24 God G2316 that made G4160 the world G2889 and G2532 all things G3956 therein, G1722 G846 seeing that he G3778 is G5225 Lord G2962 of heaven G3772 and G2532 earth, G1093 dwelleth G2730 not G3756 in G1722 temples G3485 made with hands; G5499
But will God H430 indeed H552 dwell H3427 on the earth? H776 behold, the heaven H8064 and heaven H8064 of heavens H8064 cannot contain H3557 thee; how much less H637 this house H1004 that I have builded? H1129
Howbeit G235 the most High G5310 dwelleth G2730 not G3756 in G1722 temples G3485 made with hands; G5499 as G2531 saith G3004 the prophet, G4396
At G1722 that G1565 time G2540 Jesus G2424 answered G611 and said, G2036 I thank G1843 thee, G4671 O Father, G3962 Lord G2962 of heaven G3772 and G2532 earth, G1093 because G3754 thou hast hid G613 these things G5023 from G575 the wise G4680 and G2532 prudent, G4908 and G2532 hast revealed G601 them G846 unto babes. G3516
Behold, the heaven H8064 and the heaven H8064 of heavens H8064 is the LORD'S H3068 thy God, H430 the earth H776 also, with all that therein is.
And G1161 when they heard that, G191 they lifted up G142 their voice G5456 to G4314 God G2316 with one accord, G3661 and G2532 said, G2036 Lord, G1203 thou G4771 art God, G2316 which G3588 hast made G4160 heaven, G3772 and G2532 earth, G1093 and G2532 the sea, G2281 and G2532 all G3956 that in G1722 them is: G846
And G2532 saying, G3004 Sirs, G435 why G5101 do ye G4160 these things? G5130 We G2249 also G2532 are G2070 men G444 of like passions G3663 with you, G5213 and preach G2097 unto you G5209 that ye should turn G1994 from G575 these G5023 vanities G3152 unto G1909 the living G2198 God, G2316 which G3739 made G4160 heaven, G3772 and G2532 earth, G1093 and G2532 the sea, G2281 and G2532 all things G3956 that are therein: G1722 G846
Ye G5210 worship G4352 ye know G1492 not G3756 what: G3739 we know G1492 what G3739 we G2249 worship: G4352 for G3754 salvation G4991 is G2076 of G1537 the Jews. G2453 But G235 the hour G5610 cometh, G2064 and G2532 now G3568 is, G2076 when G3753 the true G228 worshippers G4353 shall worship G4352 the Father G3962 in G1722 spirit G4151 and G2532 in truth: G225 for G2532 G1063 the Father G3962 seeketh G2212 such G5108 to worship G4352 him. G846
In G1722 that G846 hour G5610 Jesus G2424 rejoiced in G21 spirit, G4151 and G2532 said, G2036 I thank G1843 thee, G4671 O Father, G3962 Lord G2962 of heaven G3772 and G2532 earth, G1093 that G3754 thou hast hid G613 these things G5023 from G575 the wise G4680 and G2532 prudent, G4908 and G2532 hast revealed G601 them G846 unto babes: G3516 even so, G3483 Father; G3962 for G3754 so G3779 it seemed G1096 good G2107 in G1715 thy G4675 sight. G1715
Thus H1836 shall ye say H560 unto them, The gods H426 that have not H3809 made H5648 the heavens H8065 and the earth, H778 even they shall perish H7 from the earth, H772 and from under H8460 these H429 heavens. H8065
Thus saith H559 God H410 the LORD, H3068 he that created H1254 the heavens, H8064 and stretched them out; H5186 he that spread forth H7554 the earth, H776 and that which cometh out H6631 of it; he that giveth H5414 breath H5397 unto the people H5971 upon it, and spirit H7307 to them that walk H1980 therein:
But will God H430 in very deed H552 dwell H3427 with men H120 on the earth? H776 behold, heaven H8064 and the heaven H8064 of heavens H8064 cannot contain H3557 thee; how much less this house H1004 which I have built! H1129
But who is able H6113 H3581 to build H1129 him an house, H1004 seeing the heaven H8064 and heaven H8064 of heavens H8064 cannot contain H3557 him? who am I then, that I should build H1129 him an house, H1004 save only H518 to burn sacrifice H6999 before H6440 him?
