Acts 17 30

Acts 17:30 kjv

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Acts 17:30 nkjv

Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,

Acts 17:30 niv

In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

Acts 17:30 esv

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

Acts 17:30 nlt

"God overlooked people's ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.

Acts 17 verses

Acts 17 30 Meaning

Acts 17:30 declares a profound shift in God's dealing with humanity. Previously, during eras when the full light of the Gospel had not been widely proclaimed, God patiently 'overlooked' the spiritual ignorance and resulting sinful practices of people, not actively judging them with the same severity. However, with the advent of Jesus Christ and the widespread proclamation of His message, a new dispensation has begun. Consequently, God now authoritatively commands all human beings, regardless of their location, ethnicity, or intellectual background, to turn from their former ways and wholeheartedly change their mind, attitude, and direction—a command to repent. This command is universal, signaling a definitive expectation from the Creator of all.

Acts 17 30 Context

Acts 17:30 is part of Paul's iconic sermon to the Areopagus (Mars Hill) in Athens. He is addressing highly intellectual and philosophical Greeks, including Epicureans and Stoics, who were accustomed to philosophical debate and idol worship. Paul skillfully builds his argument from their "unknown god" altar, revealing the true Creator God, His self-sufficiency, His relationship to humanity (making all from one man), and His immediate presence. The discourse logically progresses from creation to human accountability. Verse 30 serves as a pivotal point, moving from God's past patient non-intervention to His present, definitive command for a moral and spiritual turnaround. This shift sets the stage for the announcement of God's coming judgment through Jesus Christ, validated by His resurrection, presented in the subsequent verse (17:31). Historically, Athens was a hub of idolatry and philosophical speculation, and Paul's message directly challenges their prevalent worldview, their many gods, and their intellectual pride.

Acts 17 30 Word analysis

• The times: Refers to specific, extended periods in human history, particularly before the explicit, global proclamation of the Gospel. It acknowledges a distinct historical epoch.

• of ignorance: (Greek: agnoia - ἄγνοια). Denotes a lack of knowledge, specifically spiritual and moral ignorance concerning the true God, His nature, His will, and the extent of human sin. It's not innocent unknowing, but often culpable due to suppression of inherent truth, as described in Rom 1:18-32.

• God: (Greek: Theos - Θεός). Refers to the one, supreme, living, and personal God—the Creator whom Paul has been introducing to the Athenians. He is the ultimate authority issuing this command.

• overlooked: (Greek: hyperido - ὑπερεῖδεν). This signifies God's divine patience, forbearance, or passing over, rather than condoning or ignoring sin. It implies that He did not exact the full measure of judgment on all humanity during those eras. This does not mean sin was unpunished, but that direct, widespread judgment or command to repent was not then delivered as it is now.

• but now: (Greek: nuni de - νυνὶ δὲ). This marks a crucial theological and historical turning point. It highlights a decisive shift from God's former posture of forbearance, inaugurated by the advent, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the subsequent command to preach the Gospel to all nations.

• he commands: (Greek: parangellei - παραγγέλλει). A strong, authoritative imperative. This is not an invitation or suggestion but a divine, non-negotiable decree from the ultimate Sovereign.

• all people: (Greek: pantas anthropous - πάντας ἀνθρώπους). This stresses the universal scope. No person is excluded based on ethnicity, social status, philosophical belief, or past lifestyle. The command applies to everyone without exception.

• everywhere: (Greek: pantachou - πανταχοῦ). Reinforces the universal reach, specifying geographical inclusivity. This command applies globally, to people in every location and culture.

• to repent: (Greek: metanoein - μετανοεῖν). This term means a fundamental change of mind, a radical reorientation of one's entire life and thought. It signifies turning away from sin and self-centeredness and turning towards God in obedience and faith. It's a comprehensive moral, intellectual, and spiritual shift, leading to altered behavior.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "The times of ignorance God overlooked": This phrase establishes God's patient nature and His sovereignty over historical eras. It clarifies that while God permitted (in the sense of not immediately judging) past generations in their spiritual ignorance, this does not absolve humanity of guilt (as Rom 1 makes clear). It demonstrates God's long-suffering leading up to a new, clearer revelation.
  • "but now he commands": This juxtaposes God's past forbearance with His present, active, and direct intervention. The conjunction "but" powerfully emphasizes the discontinuity between the two periods, making the current divine directive non-negotiable. It signals the inauguration of the 'fullness of time' with Christ.
  • "all people everywhere to repent": This concluding phrase underscores the absolute, inescapable, and universal nature of the divine command. Repentance is presented as a singular, comprehensive requirement for all humanity, everywhere, necessitated by the new revelation of God in Christ and the impending judgment.

Acts 17 30 Bonus section

• Divine Prerogative: God's decision to "overlook" was a display of His sovereign freedom and wisdom, a divine prerogative that held back full judgment until the "fullness of time" when He would send His Son (Gal 4:4).
• Climax of Revelation: Paul's statement marks the shift from general revelation (through creation, which provided some knowledge but allowed for "ignorance") to special revelation in Christ. The advent of Jesus changes everything, making what was previously 'overlooked' now directly commanded and judged.
• Basis for Judgment: The command to repent in v.30 directly leads into the reason for its urgency in v.31—the future divine judgment through Christ. Therefore, one's response to the command to repent determines one's standing before the Judge on that appointed day.
• Challenge to Philosophical Autonomy: This message was a direct challenge to the Athenian philosophers. Stoics emphasized reason and living in harmony with the cosmos but often denied personal repentance and resurrection. Epicureans, who sought pleasure and minimized divine involvement, found the ideas of a personal demanding God and judgment entirely foreign. Paul's message directly confronts their intellectual and moral frameworks with divine truth and authority.

Acts 17 30 Commentary

Acts 17:30 serves as the dramatic turning point in Paul's Areopagus sermon. Having established God as the benevolent, sovereign Creator, Paul now declares a critical theological and historical update. God, in His long-suffering wisdom, patiently allowed the era of "ignorance"—a period before the clear revelation of the Gospel—to unfold, not immediately bringing universal judgment for humanity's pervasive idolatry and spiritual blindness. However, that era has conclusively ended. With Christ's appearance, His atoning work, and His resurrection (as confirmed in the very next verse), a new, non-negotiable command is issued from the highest authority: all humanity, in every corner of the earth, must now undergo a fundamental spiritual and moral transformation, a turning away from sin and toward God. This command for repentance is rooted in God's righteousness, His desire for salvation, and the certainty of future judgment delivered by Jesus, validated by His own triumph over death. It underscores both God's patience and His justice, providing the grace period but ultimately demanding a response to His revealed truth.

• Practical Examples:
  • A person who believed in many gods or spiritual forces now turns to acknowledge the one true Creator God.
  • Someone living according to their own desires now intentionally chooses to live in obedience to God's revealed will.
  • Rejecting former beliefs in human self-sufficiency or fate, and embracing personal responsibility and dependence on divine grace.