New Living Translation
Acts 14:16
16In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways,
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
14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, 15“Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings—just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, 17but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.” 18But even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people 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 people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.
- Psalms 81:12So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas.
- Psalms 147:20He has not done this for any other nation; they do not know his regulations. Praise the Lord!
- Hosea 4:17Leave Israel alone, because she is married to idolatry.
- Romans 1:21Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.
- Ephesians 2:12In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.
- 1 Peter 4:3You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.
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
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