Acts 17:22

22 Paul stood up in the middle of the council on Mars Hill and said, “People of Athens, I see that you are very religious in every way.

Acts 17:22 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 17:22

Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill
Or of Areopagus, as it is better rendered in ( Acts 17:19 ) for it is the same place, and it is the same word that is here used: Paul stood in the midst of that court of judicature, amidst the Areopagites, the judges of that court, and the wise and learned philosophers of the different sects that were assembled together:

and said, ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too
superstitious;
or "more religious", than any other persons, in other places, which has been observed before on ( Acts 17:16 ) they had more gods, and more altars, and more festivals, and were more diligent and studious in the worship of the gods, than others. And this manner of addressing them, both as citizens of Athens, and as very religious persons, and who, as such, greatly exceeded all others, must greatly tend to engage their attention to him.

Acts 17:22 In-Context

20 You've told us some strange things and we want to know what they mean." (

21 They said this because all Athenians as well as the foreigners who live in Athens used to spend their time doing nothing but talking about or listening to the newest thing.)

22 Paul stood up in the middle of the council on Mars Hill and said, “People of Athens, I see that you are very religious in every way.

23 As I was walking through town and carefully observing your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: ‘To an unknown God.' What you worship as unknown, I now proclaim to you.

24 God, who made the world and everything in it, is Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn't live in temples made with human hands.