Focused Passage

Acts 17:22-31

The Gospel Reasoned from Scripture and Proclaimed to the Nations

Paul reasons from Scripture in Thessalonica, the Bereans examine the message eagerly, opposition follows the mission, and Paul proclaims the unknown God as Creator, Lord, Judge, and the one who raised Jesus from the dead.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

22Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.

23For 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.

24The 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.

25Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

26From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.

27God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.

28‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’

29Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.

30Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.

31For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 22

Original words

ThenδὲG1161Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularPaulΠαῦλοςG3972Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularstood upΣταθεὶςG2476Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine SingularinἐνG1722Preposition[the] meetingμέσῳG3319Adjective - Dative Neuter Singularof theτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularAreopagusἈρείουG697Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular. . .ΠάγουG697Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular[and] saidἔφηG5346Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularMenἌνδρεςG435Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural[of] AthensἈθηναῖοιG117Adjective - Vocative Masculine PluralI seeθεωρῶG2334Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularthatὡςG5613AdverbinκατὰG2596Prepositionevery wayπάνταG3956Adjective - Accusative Neuter Pluralyou [are]ὑμᾶςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Pluralvery religiousδεισιδαιμονεστέρουςG1174Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural - Comparative

BSB notes

  • Literally in the middle
Verse 23

Original words

ForγὰρG1063Conjunctionas I walked aroundδιερχόμενοςG1330Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionexaminedἀναθεωρῶνG333Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularyourὑμῶνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural-τὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter Pluralobjects of worshipσεβάσματαG4574Noun - Accusative Neuter PluralI even foundεὗρονG2147Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular. . .καὶG2532Conjunctionan altarβωμὸνG1041Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularvvvἐνG1722PrepositionwithG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singularthis inscriptionἐπεγέγραπτοG1924Verb - Pluperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularTO AN UNKNOWNΑΓΝΩΣΤΩG57Adjective - Dative Masculine SingularGODΘΕΩG2316Noun - Dative Masculine SingularThereforeοὖνG3767ConjunctionwhatG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singularyou worshipεὐσεβεῖτεG2151Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Pluralas something unknownἀγνοοῦντεςG50Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural-τοῦτοG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingularIἐγὼG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular[now] proclaimκαταγγέλλωG2605Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singularto youὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Verse 24

Original words

TheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularGodΘεὸςG2316Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularwhoG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularmadeποιήσαςG4160Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingulartheτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularworldκόσμονG2889Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctioneverythingπάνταG3956Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural-τὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter PluralinἐνG1722PrepositionitαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular-οὗτοςG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularisὑπάρχωνG5225Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular[the] LordΚύριοςG2962Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularof heavenοὐρανοῦG3772Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionearthγῆςG1093Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular[and] {does} notοὐκG3756AdverbliveκατοικεῖG2730Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularinἐνG1722PrepositiontemplesναοῖςG3485Noun - Dative Masculine Pluralmade by [human] handsχειροποιήτοιςG5499Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural
Verse 25

Original words

NorοὐδὲG3761Conjunctionis He servedθεραπεύεταιG2323Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularbyὑπὸG5259PrepositionhumanἀνθρωπίνωνG442Adjective - Genitive Feminine PluralhandsχειρῶνG5495Noun - Genitive Feminine Pluralas if He neededπροσδεόμενόςG4326Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine SingularanythingτινοςG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Genitive Neuter Singular[because] He HimselfαὐτὸςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person SingulargivesδιδοὺςG1325Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingulareveryoneπᾶσιG3956Adjective - Dative Masculine PlurallifeζωὴνG2222Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionbreathπνοὴνG4157Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunction-τὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter Pluraleverything [else]πάνταG3956Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Verse 26

Original words

-τεG5037ConjunctionFromἐξG1537Prepositionone [man]ἑνὸςG1520Adjective - Genitive Masculine SingularHe madeἐποίησένG4160Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulareveryπᾶνG3956Adjective - Accusative Neuter SingularnationἔθνοςG1484Noun - Accusative Neuter Singularof menἀνθρώπωνG444Noun - Genitive Masculine Pluralthat they should inhabitκατοικεῖνG2730Verb - Present Infinitive Active. . .ἐπὶG1909Prepositionthe wholeπαντὸςG3956Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular. . .προσώπουG4383Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular-τῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularearthγῆςG1093Noun - Genitive Feminine Singularand He determinedὁρίσαςG3724Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular[their] appointedπροστεταγμένουςG4367Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine PluraltimesκαιροὺςG2540Noun - Accusative Masculine PluralandκαὶG2532ConjunctiontheτὰςG3588Article - Accusative Feminine PluralboundariesὁροθεσίαςG3734Noun - Accusative Feminine Pluralof theirαὐτῶνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural-τῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularlandsκατοικίαςG2733Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • Literally From one; BYZ and TR From one blood
Verse 27

