God’s Word Translation
Acts 14:16
16In the past God allowed all people to live as they pleased.
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
14When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they were very upset. They rushed into the crowd 15and said, “Men, what are you doing? We’re human beings like you. We’re spreading the Good News to you to turn you away from these worthless gods to the living God. The living God made the sky, the land, the sea, and everything in them. In the past God allowed all people to live as they pleased. 17Yet, by doing good, he has given evidence of his existence. He gives you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons. He fills you with food and your lives with happiness.” 18Although Paul and Barnabas said these things, they hardly kept the crowd from sacrificing to them.
Read all of Acts 14Acts 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 17:30“God overlooked the times when people didn’t know any better. But now he commands everyone everywhere to turn to him and change the way they think and act.
- Psalms 81:12So I let them go their own stubborn ways and follow their own advice.
- Psalms 147:20He has done nothing like this for any other nation. The other nations do not know the decisions he has handed down. Hallelujah!
- Hosea 4:17The people of Ephraim have chosen to worship idols. Leave them alone!
- Romans 1:21They knew God but did not praise and thank him for being God. Instead, their thoughts were pointless, and their misguided minds were plunged into darkness.
- Ephesians 2:12Also, at that time you were without Christ. You were excluded from citizenship in Israel, and the pledges ⌞God made in his⌟ promise were foreign to you. You had no hope and were in the world without God.
- 1 Peter 4:3You spent enough time in the past doing what unbelievers like to do. You were promiscuous, had sinful desires, got drunk, went to wild parties, and took part in the forbidden worship of false gods.
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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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