Actes 14:17

17 Quoiqu'il n'ait point cessé de donner des témoignages de ce qu'il est, en faisant du bien, en nous envoyant du ciel les pluies, et les saisons fertiles, et en remplissant nos cours de biens et de joie.

Actes 14:17 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 14:17

Nevertheless, he left not himself without witness
Of his kindness and goodness to them, during this long interval and period of time; for they had not the written law, yet they were not destitute of the law of nature; and had, besides, many instances of providential goodness, by which they might have known God: and should have been thankful to him, and glorified him as God, and not have worshipped the idols of their own hands; the goodness of God should have led them to repentance, and not have been abused to so many wicked purposes as it had been:

in that he did good;
in a providential way, to persons very undeserving of it, of which some particular instances follow:

and gave us rain from heaven,
which none of the gods of the Gentiles could, do, ( Jeremiah 14:22 ) . So (Mymvg xtpm) , "the key of rains", is by the Jews F1 said to be one of the keys which God has in his own hands, and which he does not commit to any other: and a wonderful blessing is this to mankind, and which God gives to the just and to the unjust, and did give to the ignorant and idolatrous Gentiles. Beza's most ancient copy, and four other ancient copies of his, and some others, read "you", instead of "us"; which reading seems most agreeable:

and fruitful seasons;
spring, summer, harvest, and autumn, at which several times, different fruits of the earth appear:

filling our hearts with food and gladness;
giving a sufficiency of food, and even an abundance of it, and that for pleasure and delight, as well as for support and refreshment: the Syriac version reads, "their hearts"; some copies read, "your hearts".


FOOTNOTES:

F1 Targum Jerus. in Gen. xxx. 22. & Jon. in Deut. xxviii. 12.

Actes 14:17 In-Context

15 Et disant: O hommes, pourquoi faites-vous cela? Nous ne sommes que des hommes, sujets aux mêmes infirmités que vous. Nous vous annonçons une bonne nouvelle pour que vous vous détourniez de ces vanités, et que vous vous convertissiez au Dieu vivant, qui a fait le ciel, la terre et la mer, et toutes les choses qui y sont;
16 Qui dans les temps passés a laissé marcher toutes les nations dans leurs voies,
17 Quoiqu'il n'ait point cessé de donner des témoignages de ce qu'il est, en faisant du bien, en nous envoyant du ciel les pluies, et les saisons fertiles, et en remplissant nos cours de biens et de joie.
18 Et à peine, en disant cela, purent-ils empêcher le peuple de leur offrir un sacrifice.
19 Alors, des Juifs survinrent d'Antioche et d'Iconium, qui gagnèrent le peuple, et qui, ayant lapidé Paul, le traînèrent hors de la ville, croyant qu'il était mort.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.