Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols.
- BSB While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols.
- NKJV Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols.
- NASB Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he observed that the city was full of idols.
- NLT While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
While waiting in Athens, Paul was deeply troubled to see the city full of idols.
Overview
The renowned city of culture was spiritually enslaved to countless false gods, and this grieved Paul's heart. His distress arose from zeal for God's glory and compassion for people lost in idolatry. This holy provocation, not mere curiosity, moved him to proclaim the true and living God revealed in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Ps 119:158I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.
- 2 Pet 2:7And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
- Ps 119:136Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.
- Exod 32:19–20And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
- Job 32:18–20For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.
- Jer 20:9Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.
- Mark 3:5And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
- Mic 3:8But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
- 1 Kgs 19:14And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
- 1 Kgs 19:10And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
- Job 32:2–3Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.
- Ps 69:9For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
- Num 25:6–11And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
- Acts 17:23For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
- John 2:13And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 17:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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