26 and (A)He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having (B)determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, (C)though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for (D)in Him we live and move and [a]exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’ 29 Therefore, since we are the descendants of God, we (E)ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought. 30 So having (F)overlooked (G)the times of ignorance, God is (H)now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent, 31 because He has set (I)a day on which (J)He will judge [b](K)the world in righteousness [c]through a Man whom He has (L)appointed, having furnished proof to all people [d]by (M)raising Him from the dead.”

32 Now when they heard of (N)the resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We shall hear from you [e]again concerning this.” 33 So Paul went out from among them. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the (O)Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 17:28 Lit are
  2. Acts 17:31 Lit the inhabited earth
  3. Acts 17:31 Lit by; or in
  4. Acts 17:31 Or when He raised
  5. Acts 17:32 Lit also again

26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.(A) 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.(B) 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[a](C) As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[b]

29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.(D) 30 In the past God overlooked(E) such ignorance,(F) but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.(G) 31 For he has set a day when he will judge(H) the world with justice(I) by the man he has appointed.(J) He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”(K)

32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead,(L) some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus,(M) also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 17:28 From the Cretan philosopher Epimenides
  2. Acts 17:28 From the Cilician Stoic philosopher Aratus

19 because (A)that which is known about God is evident [a]within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For (B)since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, (C)being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not [b]honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became (D)futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened. 22 (E)Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and they (F)exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible mankind, of birds, four-footed animals, and [c]crawling creatures.

24 Therefore (G)God gave them up to vile impurity in the lusts of their hearts, so that their bodies would be (H)dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for [d](I)falsehood, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, (J)who is blessed [e]forever. Amen.

26 For this reason (K)God gave them over to (L)degrading passions; for their women exchanged natural relations for that which is contrary to nature, 27 and likewise the men, too, abandoned natural relations [f]with women and burned in their desire toward one another, (M)males with males committing [g]shameful acts and receiving in [h]their own persons the due penalty of their error.

28 And just as they did not see fit [i]to acknowledge God, (N)God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper, 29 people having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice; they are (O)gossips, 30 slanderers, [j](P)haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, (Q)disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, (R)unfeeling, and unmerciful; 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of (S)death, they not only do the same, but also (T)approve of those who practice them.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 1:19 Or among
  2. Romans 1:21 Lit glorify
  3. Romans 1:23 Or reptiles
  4. Romans 1:25 Lit the lie
  5. Romans 1:25 Lit unto the ages
  6. Romans 1:27 Lit of the female
  7. Romans 1:27 Lit shamelessness
  8. Romans 1:27 Lit themselves
  9. Romans 1:28 Lit to have God in knowledge
  10. Romans 1:30 Or hateful to God

19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.(A) 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made,(B) so that people are without excuse.(C)

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.(D) 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools(E) 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images(F) made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them over(G) in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.(H) 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie,(I) and worshiped and served created things(J) rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.(K) Amen.(L)

26 Because of this, God gave them over(M) to shameful lusts.(N) Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.(O) 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.(P)

28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over(Q) to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,(R) 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;(S) 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love,(T) no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death,(U) they not only continue to do these very things but also approve(V) of those who practice them.

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