Ah H162 Lord H136 GOD! H3069 behold, thou hast made H6213 the heaven H8064 and the earth H776 by thy great H1419 power H3581 and stretched out H5186 arm, H2220 and there is nothing H1697 too hard H6381 for thee:
Hath G2980 in G1909 these G5130 last G2078 days G2250 spoken G2980 unto us G2254 by G1722 his Son, G5207 whom G3739 he hath appointed G5087 heir G2818 of all things, G3956 by G1223 whom G3739 also G2532 he made G4160 the worlds; G165
And G5037 hath made G4160 of G1537 one G1520 blood G129 all G3956 nations G1484 of men G444 for to dwell G2730 on G1909 all G3956 the face G4383 of the earth, G1093 and hath determined G3724 the times G2540 before appointed, G4384 and G2532 the bounds G3734 of their G846 habitation; G2733 That they should seek G2212 the Lord, G2962 if G1487 haply G686 they might feel G5584 after him, G846 and G2532 find him, G2147 though G2544 he be G5225 not G3756 far G3112 from G575 every G1538 one G1520 of us: G2257 For G1063 in G1722 him G846 we live, G2198 and G2532 move, G2795 and G2532 have our being; G2070 as G5613 certain G5100 also G2532 of your G5209 own G2596 poets G4163 have said, G2046 For G1063 we are G2070 also G2532 his G5120 offspring. G1085
But G1161 I G1473 say G3004 unto you, G5213 Swear G3660 not G3361 at all; G3654 neither G3383 by G1722 heaven; G3772 for G3754 it is G2076 God's G2316 throne: G2362
The burden H4853 of the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 for Israel, H3478 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 which stretcheth H5186 forth the heavens, H8064 and layeth the foundation H3245 of the earth, H776 and formeth H3335 the spirit H7307 of man H120 within H7130 him.
And all H3606 the inhabitants H1753 of the earth H772 are reputed H2804 as nothing: H3809 and he doeth H5648 according to his will H6634 in the army H2429 of heaven, H8065 and among the inhabitants H1753 of the earth: H772 and none H3809 can H383 stay H4223 his hand, H3028 or say H560 unto him, What H4101 doest H5648 thou?
Can any H376 hide H5641 himself in secret places H4565 that I shall not see H7200 him? saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Do not I fill H4392 heaven H8064 and earth? H776 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 that created H1254 the heavens; H8064 God H430 himself that formed H3335 the earth H776 and made H6213 it; he hath established H3559 it, he created H1254 it not in vain, H8414 he formed H3335 it to be inhabited: H3427 I am the LORD; H3068 and there is none else.
Who hath measured H4058 the waters H4325 in the hollow of his hand, H8168 and meted out H8505 heaven H8064 with the span, H2239 and comprehended H3557 the dust H6083 of the earth H776 in a measure, H7991 and weighed H8254 the mountains H2022 in scales, H6425 and the hills H1389 in a balance? H3976
[[A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 The earth H776 is the LORD'S, H3068 and the fulness H4393 thereof; the world, H8398 and they that dwell H3427 therein.
And Hezekiah H2396 prayed H6419 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 O LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 which dwellest H3427 between the cherubims, H3742 thou art the God, H430 even thou alone, of all the kingdoms H4467 of the earth; H776 thou hast made H6213 heaven H8064 and earth. H776
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 17
Commentary on Acts 17 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 17
We have here a further account of the travels of Paul, and his services and sufferings for Christ. He was not like a candle upon a table, that gives light only to one room, but like the sun that goes its circuit to give light to many. He was called into Macedonia, a large kingdom, ch. 16:9. He began with Philippi, because it was the first city he came to; but he must not confine himself to this. We have him here,
Act 17:1-9
Paul's two epistles to the Thessalonians, the first two he wrote by inspiration, give such a shining character of that church, that we cannot but be glad here in the history to meet with an account of the first founding of the church there.
Act 17:10-15
In these verses we have,
Act 17:16-21
A scholar that has acquaintance, and is in love, with the learning of the ancients, would think he should be very happy if he were where Paul now was, at Athens, in the midst of the various sects of philosophers, and would have a great many curious questions to ask them, for the explication of the remains we have of the Athenian learning; but Paul, though bred a scholar, and an ingenious active man, does not make this any of his business at Athens. He has other work to mind: it is not the improving of himself in their philosophy that he aims at, he has learned to call it a vain thing, and is above it (Col. 2:8); his business is, in God's name, to correct their disorders in religion, and to turn them from the service of idols, and of Satan in them, to the service of the true and living God in Christ.
Act 17:22-31
We have here St. Paul's sermon at Athens. Divers sermons we have had, which the apostles preached to the Jews, or such Gentiles as had an acquaintance with and veneration for the Old Testament, and were worshippers of the true and living God; and all they had to do with them was to open and allege that Jesus is the Christ; but here we have a sermon to heathens, that worshipped false gods, and were without the true God in the world, and to them the scope of their discourse was quite different from what it was to the other. In the former case their business was to lead their hearers by prophecies and miracles to the knowledge of the Redeemer, and faith in him; in the latter it was to lead them by the common works of providence to the knowledge of the Creator, and the worship of him. One discourse of this kind we had before to the rude idolaters of Lystra that deified the apostles (ch. 14:15); this recorded here is to the more polite and refined idolaters at Athens, and an admirable discourse it is, and every way suited to his auditory and the design he had upon them.
Act 17:32-34
We have here a short account of the issue of Paul's preaching at Athens.