Act 14:14-18, 17:22-31, 21:39 | ESV | STEP | But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd , crying out ,

Acts 14:14-18

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they ^atore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15 “Men, ^bwhy are you doing these things? We also are men, ^cof like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that ^dyou should turn from these ^evain things to ^fa living God, ^gwho made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he ^hallowed all the nations ⁱto walk in their own ways. 17 Yet ^jhe did not leave himself without witness, for he ^kdid good by ^lgiving you rains from heaven and ^mfruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with ⁿfood and ^ogladness.” 18 Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.

Acts 17:22-31

Paul Addresses the Areopagus

22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ^p‘To the unknown god.’ ^qWhat therefore you worship ^ras unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 ^sThe God who made the world and everything in it, being ^tLord of heaven and earth, ^udoes not live in temples made by man, ^{▼▼Greek made by hands} 25 nor is he served by human hands, ^was though he needed anything, since he himself ^xgives to all mankind ^ylife and breath and everything. 26 And ^zhe made from one man every nation of mankind to live ^aaon all the face of the earth, ^abhaving determined allotted periods and ^acthe boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 ^adthat they should seek God, ^aeand perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. ^afYet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for

^ag“‘In him we live and move and have our being’; ^{▼▼Probably from Epimenides of Crete}
as even some of ^aiyour own poets have said,

“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ ^{▼▼From Aratus’s poem “Phainomena”}
29 ^akBeing then God’s offspring, ^alwe ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 ^amThe times of ignorance ^anGod overlooked, but ^aonow he ^apcommands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed ^aqa day on which ^arhe will judge the world ^asin righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and ^atof this he has given assurance to all ^auby raising him from the dead.”

Acts 21:39

39 Paul replied, ^av“I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.”