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22 Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely spiritual you are in every way. 23 For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands,(A) 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things.(B) 26 From one ancestor[a] he made all peoples to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live,(C) 27 so that they would search for God[b] and perhaps fumble about for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us.(D) 28 For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said,

‘For we, too, are his offspring.’(E)

29 “Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals.(F) 30 While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent,(G) 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”(H)

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Footnotes

  1. 17.26 Gk From one; other ancient authorities read From one blood
  2. 17.27 Other ancient authorities read the Lord

Sermon on Mars Hill

22 So Paul stood in the midst of the [a]Areopagus and said, “Men of (A)Athens, I see that you are very (B)religious in all respects. 23 For while I was passing through and examining the (C)objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore, what (D)you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 (E)The God who made the world and everything that is in it, since He is (F)Lord of heaven and earth, does not (G)dwell in temples made by hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, (H)as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and (I)He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having (J)determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, (K)though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for (L)in Him we live and move and [b]exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’ 29 Therefore, since we are the descendants of God, we (M)ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought. 30 So having (N)overlooked (O)the times of ignorance, God is (P)now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent, 31 because He has set (Q)a day on which (R)He will judge [c](S)the world in righteousness [d]through a Man whom He has (T)appointed, having furnished proof to all people [e]by (U)raising Him from the dead.”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 17:22 Or the Council of the Areopagus
  2. Acts 17:28 Lit are
  3. Acts 17:31 Lit the inhabited earth
  4. Acts 17:31 Lit by; or in
  5. Acts 17:31 Or when He raised