Acts 17:16-34
English Standard Version
Paul in Athens
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was (A)provoked within him as he saw that the city was (B)full of idols. 17 So (C)he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, (D)“What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because (E)he was preaching (F)Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to (G)the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this (H)new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some (I)strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.
Paul Addresses the Areopagus
22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: (J)‘To the unknown god.’ (K)What therefore you worship (L)as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 (M)The God who made the world and everything in it, being (N)Lord of heaven and earth, (O)does not live in temples made by man,[a] 25 nor is he served by human hands, (P)as though he needed anything, since he himself (Q)gives to all mankind (R)life and breath and everything. 26 And (S)he made from one man every nation of mankind to live (T)on all the face of the earth, (U)having determined allotted periods and (V)the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 (W)that they should seek God, (X)and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. (Y)Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for
as even some of (AA)your own poets have said,
“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’[c]
29 (AB)Being then God's offspring, (AC)we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 (AD)The times of ignorance (AE)God overlooked, but (AF)now he (AG)commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed (AH)a day on which (AI)he will judge the world (AJ)in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and (AK)of this he has given assurance to all (AL)by raising him from the dead.”
32 Now when they heard of (AM)the resurrection of the dead, (AN)some mocked. But others said, (AO)“We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius (AP)the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Acts 17:24 Greek made by hands
- Acts 17:28 Probably from Epimenides of Crete
- Acts 17:28 From Aratus's poem “Phainomena”
Acts 17:16-34
International Standard Version
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was deeply disturbed to see the city full of idols. 17 So he began holding discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and other worshipers, as well as every day in the public square[a] with anyone who happened to be there. 18 Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also debated with him. Some asked, “What is this blabbermouth trying to say?” while others said, “He seems to be preaching about foreign gods.” This was because Paul[b] was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
19 Then they took him, brought him before the Areopagus,[c] and asked, “May we know what this new teaching of yours is? 20 It sounds rather strange to our ears, and we would like to know what it means.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there used to spend their time doing nothing else other than listening to the latest ideas or repeating them.
22 So Paul stood up in front of the Areopagus[d] and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in every way. 23 For as I was walking around and looking closely at the objects you worship, I even found an altar with this written on it: ‘To an unknown god.’ So I am telling you about the unknown object you worship. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn’t live in shrines made by human hands, 25 and he isn’t served by people[e] as if he needed anything. He himself gives everyone life, breath, and everything else. 26 From one man[f] he made every nation of humanity to live all over the earth, fixing the seasons of the year and the national boundaries within which they live, 27 so that they might look for God,[g] somehow reach for him, and find him. Of course, he is never far from any one of us. 28 For we live, move, and exist because of him, as some of your own poets have said: ‘…Since we are his children, too.’[h] 29 So if we are God’s children, we shouldn’t think that the divine being is like gold, silver, or stone, or is an image carved by humans using their own imagination and skill. 30 Though God has overlooked those times of ignorance, he now commands everyone everywhere to repent, 31 because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world with justice[i] through a man whom he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
32 When they heard about a resurrection of the dead, some began joking about it, while others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 And so Paul left the meeting.[j] 34 Some men joined him and became believers. With them were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus,[k] a woman named Damaris, and some others along with them.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Acts 17:17 Or in the marketplace
- Acts 17:18 Lit. because he
- Acts 17:19 I.e. the city council
- Acts 17:22 I.e. the city council
- Acts 17:25 Lit. hands
- Acts 17:26 Other mss. read From one blood
- Acts 17:27 Other mss. read for the Lord
- Acts 17:28 Phainomena (5) by Aratus, a poet of Sicilian origin (3rd century BC). Cleanthes the Stoic (3rd century BC) used almost identical language.
- Acts 17:31 Or in righteousness
- Acts 17:33 Lit. went out from the middle of them
- Acts 17:34 I.e. the city council
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