Bible Strands
Acts 14:16
In past generations, He let all nations go their own way.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul and Barnabas address a Lystran crowd that mistakenly worshipped them as gods, explaining that the Creator permitted Gentile nations to follow their own paths before revealing Himself through creation.
The words — The Greek εἴασεν (eiasen) literally means "allowed" or "permitted," and παρῳχημέναις (parōchēmenais) denotes the state of things "past" or "overlooked."
The thread — This pattern of divine patience with Gentile ignorance runs through Acts 17:30 and Psalm 81:12, where God historically allows nations to follow their own stubborn devices.
Why it lands — The text states that God’s past allowance of national autonomy preceded His direct testimony through creation, requiring readers to acknowledge that historical restraint is not indifference but a prelude to the present call to repent.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
Cross-references
- Acts 17:30 Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
- Psalms 81:12 So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
- Psalms 147:20 He has done this for no other nation; they do not know His judgments. Hallelujah!
- Romans 1:28 Furthermore, 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.
- Micah 4:5 Though all the nations may walk in the name of their gods, yet we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.
- Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.
- Ephesians 2:12 remember 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.
- 1 Peter 4:3 For you have spent enough time in the past carrying out the same desires as the Gentiles: living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.
- Hosea 4:17 Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!