Acts 17:23
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. | For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you. | For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you. |
In context
Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.
Original Greek words
| English | Greek | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passing through | διερχόμενος | dierchomenos | G1330 | to pass throughδιέρχομαι (dierchomai) δι-έρχομαι [in LXX for אֵבֶר, הָלַךְ, בּוֹא, etc. ;] 1. to go through, pass through; (a) of things: Mat.19:24, Mrk.10:25, Luk.2:35, al.; (b) of persons: Luk.19:4; with accusative loc., Luk.19:1, Heb.4:14, Act.12:10; before διά, with genitive loc., Mat.12:43, 1Co.10:1; before εἰς, Mrk.4:35; ἕως, Luk.2:15. 2. to go about: Luk.9:6, Act.20:25; of a report, to spread, go abroad (Thuc.), Luk.5:15 (AS) |
| for | γὰρ | gar | G1063 | forγάρ (gar) γάρ, co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα, verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.; 1. explicative and epexegetic: Mat.4:18 19:12, Mrk.1:16 5:42 16:4, Luk.11:3o, Rom.7:1, 1Co.16:5, al. 2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Mat.9:5 27:23, Luk.9:25 22:27, Jhn.9:30, Act.8:31 16:37 19:35, Rom.15:26, 1Co.9:10, Php.1:18 (Ellic., in l.), 1Th.2:20, al. … |
| and | καὶ | kai | G2532 | andκαί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. … |
| beholding | ἀναθεωρῶν | anatheōrōn | G0333 | to contemplateἀναθεωρέω (anatheōreō) ἀνα-θεωρέω, -ῶ to observe carefully, consider well: Act.17:23, Heb.13:7 (Diod., al.).† (AS) |
| objects of worship | σεβάσματα | sebasmata | G4574 | object of worshipσέβασμα (sebasma) σέβασμα, -τος, τό (σεβάζομαι), [in LXX: Wis.14:20 15:17, Da TH Bel 1:27 * ;] an object of worship: Act.17:23, 2Th.2:4.† (AS) |
| of you | ὑμῶν | humōn | G4771 | youσέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; … |
| I found | εὗρον | heuron | G2147 | to find/meetεὑρίσκω (ehuriskō) εὑρίσκω, [in LXX chiefly for מצא, also for נשׂג hi., etc. ;] to find, with or without previous search: absol., opposite to ζητέω, Mat.7:7, 8 Luk.11:9, 10; with accusative, Mat.2:8, Mrk.1:37, Act.13:22, 2Ti.1:17, al.; pass., οὐχ εὑ., of disappearance, Heb.11:5, Rev.16:20, al.; γῆ κ. τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ ἔργα εὑρεθήσεται (for conjectures as to the meaning of this reading, see Mayor, ICC, in l.), 2Pe.3:10, WH, R, mg. Metaphorical, to find, find out by inquiry, learn, discover: Luk.19:48, Act.4:21; αἰτίαν, Jhn.18:38, Act.13:28, al.; pass., Mat.1:18, Luk.17:18, Rom.7:10, 1Co.4:2, Gal.2:17, 1Pe.1:7, Rev.5:4 … |
| even | καὶ | kai | G2532 | andκαί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. … |
| an altar | βωμὸν | bōmon | G1041 | altarβωμός (bōmos) βωμός, -οῦ, ὁ (βαίνω), [in LXX (Hex.) for מִזְבֵּחַ, in Proph., chiefly for בָּמָה ;] 1. any raised place, a platform. 2. an altar: Act.17:23 (cf. θυσιαστήριον and see DB, i, 75). † (AS) |
