Acts 17:31

For 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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Paul addresses the Athenian philosophers at the Areopagus immediately after commanding all people everywhere to repent. He speaks to a crowd that has just reacted to his prior proclamation about Jesus and the resurrection.

The words — The text uses ἔστησεν (estēsen) to declare that God has set (ἡμέραν) a fixed day, and μέλλει (mellei) to indicate He is about to judge (κρίνειν) the world. These terms establish the event as a certain, appointed future action rather than a vague possibility.

The thread — This appointed day appears in Matthew 25:31 where the Son of Man sits on a throne to execute judgment, and in Romans 2:16 where God judges human secrets through Christ Jesus. 2 Peter 3:7 similarly records that the current heavens and earth are being kept for that same day of judgment.

Why it lands — The passage requires readers to treat repentance as urgent because God has definitively fixed the time and method for global judgment. It demands immediate response to the appointed judge, confirmed by the historical fact of His resurrection.

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

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.

Cross-references

Matthew 25:31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.
Romans 2:16 on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.
2 Peter 3:7 And 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.
Psalms 9:8 He judges the world with justice; He governs the people with equity.
Psalms 98:9 before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.
2 Corinthians 5:10 For 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.
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 will receive his praise from God.
Romans 2:5 But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
1 Corinthians 15:3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
Psalms 96:13 before the LORD, for He is coming—He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness.