Acts 17:30

Acts 17:30 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
• New International Version (NIV)In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,

Context of Acts 17:30

28For in Him we live and move and exist [that is, in Him we actually have our being], as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ 29So then, being God’s children, we should not think that the Divine Nature (deity) is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination or skill of man. Therefore 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], 31because He has set a day when He will judge the inhabited world in righteousness by a Man whom He has appointed and destined for that task, and He has provided credible proof to everyone by raising Him from the dead.” 32Now when they heard [the term] resurrection from the dead, some mocked and sneered; but others said, “We will hear from you again about this matter.”

Acts 17:30 word by word

τοὺς μὲν οὖν χρόνους τῆς ἀγνοίας ὑπεριδὼν ὁ θεὸς τὰ νῦν παραγγέλλει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις πάντας πανταχοῦ μετανοεῖν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
• the timesχρόνοςchronos · timeG5550
• of this ignoranceἄγνοιαagnoia · ignoranceG52
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• winked atὑπερείδωhupereidō · to overlookG5237
• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• commandethπαραγγέλλωparaggellō · to orderG3853
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• every whereπανταχοῦpantachou · everywhereG3837
• to repentμετανοέωmetanoeō · to repentG3340

Cross-references for Acts 17:30

• Acts 14:16In generations past He permitted all the nations to go their own ways;
• Psalms 50:21These things you have done and I kept silent; You thought that I was just like you. Now I will reprimand and denounce you and state the case in order before your eyes.
• Romans 1:28And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or consider Him worth knowing [as their Creator], God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do things which are improper and repulsive,
• Romans 3:23since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God,
• Acts 3:19So repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins] and return [to God—seek His purpose for your life], so that your sins may be wiped away [blotted out, completely erased], so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord [restoring you like a cool wind on a hot day];
• Acts 11:18When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified and praised God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance that leads to eternal life [that is, real life after earthly death].”
• Acts 20:21solemnly [and wholeheartedly] testifying to both Jews and Greeks, urging them to turn in repentance to God and [to have] faith in our Lord Jesus Christ [for salvation].
• Acts 26:17[choosing you for Myself and] rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you,
• Matthew 3:2“Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
• Matthew 4:17From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
• Mark 6:12So they went out and preached that men should repent [that is, think differently, recognize sin, turn away from it, and live changed lives].
• Luke 13:5I tell you, no; but unless you repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways and live changed lives], you will all likewise perish.”
• Luke 15:10In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents [that is, changes his inner self—his old way of thinking, regrets past sins, lives his life in a way that proves repentance; and seeks God’s purpose for his life].”
• Luke 24:47and that repentance [necessary] for forgiveness of sins would be preached in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
• Romans 2:4Or do you have no regard for the wealth of His kindness and tolerance and patience [in withholding His wrath]? Are you [actually] unaware or ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness leads you to repentance [that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking—seek His purpose for your life]?
• 2 Corinthians 7:10For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death.

Commentaries on Acts 17:30

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 30The times of this ignorance God winked at - He who has an indisputable right to demand the worship of all his creatures has mercifully overlooked those acts of idolatry which have disgraced the world and debased man; but now, as he has condescended to give a revelation of himself, he commands, as the sovereign, all men every where, over every part of his dominions, to repent, , to change their views, designs, and practices; because he hath appointed a day…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 30And the times of this ignorance - The long period when people were ignorant of the true God, and when they worshipped stocks and stones. Paul here refers to the times preceding the gospel. God winked at - ̔̀ huperidōnOverlooked; connived at; did not come forth to punish. In Acts 14:16 it is expressed thus: “Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways” The sense is, he passed over those times without punishing them, as if he did not…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-31Verses 22-31 Here we have a sermon to heathens, who worshipped false gods, and were without the true God in the world; and to them the scope of the discourse was different from what the apostle preached to the Jews. In the latter case, his business was to lead his hearers by prophecies and miracles to the knowledge of the Redeemer, and faith in him; in the former, it was to lead them, by the common works of providence, to know the Creator, and worship…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 30The idea of people’s ignorance is carefully discussed both in the Old Testament law (Leviticus 4:2, 22, 27; 5:15, 17; Numbers 15:25, 27). It is also present in the New Testament (Ephesians 4:18; 1 Peter 1:14; 2:15; 2 Peter 3:5, 8). Paul was especially eager to correct ignorance (see Romans 10:13–15; 11:25; 1 Corinthians 10:1; 12:1; 2 Corinthians 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13). The message of the gospel overcomes ignorance and calls all people to repent "and…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3030. the times of this ignorance God winked at--literally (and far better), "overlooked," that is, bore with, without interposing to punish it, otherwise than suffering the debasing tendency of such worship to develop itself (compare Ac 14:16, and see on Ro 1:24, &c.). but now--that a new light was risen upon the world. commandeth--"That duty--all along lying upon man estranged from his Creator, but hitherto only silently recommending itself and little…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 17:30

• Athens
• God Continued...
• Ignorance
• Paul
• Readings, Select
• Repentance
• Responsibility
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Appoint
• Areopagus
• Assurance
• Blood
• Determine
• Ignorantly
• James
• Manner

Commentaries on Acts 17

• 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