KJV King James Version
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.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Acts 17:23
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.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.
WEB World English Bible
For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I announce to you.
ASV American Standard Version
For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
for passing through and contemplating your objects of worship, I found also an erection on which had been inscribed: To God—unknown; whom, therefore—not knowing—ye do worship, this One I announce to you.
Surrounding context — Acts 17
20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
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.)
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;
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
διερχόμενοςG1330 · dierchomaito pass throughγὰρG1063 · garforκαὶG2532 · kaiandἀναθεωρῶνG333 · anatheōreōto contemplateτὰG3588 · hothe/this/whoσεβάσματαG4574 · sebasmaobject of worshipὑμῶνG4771 · suyouεὗρονG2147 · ehuriskōto find/meetκαὶG2532 · kaiandβωμὸνG1041 · bōmosaltarἐνG1722 · enin/on/amongᾧG3739 · hos, hēwhichἐπεγέγραπτο·G1924 · epigraphōto write onἀγνώστῳG57 · agnōstosunknownθεῷ.G2316 · theosGodὃG3739 · hos, hēwhichοὖνG3767 · ountherefore/thenἀγνοοῦντεςG50 · agnoeōbe ignorantεὐσεβεῖτε,G2151 · eusebeōto show pietyτοῦτοG3778 · ohutosthis/he/she/itἐγὼG1473 · egōI/weκαταγγέλλωG2605 · katangellōto proclaimὑμῖν.G4771 · suyou
Cross-references
Galatians 4:8-9Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.John 4:22Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.John 17:3And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.John 17:25O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.1 Corinthians 1:21For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.2 Thessalonians 2:4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.Acts 17:30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:1 Timothy 1:17Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, [be] honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.1 John 5:20And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.Romans 1:28And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;1 Corinthians 8:5For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)2 Corinthians 4:4-6In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.Ephesians 2:12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:Romans 1:20-25For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:Matthew 15:9But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.John 8:54Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:Psalm 50:21These [things] hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether [such an one] as thyself: [but] I will reprove thee, and set [them] in order before thine eyes.Psalm 147:20He hath not dealt so with any nation: and [as for his] judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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