Acts 17:16

Acts 17:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
• New International Version (NIV)While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.
• New King James Version (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.

Context of Acts 17:16

14The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. 15Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols. 17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day. 18Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.

Acts 17:16 word by word

Ἐν δὲ ταῖς Ἀθήναις ἐκδεχομένου αὐτοὺς τοῦ Παύλου παρωξύνετο τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ θεωροῦντος κατείδωλον οὖσαν τὴν πόλιν.Read the interlinear

• ·δέde · thenG1161
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
• was waiting forἐκδέχομαιekdechomai · to wait forG1551
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• AthensἈθῆναιAthēnai · AthensG116
• he was deeply disturbedπαροξύνωparoxunō · to provokeG3947
• spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• to see thatθεωρέωtheōreō · to see/experienceG2334
• cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• full of idolsκατείδωλοςkateidōlos · idolatrousG2712

Cross-references for Acts 17:16

• Exodus 32:19As Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he burned with anger and threw the tablets out of his hands, shattering them at the base of the mountain.
• Numbers 25:6Just then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and the whole congregation of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
• 1 Kings 19:10“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”
• Job 32:2This kindled the anger of Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram. He burned with anger against Job for justifying himself rather than God,
• Psalms 69:9because zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.
• Psalms 119:136My eyes shed streams of tears because Your law is not obeyed.
• Jeremiah 20:9If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,” His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I become weary of holding it in, and I cannot prevail.
• Micah 3:8As for me, however, I am filled with power by the Spirit of the LORD, with justice and courage, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.
• Mark 3:5Jesus looked around at them with anger and sorrow at their hardness of heart. Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored.
• John 2:13When the Jewish Passover was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
• 2 Peter 2:7and if He rescued Lot, a righteous man distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless
• Acts 17:23For 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.

Commentaries on Acts 17:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16He saw the city wholly given to idolatry - , Full of idols, as the margin has it, and very properly. Whoever examines the remains of this city, as represented by Mr. Stuart in his Antiquities, already referred to, will be satisfied of the truth of St. Luke's remark: it was full of idols. Bishop Pearce produces a most apposite quotation from Pausanias, which confirms the observation: . There was no place where so many idols were to be seen. Paus. in Attic…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Now while Paul waited - How long he was there is not intimated; but doubtless some time would elapse before they could arrive. In the meantime Paul had ample opportunity to observe the state of the city. His spirit was stirred in him - His mind was greatly excited. The word used here ( ́ parōxuneto) denotes “any excitement, agitation, or paroxysm of mind,” 1 Corinthians 13:5. It here means that the mind of Paul was greatly concerned, or agitated…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-21Verses 16-21 Athens was then famed for polite learning, philosophy, and the fine arts; but none are more childish and superstitious, more impious, or more credulous, than some persons, deemed eminent for learning and ability. It was wholly given to idolatry. The zealous advocate for the cause of Christ will be ready to plead for it in all companies, as occasion offers. Most of these learned men took no notice of Paul; but some, whose principles were the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-17Athens, like Alexandria and Tarsus, was proud of its learning and love of ideas. People there spent time studying and discussing different philosophies (ways of thinking about life and the world) that were popular at that time.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-3416-17. wholly given to idolatry--"covered with idols"; meaning the city, not the inhabitants. Petronius, a contemporary writer at Nero's court, says satirically that it was easier to find a god at Athens than a man. This "stirred the spirit" of the apostle. "The first impression which the masterpieces of man's taste for art left on the mind of St. Paul was a revolting one, since all this majesty and beauty had placed itself between man and his Creator…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 17:16

• Athens
• Gentiles
• Idolatry
• Paul
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Paul
• Paul, Saul
• Appoint
• Assurance
• Blood
• Determine
• Ignorantly
• James
• Manner
• Mind

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