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 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

14Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away, to go to the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there. 15So those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed, they departed. 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. 17Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there. 18Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them 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 32:19So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses’ anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.
• Numbers 25:6And indeed, one of the children of Israel came and presented to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
• 1 Kings 19:10So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
• Job 32:2Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God.
• Psalms 69:9Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.
• Psalms 119:136Rivers of water run down from my eyes, Because men do not keep Your law.
• Jeremiah 20:9Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.
• Micah 3:8But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, And of justice and might, To declare to Jacob his transgression And to Israel his sin.
• Mark 3:5And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.
• John 2:13Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
• 2 Peter 2:7and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked
• Acts 17:23for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I 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
• Appoint
• Assurance
• Blood
• Determine
• Ignorantly
• James
• Manner
• Mind
• Move

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