Acts 17:16-34
Legacy Standard Bible
In Athens
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at (A)Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. 17 So he was reasoning (B)in the synagogue with the Jews and (C)the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be present. 18 And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were [a]conversing with him. Some were saying, “What would (D)this [b]idle babbler wish to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was proclaiming the good news of (E)Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they (F)took him and brought him [c]to the [d](G)Areopagus, saying, “May we know what (H)this new teaching is [e]which you are speaking? 20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. So we want to know what these things mean.” 21 (Now all the Athenians and the strangers (I)visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something newer.)
22 So Paul stood in the midst of the [f]Areopagus and said, “Men of (J)Athens, I observe that you are very (K)religious in all respects. 23 For while I was passing through and examining the (L)objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what (M)you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 (N)The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is (O)Lord of heaven and earth, does not (P)dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, (Q)as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and (R)He made from one man every nation of mankind to inhabit all the face of the earth, having (S)determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, (T)though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for (U)in Him we live and move and [g]exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring.’ 29 Being then the offspring of God, we (V)ought not to suppose that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the craft and thought of man. 30 Therefore having (W)overlooked (X)the times of ignorance, God is (Y)now commanding men that everyone everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed (Z)a day in which (AA)He will judge [h](AB)the world in righteousness [i]through a Man whom He (AC)determined, having furnished proof to all [j]by (AD)raising Him from the dead.”
32 Now when they heard about (AE)the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you [k]again concerning this.” 33 In this way, Paul went out of their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the (AF)Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Acts 17:18 Or disputing
- Acts 17:18 One who makes his living by picking up scraps
- Acts 17:19 Or before
- Acts 17:19 Or Hill of Ares; Greek god of war
- Acts 17:19 Lit which is being spoken by you
- Acts 17:22 Or the Council of the Areopagus
- Acts 17:28 Lit are
- Acts 17:31 Lit the inhabited earth
- Acts 17:31 Or in; lit by
- Acts 17:31 Or when He raised
- Acts 17:32 Lit also again
Acts 17:16-34
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Paul in Athens
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols.(A) 17 So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons and also in the marketplace[a] every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, “What does this pretentious babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.” (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) 19 So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new.
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,(B) 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.(C) 26 From one ancestor[b] 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,(D) 27 so that they would search for God[c] and perhaps fumble about for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us.(E) 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.’(F)
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.(G) 30 While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent,(H) 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.”(I)
32 When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed, but others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 At that point Paul left them. 34 But some of them joined him and became believers, including Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.