Acts 17:23
BSB · Public Domain (CC0)“For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.”
A short, plain-language explanation of Acts 17:23 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.
“For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.”
Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)“For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.”
King James Version · Public Domain“For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you.”
American Standard Version · Public Domain“for passing through and contemplating your objects of worship, I found also an erection on which had been inscribed: To God--unknown; whom, therefore--not knowing--ye do worship, this One I announce to you.”
Young's Literal Translation · Public DomainOther passages that echo Acts 17:23 — 18 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Psalms 50:21You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face.
- Psalms 147:20He has done this for no other nation; they do not know His judgments. Hallelujah!
- Matthew 15:9They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”
- John 4:22You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.
- John 8:54Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory means nothing. The One who glorifies Me is My Father, of whom you say ‘He is our God.’
- John 17:3Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
- John 17:25Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, I know You, and they know that You sent Me.
- Acts 17:30Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
- Romans 1:20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.
- Romans 1:28Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
- 1 Corinthians 1:21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
- 1 Corinthians 8:5For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords),
- 2 Corinthians 4:4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
- Galatians 4:8Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
- Ephesians 2:12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:4He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
- 1 Timothy 1:17Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
- 1 John 5:20And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).