Handelingen 14:15

15 En zeggende: Mannen, waarom doet gij deze dingen? Wij zijn ook mensen van gelijke bewegingen als gij, en verkondigen ulieden, dat gij u zoudt van deze ijdele dingen bekeren tot den levenden God, Die gemaakt heeft den hemel, en de aarde, en de zee, en al hetgeen in dezelve is;

Handelingen 14:15 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 14:15

And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things?
&c.] That is, bring these oxen and garlands, and attempt to offer sacrifice; this they said, not as arguing with them calmly and mildly, but with a mixture of indignation, heat, and zeal, as displeased with, and detesting and abhorring what they were about to do:

we also are men of like passions with you;
men, and not gods; of the same human nature, and that as corrupted, alike sinful men, and need a sacrifice better than these; frail mortal men, subject to frailty, imperfection, afflictions, troubles, diseases, and death itself; and so very improper objects of worship:

and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities;
from these deities, Jupiter and Mercury, and the rest of them; which were vain, useless, and unprofitable, and could do their votaries no manner of service; and from the worshipping of them, which were so many acts of vanity, folly, and weakness, yea, of sin and wickedness: the apostles were so far from being these gods, that their business was to show men the sin and folly of adhering to them; and to persuade them to relinquish the worship of them, and turn

to the living God;
who has life in himself, and is the fountain of life to others; whereas these deities were dead men, and the lifeless images of them; who neither lived themselves, nor could give life to others, or do them any service of any kind: but the living God is he,

which hath made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that
are therein;
which comprehends all created beings, the whole universe, and all that is in it, angels, men, beasts, fowls, fish, and whatever exists; and therefore is only deserving of religious worship.

Handelingen 14:15 In-Context

13 En de priester van Jupiter, die voor hun stad was, als hij ossen en kransen aan de voorpoorten gebracht had, wilde hij offeren met de scharen.

14 Maar de apostelen, Barnabas en Paulus, dat horende, scheurden hun klederen, en sprongen onder de schare, roepende,

15 En zeggende: Mannen, waarom doet gij deze dingen? Wij zijn ook mensen van gelijke bewegingen als gij, en verkondigen ulieden, dat gij u zoudt van deze ijdele dingen bekeren tot den levenden God, Die gemaakt heeft den hemel, en de aarde, en de zee, en al hetgeen in dezelve is;

16 Welke in de verledene tijden al de heidenen heeft laten wandelen in hun wegen;

17 Hoewel Hij nochtans Zichzelven niet onbetuigd gelaten heeft, goed doende van den hemel, ons regen en vruchtbare tijden gevende, vervullende onze harten met spijs en vrolijkheid.