Acts 17:16

Acts 17:16

 

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

a. NLT: While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: And Paul waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, beholding the city wholly given to idolatry, [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.] 

d. Classic Amplified: [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Peshitta Eastern Text: Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, he saw the whole city full of idols, and he murmured thereat in his spirit.  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT.Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1961 by A.J. Holmon Co.; Copyright  Ⓒ 1939 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1967  by A.J. Holmon Co.;  Copyright  Ⓒ 1940 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; Copyright  Ⓒ 1957 by A.J. Holmon Co. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

f. NIV: While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

1. “Now while Paul waited for them at Athens…”

a. Now [Strong: 1161. de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. [Strong: 3588. [tou] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tou] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, hé  hē, hai.]

c. [while] Paul [Strong: 3972. Paulos pow'-los of Latin origin; (little; but remotely from a derivative of 3973, meaning the same); Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle:--Paul, Paulus.]

d. waited [for] [Strong: 1551. ekdechomai ek-dekh'-om-ahee from 1537 and 1209; to accept from some source, i.e. (by implication) to await:--expect, look (tarry) for, wait (for).]

e. them [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

f. [Strong: 3588. [tais] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tais] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, hé  hē, hai.]

g. [at] Athens [Strong: 116. Athenai ath-ay-nahee plural of Athene (the goddess of wisdom, who was reputed to have founded the city); Athenoe, the capitol of Greece:-- Athens.]

1). In verse 15 Paul gave explicit instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to Athens as quickly as they could, and it says that Paul waited for them to get there. It does not say anything about it in Acts, but Silas and Timothy did come to Athens and then Paul sent them right back to Thessalonica.

a). 1 Thessalonians 3:1, 2 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;

3:2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow labourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:

2). After Timothy and Silas left to go back to Thessalonica Paul moved on to Corinth, where eventually Timothy and Silas joined him there after the again returned from Thessalonica with good news.

a). 1 Thessalonians 3:5-8 “For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.

3:6 But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also [to see] you:

3:7 Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:

3:8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.”

3). The events covering the rest of Acts 17 took place while Paul waited for Silas and Timothy.

2. “…his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.”

a. his [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

b. [Strong: 3588. [to] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [to] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, hé  hē, hai.]

spirit 4151. pneuma pnyoo'-mah from 4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit:--ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind.]

c. [was] stirred [Strong: 3947. paroxuno par-ox-oo'-no from 3844 and a derivative of 3691; to sharpen alongside, i.e. (figuratively) to exasperate:--easily provoke, stir.] [Zodhiates: Metaphorically to sharpen the mind, temper, or courage of someone, to incite, to impel. In the NT it means to provoke or rouse to anger or indignation.]

d. in [Strong: 1722. en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

e. him [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

f. [when he] saw [Strong: 2334. theoreo theh-o-reh'-o from a derivative of 2300 (perhaps by addition of 3708); to be a spectator of, i.e. discern, (literally, figuratively (experience) or intensively (acknowledge)):--behold, consider, look on, perceive, see.]

g. the [Strong: 3588. [tēn] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tēn] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, hé  hē, hai.]

h. city [Strong: 4172. polis pol'-is probably from the same as 4171, or perhaps from 4183; a town (properly, with walls, of greater or less size):--city.]

i. [wholly] given [Strong: 5607. on oan, including the feminine ousa oo'-sah; and the neuter on on present participle of 1510; being:--be, come, have.]

j. [to] idolatry [Strong: 2712. kateidolos kat-i'-do-los from 2596 (intensively) and 1497; utterly idolatrous:--wholly given to idolatry.]

1). While Paul waited at Athens for Silas and Timothy he was provoked, stirred, impelled to indignation because of the idolatry of the city. The stirring in his spirit led him to do what is spoken of the next verse. As I already said, it was about a 280 mile trip by boat from Berea to Athens and really because we don’t know the details we don’t know how long it took. I guess about 4 or 5 days. Again, (given the nautical expert I am, Hah!), I’m guessing, I could be way off.