Acts 17:31
in Acts 17For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
KJV
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
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This verse in Acts 17
Commentary
13 notes on this verse"Wherefore, girding up your loins," "serve the Lord in fear" and truth, as those who have forsaken the vain, empty talk and error of the multitude, and "believed in Him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and gave Him glory," and a throne at His right hand. To Him all things in heaven and on earth are subject. Him every spirit serves. He comes as the Judge of the living and the dead. His blood will God require of those who do not believe in Him.
This site's exposition
God overlooked the ignorance
on Acts 17:30-31
Paul's call to repent rests on one proof, that God raised from the dead the Man appointed to judge the world with justice. The resurrection first drew the philosophers in verse 18, and it closes his appeal.
This site's exposition
by the Man He has appointed
Judging the world with justice is the work the psalms of the LORD's reign give to God, at Psalms 9:8, 96:13 and 98:9. Paul gives that judgment to a Man, as Peter did at 10:42. The resurrection is the proof.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
A commentator
Ammonius of AlexandriaCATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 17.30 · Written before 300.
proposed
Surely if God overlooked from the foundation of the world the transgressions committed by people out of ignorance, and he gives to each the forgiveness of transgressions, fittingly did he come among us at the end of the ages, in order that his boundless love …
What do you do, Paul? You say nothing about the form of God nor that he is equal to God or anything concerning the splendor of his glory. Indeed the time to say these things had not yet come, but it was enough that they admitted that he was a man. And Christ did the same, and Paul actually learned these things from him. In fact, Christ did not reveal his divinity immediately, but first Christ was believed to be simply a man and a prophet; then he appeared to be what he really was.
"Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead." Observe how he again declares the Passion. Observe the terror again: for, that the judgment is true, is clear from the raising Him up: for it is alleged in proof of that. That all he has been saying is true, is clear from the fact that He rose again. For He did give this "assurance to all men," His rising from the dead: this, also is henceforth certain.
"Because He has appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained, whereof He hath given assurance to all men, in that He raised Him from the dead." "Having given assurance to all men," i.e. He has given proof in the rising of Jesus from the dead. Let us repent then: for we must assuredly be judged. If Christ rose not, we shall not be judged: but if he rose, we shall without doubt be judged. "For to this end," it is said, "did He also die, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living." "For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive according to that he hath done." Do not imagine that these are but words. Lo! he introduced also the subject of the resurrection of all men; for in no other way can the world be judged. And that, "In that He hath raised Him from the dead," relates to the body: for that was dead, that had fallen.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"For He has appointed a day on which He will righteously judge the world." He will assuredly judge, he says, all deeds and thoughts through the "Man" whom He appointed to be Judge of the living and the dead. This is the Lord who became …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Whereof he hath given assurance to all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead - God raising Jesus demonstrated hereby, that he was to be the glorious Judge of all. We are by no means to imagine that this was all which the apostle intended to have said, but the indolence of some of his hearers and the petulancy of others cut him short.
Because he hath appointed a day,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Because he hath appointed a day - This is given as a reason why God commands people to repent. They must be judged; and if they are not penitent and pardoned, they must be condemned. See the notes on Rom 2:16. Judge the world - The whole world - Jews and Gentiles. In righteousness - According to the principles of strict justice. Whom he hath ordained - Or whom he has constituted or appointed as judge. See the Act 10:42 notes; Joh 5:25 notes. Hath given assurance - Has afforded evidence of this.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world--Such language beyond doubt teaches that the judgment will, in its essence, be a solemn judicial assize held upon all mankind at once. "Aptly is this uttered on the Areopagus, the seat of judgment" [BENGEL]. by that man whom he hath ordained--compare Joh 5:22, 23, 27;
He hath appointed a day - He has fixed the time in which he will judge the world, though he has not revealed this time to man. By that man whom he hath ordained - He has also appointed the judge, by whom the inhabitants of the earth are to be tried. Whereof he hath given assurance - ΠιϚιν παρασχων πασιν, Having given to all this indubitable proof, that Jesus Christ shall judge the world, by raising him from the dead. The sense of the argument is this: “Jesus Christ, whom we preach as the Savior of men, has repeatedly told his followers that he would judge the world; and has described to us, at large, the whole of the proceedings of that awful time, Mat 25:31, etc.; Joh 5:25. Though he was put to death by the Jews, and thus he became a victim for sin, yet God raised him from the dead. By raising him from the dead, God has set his seal to the doctrines he has taught: one of these doctrines is, that he shall judge the world; his resurrection, established by the most incontrovertible evidence, is therefore a proof, an incontestable proof, that he shall judge the world, according to his own declaration.”
The words behind it
22 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καθότι | kathoti | just as | G2530 → | 6 times |
| ἔστησεν | estesen | He set | G2476 → | 153 times |
| ἡμέραν | hemeran | a day | G2250 → | 389 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ᾗ | he | which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| μέλλει | mellei | He is about | G3195 → | 109 times |
| κρίνειν | krinein | to judge | G2919 → | 114 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οἰκουμένην | oikoumenen | world | G3625 → | 15 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| δικαιοσύνῃ | dikaiosune | righteousness | G1343 → | 92 times |
| ἐν | en | by | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ἀνδρὶ | andri | a man | G435 → | 216 times |
| ᾧ | ho | whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ὥρισεν | horisen | He appointed | G3724 → | 8 times |
| πίστιν | pistin | a guarantee | G4102 → | 242 times |
| παρασχὼν | paraschon | having provided | G3930 → | 16 times |
| πᾶσιν, | pasin | to all, | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ἀναστήσας | anastesas | having raised | G450 → | 107 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐκ | ek | out from | G1537 → | 911 times |
| νεκρῶν.¶ | nekron | [the] dead. | G3498 → | 128 times |
καθότιjust as
kathotiG2530 →6 times
ἔστησενHe set
estesenG2476 →153 times
ἡμέρανa day
hemeranG2250 →389 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ᾗwhich
heG3739 →1405 times
μέλλειHe is about
melleiG3195 →109 times
κρίνεινto judge
krineinG2919 →114 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
οἰκουμένηνworld
oikoumenenG3625 →15 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
δικαιοσύνῃrighteousness
dikaiosuneG1343 →92 times
ἐνby
enG1722 →2738 times
ἀνδρὶa man
andriG435 →216 times
ᾧwhom
hoG3739 →1405 times
ὥρισενHe appointed
horisenG3724 →8 times
πίστινa guarantee
pistinG4102 →242 times
παρασχὼνhaving provided
paraschonG3930 →16 times
πᾶσιν,to all,
pasinG3956 →1235 times
ἀναστήσαςhaving raised
anastesasG450 →107 times
αὐτὸνHim
autonG846 →5565 times
ἐκout from
ekG1537 →911 times
νεκρῶν.¶[the] dead.
nekronG3498 →128 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 5:10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.
- Revelation 22:12
“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.
- Ephesians 6:8
because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
- Psalms 62:12
and loving devotion to You, O Lord. For You will repay each man according to his deeds.
- Ecclesiastes 12:14
Through
2 Peter 3:7And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
it leads to
- 2 Peter 3:10
But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid…
- 2 Peter 3:12
as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat.
- 2 Peter 3:10
Through
Romans 2:16on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each…
- 1 Corinthians 4:5
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Judgment35 verses
Justice34 verses
Resurrection34 verses
On this page
Studies9
About Acts
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on Acts; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ammonius of Alexandria, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 17.30; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 17.31; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 38; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Polycarp of Smyrna, Epistle to the Philippians 2; R. J. Knowling, The Acts of the Apostles, The Expositor's Greek Testament and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.