Acts 14:15

13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates, hoping to offer a sacrifice along with the crowds.

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting,

“Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.

16 In past generations, He let all nations go their own way.

17 Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
“Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.
KJV
And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
WEB
“Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of the same nature as you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them;
ASV
and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good tidings, that ye should turn from these vain things unto a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is:
DARBY
and saying, Men, why do ye these things? *We* also are men of like passions with you, preaching to you to turn from these vanities to the living God, who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all things in them;
BLB
and saying, “Men, why do you⁺ do these things? We also are men of like nature with you⁺, proclaiming the gospel to you⁺ to turn from these vain [things] to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things in them,
ÅB
og ropte: Dere menn! hva er det dere gjør? Også vi er mennesker under samme vilkår som dere, og vi forkynner dere evangeliet at dere skal vende dere bort fra disse falske guder til den levende Gud, han som gjorde himmelen og jorden og havet og alt som i dem er,
OTB
"Menn, hvorfor gjør dere disse tingene? Vi er også mennesker, av samme natur som dere, og vi bringer dere et godt budskap, at dere skal vende dere fra disse verdiløse tingene til den levende Gud, som skapte himmelen, jorden, havet og alt som er i dem.
B1930
og ropte: I menn! hvad er det I gjør? Også vi er mennesker under samme vilkår som I, og vi forkynner eder evangeliet at I skal vende eder bort fra disse falske guder til den levende Gud, han som gjorde himmelen og jorden og havet og alt som i dem er,

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Samuel 12:21

    Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 146:5–6

    Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,

    Read in context
  • 1 Corinthians 8:4

    So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one.

    Read in context
  • Acts 10:26

    But Peter helped him up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”

    Read in context
  • James 5:17

    Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

    Read in context
  • Revelation 14:7

    And he said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the One who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and the springs of waters.”

    Read in context
  • Genesis 1:1

    In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 14:22

    Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies alone send showers? Is this not by You, O LORD our God? So we put our hope in You, for You have done all these things.

    Read in context