Paul’s mission in Athens.

Example pages

Greek building craft – Bible craft for kids

What you need:

• Template page
• Paper
• Colouring equipment
• Scissors
• Glue

What to do:

• Colour the parts on the template page. Add any extra details.
• Cut out the pieces.
• Arrange and glue onto a separate piece of paper to create a Greek building type structure.

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