Original words

[ God intended that ] they would seekζητεῖνG2212Verb - Present Infinitive Active-τὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine Singular[Him]ΘεὸνG2316Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularvvvεἰG1487Conjunction[and] perhapsἄραG687Conjunction-γεG1065Particlereach out forψηλαφήσειανG5584Verb - Aorist Optative Active - 3rd Person PluralHimαὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunctionfind [Him]εὕροιενG2147Verb - Aorist Optative Active - 3rd Person PluralthoughκαίG2532Conjunction. . .γεG1065ParticleHe isὑπάρχονταG5225Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine SingularnotοὐG3756AdverbfarμακρὰνG3112Adjective - Accusative Feminine SingularfromἀπὸG575PrepositioneachἑκάστουG1538Adjective - Genitive Masculine SingularoneἑνὸςG1520Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singularof usἡμῶνG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural
Verse 28

Original words

ForγὰρG1063ConjunctioninἘνG1722PrepositionHimαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singularwe liveζῶμενG2198Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person PluralandκαὶG2532ConjunctionmoveκινούμεθαG2795Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person PluralandκαὶG2532Conjunctionhave our beingἐσμένG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person PluralAsὡςG5613Adverb-καίG2532ConjunctionsomeτινεςG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Pluralvvvκαθ’G2596Prepositionof yourὑμᾶςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural[own]τῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluralpoetsποιητῶνG4163Noun - Genitive Masculine Pluralhave saidεἰρήκασινG2046Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural-καὶG2532ConjunctionWe areἐσμένG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural-γὰρG1063Conjunction[His]ΤοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularoffspringγένοςG1085Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular

BSB notes

  • This is probably a quote from the Cretan philosopher Epimenides of Knossos.
  • This is probably a quote from the poem “Phainomena” by the Cilician philosopher Aratus.
Verse 29

Original words

ThereforeοὖνG3767ConjunctionbeingὑπάρχοντεςG5225Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluraloffspringγένοςG1085Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Singularof GodΘεοῦG2316Noun - Genitive Masculine Singularwe shouldὀφείλομενG3784Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person PluralnotοὐκG3756AdverbthinkνομίζεινG3543Verb - Present Infinitive Activethat theτὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter SingularDivine BeingΘεῖονG2304Adjective - Accusative Neuter SingularisεἶναιG1510Verb - Present Infinitive ActivelikeὅμοιονG3664Adjective - Accusative Neuter SingulargoldχρυσῷG5557Noun - Dative Masculine SingularorG2228ConjunctionsilverἀργύρῳG696Noun - Dative Masculine SingularorG2228ConjunctionstoneλίθῳG3037Noun - Dative Masculine Singularan image formedχαράγματιG5480Noun - Dative Neuter Singularby man’sἀνθρώπουG444Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularskillτέχνηςG5078Noun - Genitive Feminine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionimaginationἐνθυμήσεωςG1761Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 30

Original words

-οὖνG3767ConjunctionAlthoughμὲνG3303Particle-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularGodΘεὸςG2316Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularoverlookedὑπεριδὼνG5237Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingulartheτῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularignoranceἀγνοίαςG52Noun - Genitive Feminine SingularofΤοὺςG3588Article - Accusative Masculine Plural[earlier] timesχρόνουςG5550Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural-τὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter PluralvvvνῦνG3568AdverbHe now commandsπαραγγέλλει*G3853Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularallπάνταςG3956Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural-τοῖςG3588Article - Dative Masculine PluralpeopleἀνθρώποιςG444Noun - Dative Masculine PluraleverywhereπανταχοῦG3837Adverbto repentμετανοεῖνG3340Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Verse 31

Original words

ForκαθότιG2530AdverbHe has setἔστησενG2476Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singulara dayἡμέρανG2250Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularvvvἐνG1722PrepositionwhenG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Feminine SingularHe willμέλλειG3195Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularjudgeκρίνεινG2919Verb - Present Infinitive ActivetheτὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularworldοἰκουμένηνG3625Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularwithἐνG1722PrepositionjusticeδικαιοσύνῃG1343Noun - Dative Feminine SingularbyἐνG1722Prepositionthe ManἀνδρὶG435Noun - Dative Masculine Singular-G3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine SingularHe has appointedὥρισενG3724Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularHe has givenπαρασχὼνG3930Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singularproof [of this]πίστινG4102Noun - Accusative Feminine Singularto everyoneπᾶσινG3956Adjective - Dative Masculine Pluralby raisingἀναστήσαςG450Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularHimαὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person SingularfromἐκG1537Preposition[the] deadνεκρῶνG3498Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.