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

14Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. 15Those escorting Paul brought him as far as Athens. After receiving an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was aroused within him when he saw that the city was full of idols. 17So he was debating in the synagogue with the Jewish people and the God-fearers, as well as in the marketplace every day with all who happened to be there. 18Also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, “What’s this babbler trying to say?” while others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign deities”—because he was proclaiming the Good News of Yeshua 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 32:19Then it happened, as soon as Moses came near the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing, and his anger burned hot. So he threw the tablets out of his hands, and smashed them at the foot of the mountain.
• Numbers 25:6Then behold, a man from Bnei-Yisrael came and brought a Midianite woman to his brothers before the eyes of Moses and of the whole assembly of Bnei-Yisrael, while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting!
• 1 Kings 19:10“I have been very zealous for Adonai-Tzva’ot,” he said, “for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and slain Your prophets with the sword—and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it!”
• Job 32:2Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite of the clan of Ram became very angry. He was angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.
• Psalms 69:9I have become a stranger to my brothers, a foreigner to my mother’s children.
• Psalms 119:136Streams of water run down from my eyes, because they do not observe Your Torah.
• Jeremiah 20:9But if I say: “I won’t mention Him, or speak any more in His Name,” then it is like fire burning in my heart— shut up in my bones— I weary myself holding it in, but I cannot.
• Micah 3:8Nevertheless I myself am filled with power— with the Ruach Adonai— with judgment, and with might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
• Mark 3:5After looking around at them with anger, grieved by their hardness of heart, He says to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.
• John 2:13The Jewish feast of Passover was near, so Yeshua went up to Jerusalem.
• 2 Peter 2:7He rescued Lot, a righteous man deeply troubled by the shameless immorality of the wicked.
• Acts 17:23For while I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: ‘To an Unknown God.’ Therefore what you worship without knowing, this 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
• 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