Acts 14:16

Acts 14:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
• New International Version (NIV)In the past, he let all nations go their own way.
• English Standard Version (ESV)In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.
• New King James Version (NKJV)who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways.

Context of Acts 14:16

14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, 15“Men, why are you doing these things? We too are only men of the same nature as you, bringing the good news to you, so that you turn from these useless and meaningless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that is in them. In generations past He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; 17yet He did not leave Himself without some witness [as evidence of Himself], in that He kept constantly doing good things and showing you kindness, and giving you rains from heaven and productive seasons, filling your hearts with food and happiness.” 18Even saying these words, with difficulty they prevented the people from offering sacrifices to them.

Acts 14:16 word by word

ὃς ἐν ταῖς παρῳχημέναις γενεαῖς εἴασεν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη πορεύεσθαι ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• timesγενεάgenea · generationG1074
• pastπαροίχομαιparoichomai · to pass byG3944
• sufferedἐάωeaō · to allowG1439
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• nationsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• nationsἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
• to walk inπορεύωporeuomai · to travelG4198
• their ownαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• waysὁδόςhodos · roadG3598

Cross-references for Acts 14:16

• Acts 17:30Therefore God overlooked and disregarded the former ages of ignorance; but now He commands all people everywhere to repent [that is, to change their old way of thinking, to regret their past sins, and to seek God’s purpose for their lives],
• Psalms 81:12So I gave them up to the stubbornness of their heart, To walk in [the path of] their own counsel.
• Psalms 147:20He has not dealt this way with any [other] nation; They have not known [understood, appreciated, heeded, or cherished] His ordinances. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)
• Hosea 4:17Ephraim is joined to idols, So let him alone [to suffer the consequences].
• Romans 1:21For even though they knew God [as the Creator], they did not honor Him as God or give thanks [for His wondrous creation]. On the contrary, they became worthless in their thinking [godless, with pointless reasonings, and silly speculations], and their foolish heart was darkened.
• Ephesians 2:12remember that at that time you were separated from Christ [excluded from any relationship with Him], alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise [with no share in the sacred Messianic promise and without knowledge of God’s agreements], having no hope [in His promise] and [living] in the world without God.
• 1 Peter 4:3For the time already past is [more than] enough for doing what the [unsaved] Gentiles like to do—living [unrestrained as you have done] in a course of [shameless] sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries.

Commentaries on Acts 14:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Who in times past suffered all nations, etc. - The words , which we here translate, all nations, should be rendered, all the Gentiles, merely to distinguish them from the Jewish people: who having a revelation, were not left to walk in their own ways; but the heathens, who had not a revelation, were suffered to form their creed, and mode of worship, according to their own caprice.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Who in times past - Previous to the gospel; in past ages. Suffered all nations - Permitted all nations; that is, all Gentiles, Acts 17:30. “And the times of this ignorance God winked at.” To walk in their own ways - To conduct themselves without the restraints and instructions of a written law. They were permitted to follow their own reason and passions, and their own system of religion. God gave them no written laws, and sent to them no messengers. Why…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-18Verses 8-18 All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, that most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinful habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and walk cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God, appeared in the likeness of men, and did many miracles, men were so far from doing sacrifice to him, that…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-18The apostles opposed the people's worship of idols and their attempt to offer sacrifices to them. They directed the people's worship to the living God. The apostles were representatives of God as they shared the good news of the Christian message.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1814-18. when ... Barnabas and Paul heard--Barnabas is put first here, apparently as having been styled the "Jupiter" of the company. they rent their clothes and ran in--rather (according to the true reading), "ran forth." among the people, crying out ... Sirs, why do ye these things?--This was something more than that abhorrence of idolatry which took possession of the Jews as a nation from the time of the Babylonish captivity: it was that delicate…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 14:16

• Barnabas
• Gentiles
• God Continued...
• Homage
• Lycaonia
• Lystra
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Confirm
• Cripple
• Raise
• Unbelieving
• Acts of the Apostles
• Doctrine
• Forgiveness
• Galatians, Epistle to the
• Lois
• Paul, the Apostle

Commentaries on Acts 14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings