Paul Addresses the Areopagus
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Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious;
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"for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:
TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.
Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you:
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q "God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is r Lord of heaven and earth, s does not dwell in temples made with hands.
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"Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He t gives to all life, breath, and all things.
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"And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and u the boundaries of their dwellings,
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v "so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, w though He is not far from each one of us;
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"for x in Him we live and move and have our being, y as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'
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"Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, z we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising.
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"Truly, a these times of ignorance God overlooked, but b now commands all men everywhere to repent,
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"because He has appointed a day on which c He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by d raising Him from the dead."
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And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, "We will hear you again on this matter."
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So Paul departed from among them.
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However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
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Cross References
Isaiah 42:5
Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it:
Acts 14:15
And saying, "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 10:14
Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it.
Psalms 115:16
The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's; But the earth He has given to the children of men.
Matthew 11:25
At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.
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Cross References
1 Kings 8:27
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!
Acts 7:48 - 50
However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:
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Cross References
Genesis 2:7
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Isaiah 42:5
Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it:
Daniel 5:23
And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 32:8
When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, When He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the children of Israel.
Job 12:23
He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them.
Daniel 4:35
All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?
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Cross References
Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 4:7
For what great nation is there that has God so ...
Psalms 139:7
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I...
Psalms 139:10
Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your ri...
Jeremiah 23:23
Am I a God near at hand," says the LORD, "And n...
Jeremiah 23:24
Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I ...
Acts 14:17
"Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without ...
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Cross References
Colossians 1:17
And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
Hebrews 1:3
Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
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Cross References
Titus 1:12
One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.
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Cross References
Psalms 115:4 - 7
Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men's hands.
Isaiah 40:18
To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?
Isaiah 40:19
The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains.
Romans 1:23
And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man - and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
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Cross References
Acts 14:16
Who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways.
Romans 3:25
Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.
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Cross References
Luke 24:47
And that repentance and remission of sins shoul...
Acts 26:20
But declared first to those in Damascus and in ...
Titus 2:11
For the grace of God that brings salvation has ...
Titus 2:12
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and world...
1 Peter 1:14
As obedient children, not conforming yourselves...
1 Peter 4:3
For we have spent enough of our past lifetime i...
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Cross References
Psalms 9:8
He shall judge the world in righteousness, And ...
Psalms 96:13
For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the...
Psalms 98:9
For He is coming to judge the earth. With right...
John 5:22
For the Father judges no one, but has committed...
John 5:27
And has given Him authority to execute judgment...
Acts 10:42
And He commanded us to preach to the people, an...
Romans 2:16
In the day when God will judge the secrets of m...
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Cross References
Acts 2:24
Whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.