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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city.

Context of Acts 17:16

14The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Nowδέde · thenG1161
• while Paulὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• while PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
• waitedἐκδέχομαιekdechomai · to wait forG1551
• for themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• atἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• AthensἈθῆναιAthēnai · AthensG116
• spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• was stirredπαροξύνωparoxunō · to provokeG3947
• whenεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• he sawθεωρέωtheōreō · to see/experienceG2334
• the cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
• wholly given to idolatryκατείδωλοςkateidōlos · idolatrousG2712

Cross-references for Acts 17:16

• Exodus 32:19When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.
• Numbers 25:6Then an Israelite man brought into the camp a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
• 1 Kings 19:10He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
• Job 32:2But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.
• Psalms 69:9for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.
• Psalms 119:136Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed.
• Jeremiah 20:9But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.
• Micah 3:8But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin.
• Mark 3:5He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.
• John 2:13When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
• 2 Peter 2:7and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless
• Acts 17:23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to 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