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.
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.
- KJV Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
- 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.
- 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 look at the faithless with loathing, because they don’t observe your word.
- 2 Pet 2:7and delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked
- Ps 119:136Streams of tears run down my eyes, because they don’t observe your law. TZADI
- Exod 32:19–20As soon as he came near to the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. Then Moses’ anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain.
- Job 32:18–20For I am full of words. The spirit within me constrains me.
- Jer 20:9If I say, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I can’t.
- Mark 3:5When he had looked around at them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored as healthy as the other.
- Mic 3:8But as for me, I am full of power by Yahweh’s Spirit, and of judgment, and of might, to declare to Jacob his disobedience, and to Israel his sin.
- 1 Kgs 19:14He said, “I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”
- 1 Kgs 19:10He said, “I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”
- Job 32:2–3Then the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel, the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was kindled against Job. His wrath was kindled because he justified himself rather than God.
- Ps 69:9For the zeal of your house consumes me. The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
- Num 25:6–11Behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought to his brothers a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
- Acts 17:23For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I announce to you.
- John 2:13The Passover of the Jews 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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