Paul’s speech to the gentlemen of Athens
Paul’s speech to the gentlemen of Athens
Acts 17:22-31 So Paul got to his feet in the middle of their council, and began, “Gentlemen of Athens, worshipers of goddess Athena, who is Sophia, our Christ's holy mother with a different name that you've given, my eyes tell me that you are in all respects an extremely religious people, that you worship Athena who is mother of our Lord Christ.. For as I made my way here and looked at your shrines I noticed one altar (one of a number in Athens) on which were inscribed the words, TO GOD THE UNKNOWN. It is this God whom you are worshiping in ignorance that I am here to proclaim to you! God who made the world and all that is in it, being Lord of both Heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands, nor is he ministered to by human hands, as though he had need of anything—seeing that he is the one who gives to all men life and breath and everything else. From one forefather he has created every race of men to live over the face of the whole earth. He has determined the times of their existence and the limits of their habitation, so that they might search for God, in the hope that they might feel for him and find him—yes, even though he is not far from any one of us. It is in him that we live and move and have our being. Some of your own poets have endorsed this in the words, ‘For we are his children’. If then we are the children of God, we ought not to imagine God in terms of gold or silver or stone, contrived by human art or imagination. Now while it is true that God has overlooked the days of ignorance he now commands all men everywhere to repent because of the gift of his son Jesus. For he has fixed a day on which he will judge the whole world in justice by the standard of a man whom he has appointed. That this is so he has guaranteed to all men by raising this man from the dead. Remember, dear gentiles, that the kingdom of Christ is the kingdom of God, and he is an imitation of our heavenly father. And Christ will rule over the world for a thousand years, establishing kingdom of heaven on earth. That will happen on the last day of Christ, when we'll all be risen, gentiles and jews alike, for we are all one under One God, and we'll live peacefully for as long as Jesus will decide to remain among us, and then shall return the dark ages, when you'll restart worshiping pagan deities that you foolishly worship now.”
Acts 17:22-31 So Paul got to his feet in the middle of their council, and began, “Gentlemen of Athens, worshipers of goddess Athena, who is Sophia, our Christ's holy mother with a different name that you've given, my eyes tell me that you are in all respects an extremely religious people, that you worship Athena who is mother of our Lord Christ.. For as I made my way here and looked at your shrines I noticed one altar (one of a number in Athens) on which were inscribed the words, TO GOD THE UNKNOWN. It is this God whom you are worshiping in ignorance that I am here to proclaim to you! God who made the world and all that is in it, being Lord of both Heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands, nor is he ministered to by human hands, as though he had need of anything—seeing that he is the one who gives to all men life and breath and everything else. From one forefather he has created every race of men to live over the face of the whole earth. He has determined the times of their existence and the limits of their habitation, so that they might search for God, in the hope that they might feel for him and find him—yes, even though he is not far from any one of us. It is in him that we live and move and have our being. Some of your own poets have endorsed this in the words, ‘For we are his children’. If then we are the children of God, we ought not to imagine God in terms of gold or silver or stone, contrived by human art or imagination. Now while it is true that God has overlooked the days of ignorance he now commands all men everywhere to repent because of the gift of his son Jesus. For he has fixed a day on which he will judge the whole world in justice by the standard of a man whom he has appointed. That this is so he has guaranteed to all men by raising this man from the dead. Remember, dear gentiles, that the kingdom of Christ is the kingdom of God, and he is an imitation of our heavenly father. And Christ will rule over the world for a thousand years, establishing kingdom of heaven on earth. That will happen on the last day of Christ, when we'll all be risen, gentiles and jews alike, for we are all one under One God, and we'll live peacefully for as long as Jesus will decide to remain among us, and then shall return the dark ages, when you'll restart worshiping pagan deities that you foolishly worship now.”
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