Atti 14:17

17 benché non si sia lasciato senza testimonianza, facendo del bene, mandandovi dal cielo piogge e stagioni fruttifere, dandovi cibo in abbondanza, e letizia ne’ vostri cuori.

Atti 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.

Atti 14:17 In-Context

15 Uomini, perché fate queste cose? Anche noi siamo uomini della stessa natura che voi; e vi predichiamo che da queste cose vane vi convertiate all’Iddio vivente, che ha fatto il cielo, la terra, il mare e tutte le cose che sono in essi;
16 che nelle età passate ha lasciato camminare nelle loro vie tutte le nazioni,
17 benché non si sia lasciato senza testimonianza, facendo del bene, mandandovi dal cielo piogge e stagioni fruttifere, dandovi cibo in abbondanza, e letizia ne’ vostri cuori.
18 E dicendo queste cose, a mala pena trattennero le turbe dal sacrificar loro.
19 Or sopraggiunsero quivi de’ Giudei da Antiochia e da Iconio; i quali, avendo persuaso le turbe, lapidarono Paolo e lo trascinaron fuori della città, credendolo morto.
The Giovanni Diodati Bible is in the public domain.