| on | ἐν | en | G1722 | in/on/amongἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af … |
| which | ᾧ | hō | G3739 | whichὅς (hos, hē) ὅς, ἥ, ὅ, the postpositive article (ἄρθρον ὑποτακτικόν). I. As demonstr. pron. = οὗτος, ὅδε, this, that, also for αὐτός, chiefly in nom.: ὅς δέ, but he (cf. ἦ δὲ ὅς, frequently in Plat.), Mrk.15:23, Jhn.5:11; ὃς μὲν . . . ὃς δέ, the one . . . the other, Mat.21:35, 22:5, 25:15, Luk.23:33, Act.27:14, Rom.14:5, 1Co.11:21, 2Co.2:18, Ju 22; neut., ὃ μὲν . . . ὃ δέ, the one . . . the other, some . . . some, Mat.13:8, 23, Rom.9:21; ὃς (ὃ) μὲν . . . (ἄλλος (ἄλλο)) . . . ἕτερος, Mrk.4:4, Luk.8:5, 1Co.12:8-10; οὓς μέν, absol., 1Co.12:28; ὃς μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, Rom.14:2. … |
| had been inscribed: | ἐπεγέγραπτο· | epegegrapto | G1924 | to write onἐπιγράφω (epigraphō) ἐπι-γράφω [in LXX for כָּתַב, Num.17:2; fig., Jer.31:33, al. ;] to write upon, inscribe: Mrk.15:26, Act.17:23, Rev.21:12; figuratively, Heb.8:10 (LXX) Heb.10:16.† (AS) |
| To an unknown | ἀγνώστῳ | agnōstō | G0057 | unknownἄγνωστος (agnōstos) ἄγνωστος, -ον (γινώσκω), [in LXX: Wis.11:18 18:3, 2Ma.1:19 2:7 (Cremer, 157) * ;] unknown: Act.17:23 (cf. MM, VGT, see word).† (AS) |
| God. | θεῷ. | theō | G2316 | Godθεός (theos) θεός, -οῦ, ὁ, ἡ (Act.19:37 only; see M, Pr., 60, 244), late voc., θεέ (Mat.27:46; cf. Deu.3:24, al.), [in LXX chiefly for אֱלֹהִים, also for אֵל and other cognate forms, יהוה, etc. ;] a god or deity, God. 1. In polytheistic sense, a god or deity: Act.28:6, 1Co.8:4, 2Th.2:4, al.; pl., Ac. 14:11 19:26, Gal.4:8, al. 2. Of the one true God; … |
| whom | ὃ | ho | G3739 | whichὅς (hos, hē) ὅς, ἥ, ὅ, the postpositive article (ἄρθρον ὑποτακτικόν). I. As demonstr. pron. = οὗτος, ὅδε, this, that, also for αὐτός, chiefly in nom.: ὅς δέ, but he (cf. ἦ δὲ ὅς, frequently in Plat.), Mrk.15:23, Jhn.5:11; ὃς μὲν . . . ὃς δέ, the one . . . the other, Mat.21:35, 22:5, 25:15, Luk.23:33, Act.27:14, Rom.14:5, 1Co.11:21, 2Co.2:18, Ju 22; neut., ὃ μὲν . . . ὃ δέ, the one . . . the other, some . . . some, Mat.13:8, 23, Rom.9:21; ὃς (ὃ) μὲν . . . (ἄλλος (ἄλλο)) . . . ἕτερος, Mrk.4:4, Luk.8:5, 1Co.12:8-10; οὓς μέν, absol., 1Co.12:28; ὃς μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, Rom.14:2. … |
| therefore | οὖν | oun | G3767 | therefore/thenοὖν (oun) οὖν, particle expressing consequence or simple sequence (never standing first in a sentence), wherefore, therefore, then: Mat.3:10, Luk.3:9, Jhn.8:38, Act.1:21, Rom.5:9, al.; in exhortations, Mat.3:8, Luk.11:35, Act.3:19, Rom.6:12, al.; in questions, Mat.13:28, Mrk.15:12, Jhn.8:[5], Rom.6:1, al.; continuing a narrative or resuming it after a digression, Mat.1:17, Luk.3:18, Jhn.1:22 2:18 (and very frequently in this Gospel), Act.26:22, al.; ἄρα οὖν (see: ἄρα); ἐπεὶ οὖν, Heb.2:14; οὖν with ptcp. (= ἐπεὶ οὖν), Act.2:30, Rom.5:1, al.; ἐὰν οὖν (where οὖν rather in sense belongs to the apodosis), … |
