Acts 14:15

Acts 14:15

13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, ^aintending to sacrifice with the multitudes.

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, ^athey tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out

15 and saying, “Men, ^awhy are you doing these things? ^bWe also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from ^cthese useless things ^dto the living God, ^ewho made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them,

16 ^awho in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways.

17 ^aNevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, ^bgave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with ^cfood and gladness.”

18 And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.

Stoning, Escape to Derbe

19 ^aThen Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, ^bthey stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be ^cdead.

20 However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

Commentaries:

Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)

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Sirs (andrev). Literally, Men. Abrupt, but courteous.

We also are men of like passions with you (kai hmeiv omoiopaqeiv esmen umin anqrwpoi). Old adjective from omoiov (like) and pasxw, to experience. In the N.T. only here and James 5:17. It means "of like nature" more exactly and affected by like sensations, not "gods" at all. Their conduct was more serious than the obeisance of Cornelius to Peter (Acts 10:25 f.). umin is associative instrumental case.

And bring you good tidings (euaggelizomenoi). No "and" in the Greek, just the present middle participle, "gospelizing you." They are not gods, but evangelists. Here we have Paul's message to a pagan audience without the Jewish environment and he makes the same line of argument seen in Acts 17:21-32; Romans 1:18-23. At Antioch in Pisidia we saw Paul's line of approach to Jews and proselytes (Acts 13:16-41).

That ye should turn from these vain things (apo toutwn twn mataiwn epistrefein). He boldly calls the worship of Jupiter and Mercury and all idols "vain" or empty things, pointing to the statues and the temple.

Unto the living God (epi qeon zwnta). They must go the whole way. Our God is a live God, not a dead statue. Paul is fond of this phrase (II Corinthians 6:16; Romans 9:26).

Who made (ov epoihsen). The one God is alive and is the Creator of the Universe just as Paul will argue in Athens (Acts 17:24). Paul here quotes Psalms 146:6 and has Genesis 1:1 in mind. See also I Thessalonians 1:9 where a new allegiance is also claimed as here.

**Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Acts 14:15:**

Luke 16:2
Acts 11:21
Acts 14:8
1 Corinthians 9:21
2 Corinthians 11:25
1 Thessalonians 1:9
1 Thessalonians 1:10
2 Timothy 3:11
James 5:17
Revelation 14:7

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