Acts 17:16
King James Version
16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens,
his spirit was stirred in him,
when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
What happened when Paul went to Athens?
How did this apostle approach the Greeks?
How did he respond to their idolatry?
How did they respond to him?
Here he is disputing with the Jews:
Acts 17:17
King James Version
17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue
with the Jews,
and with the devout persons,
and in the market daily
with them that met with him.
How did they respond?
Acts 17:18
King James Version
18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans,
and of the Stoicks, encountered him.
And some said, What will this babbler say?
other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth
of strange gods:
because he preached unto them Jesus,
and the resurrection.
Acts 17:19-20
King James Version
19 And they took him,
and brought him unto Areopagus, saying,
May we know what this new doctrine,
whereof thou speakest, is?
20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears:
we would know therefore what these things mean.
Evangelist Luke, author of "Acts of the Apostles", had this to say about the Athenians:
Acts 17:21
King James Version
21 (For all the Athenians
and strangers which were there
spent their time in nothing else,
but either to tell,
or to hear some new thing.)
Standing in the midst of Mars' hill, Paul spoke to the idolatrous Greeks:
Acts 17:22-29
King James Version
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill,
and said,
Ye men of Athens,
I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions,
I found an altar with this inscription,
To The Unknown God.
Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship,
him declare I unto you.
24 God that made the world and all things therein,
seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth,
dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands,
as though he needed any thing,
seeing he giveth to all life,
and breath,
and all things;
26 And hath made of one blood
all nations of men
for to dwell on all the face of the earth,
and hath determined the times before appointed,
and the bounds of their habitation;
27 That they should seek the Lord,
if haply they might feel after him,
and find him,
though he be not far from every one of us:
28 For in him we live,
and move,
and have our being;
as certain also of your own poets have said,
For we are also his offspring.
29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God,
we ought not to think that the Godhead
is like unto gold, or silver, or stone,
graven by art and man's device.
He then finished with a stern warning:
Acts 17:30-31
King James Version
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at;
but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
31 Because he hath appointed a day,
in the which he will judge the world in righteousness
by that man whom he hath ordained;
whereof he hath given assurance unto all men,
in that he hath raised him from the dead.
The response of the Greeks?
Acts 17:32-33
King James Version
32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead,
some mocked: and others said,
We will hear thee again of this matter.
33 So Paul departed from among them.
Acts 17:34
King James Version
34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him,
and believed:
among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite,
and a woman named Damaris,
and others with them.
How about you?
How would you respond to someone like Paul?
How would you respond to the gospel of JESUS CHRIST?
When GOD made me born again in 2019, I immediately embraced the Bible, like a thirsty child.
There was no other book I'd touch after that.
Do you also realize "democracy" is patterned after the Greek ideal?
Is that why our governments are in chaos?
That they separated church and state?
And look to their "unknown god"?
Or their many gods?
Some things are evident.
Just that man refuses to see.
Much less acknowledge.
But the Rapture cannot be held back.
It is the next stage in GOD's timeline.
Which could occur at any moment GOD deems fit.
Where do you stand right now?
Are you born again?
Have you repented?
Do you believe the gospel?
Do you look to JESUS as our Savior?
Or have you resisted all attempts to acknowledge the LORD?
JESUS settles the matter Himself:
Matthew 12:36-37
King James Version
36 But I say unto you,
That every idle word that men shall speak,
they shall give account thereof
in the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified,
and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
John 8:24
King James Version
24 I said therefore unto you,
that ye shall die in your sins:
for if ye believe not that I am he,
ye shall die in your sins.
John 10:26-27
King James Version
26 But ye believe not,
because ye are not of my sheep,
as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me:
John 14:6
King James Version
6 Jesus saith unto him,
I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me.
Related material:
On the RISE and FALL of GOVERNMENTS
Related video:
The Complete Story of Paul: The Apostle to the Gentiles
Image:
The Parthenon above was photocopied, and photographed, by the author.
I found that image, back in college, while taking up Architecture.
It was too long ago -- I don't remember the source.
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