| not knowing | ἀγνοοῦντες | agnoountes | G0050 | be ignorantἀγνοέω (agnoeō) ἀγνοέω, -ῶ (> ἁγνίζω), [in LXX for שָׁגָה, שָׁגַג, אָשַׁם, etc. ;] 1. to be ignorant, not to know: absol., Ι Ti 1:13, Heb.5:2; with accusative, Act.13:27 17:23, Rom.10:3, 2Co.2:11; ἐν οἷς, 2Pe.2:12; before ὅτι, Rom.2:4 6:3 7:1, 1Co.14:38; οὐ θέλω ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, a Pauline phrase: with accusative, Rom.11:25; before ὑπέρ, 2Co.1:8; περί, 1Co.12:1, 1Th.4:13. ὅτι, Rom.1:13, 1Co.10:1 (for similar usage in π., V. MM, VGT, see word). Pass.: 1Co.14:38, 2Co.6:9, Gal.1:22. 2. not to understand: with accusative, Mrk.9:32, Luk.9:45. † (AS) |
| you worship, | εὐσεβεῖτε, | eusebeite | G2151 | to show pietyεὐσεβέω (eusebeō) εὐ-σεβέω, -ῶ (εὐσεβής, which see), [in LXX: Dan LXX Sus 1:64, 4Ma.9:6 אR, 4Ma.11:5 4Mac 11:8 4Mac 11:23 4Mac 18:2 * ;] to reverence, show piety towards; with accusative (elsewhere more frequently before εἰς., περί, πρός): οἶκον, 1Ti.5:4; θεόν, Act.17:23 (Cremer, 525).† (AS) |
| Him | τοῦτο | touto | G3778 | this/he/she/itοὗτος (ohutos) οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, genitive, τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, [in LXX chiefly for זֹאת ,זֶה ;] demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille), this; 1. as subst., this one, he; (a) absol.: Mat.3:17, Mrk.9:7, Luk.7:44, 45, Jhn.1:15, Act.2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mat.13:55, 56, Mrk.6:2, 3, Jhn.6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mrk.1:38, Rom.14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jhn.5:1), Jhn.2:12 11:7, al.; (b) epanaleptic (referring to what precedes): Mat.5:19, Mrk.3:35, Luk.9:48, Jhn.6:46, Rom.7:10, al.; … |
| I myself | ἐγὼ | egō | G1473 | I/weἐγώ (egō) ἐγώ, genitive, etc., ἐμοῦ, ἐμοί, ἐμέ (enclitic μου, μοι, με), pl. ἡμεῖς, -ῶν, -ῖν, -ᾶς, of person(s) pron. I. (a) The nom. is usually emphatic, when expressed as subjc, as in Mat.3:11, Mrk.1:8, Luk.3:16, al. But often there is no apparent emphasis, as Mat.10:16, Jhn.10:17; ἰδοὺ ἐ. (= Heb. הִנֵּנִי, cf. 1Ki.3:8), Act.9:10; ἐ. (like Heb. אֲנִי), I am, Jhn.1:23 (LXX), Act.7:32 (LXX). … |
| proclaim | καταγγέλλω | katangellō | G2605 | to proclaimκαταγγέλλω (katangellō) κατ-αγγέλλω [in LXX: Pro.17:5 A, 2Ma.8:36 2Mac 9:17 * ;] 1. to proclaim, declare: with accusative of thing(s), Act.3:24 16:21 17:23; τ. ἀνάστασιν, Act.4:2; τ. λόγον τοῦ Θ., τ. Κ., Act.13:5 15:36; ὁδὸν σωτηρίας, Act.16:17; φῶς, Act.26:23; τ. μυστήριον τοῦ Θ., 1Co.2:1; τ. εὐαγγέλιον, 1Co.9:14; τ. θάνατον τοῦ Κ., 1Co.11:26; pass., ἄφεσις, Act.13:33; ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θ., Act.17:13; ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν, Rom.1:8; with accusative of person(s), of Christ, ὅν, Act.17:3, Col.1:28; τ. Χριστόν, Php.1:17; pass., Php.1:18. … |
| to you. | ὑμῖν. | humin | G4771 | youσέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; … |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.