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Acts 17:22

PaulAreopagusAthens

20 For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”

21 Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas.

Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.

23 For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.

24 The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands.

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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
Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.
KJV
Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
WEB
Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, “You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.
ASV
And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, in all things, I perceive that ye are very religious.
DARBY
And Paul standing in the midst of Areopagus said, Athenians, in every way I see you given up to demon worship;
BLB
And Paul, having stood in the midst of the Areopagus, was saying, “Men, Athenians, in all things I perceive you⁺ as very religious.
ÅB
Så sto Paulus fram midt på Areopagus og sa: «Atenske menn! Jeg ser at dere på alle måter er ivrige i deres gudsfrykt.
OTB
Paulus stod da midt på Areopagos og sa: «Athenere, jeg ser at dere på alle måter er svært religiøse.
B1930
Så stod da Paulus frem midt på Areopagus og sa: Atenske menn! I alle måter ser jeg at I er ivrige i eders gudsfrykt.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Acts 25:19

    They only had some contentions with him regarding their own religion and a certain Jesus who had died, but whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

    Read in context

  • Acts 17:16

    While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols.

    Read in context

  • Acts 19:35

    Finally the city clerk quieted the crowd and declared, “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven?

    Read in context

  • Jeremiah 10:2–3

    This is what the LORD says: “Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by the signs in the heavens, though the nations themselves are terrified by them.

    Read in context

  • Jeremiah 50:38

    A drought is upon her waters, and they will be dried up. For it is a land of graven images, and the people go mad over idols.

    Read in context