King James Version

What Does Acts 17:31 Mean?

“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. hath given: or, offered faith”

Context

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

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. hath given: or, offered faith

And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

So Paul departed from among them.

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Topics in This Verse

Faith

Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(31) **Because he hath appointed a day.**—Here the speaker would seem, to both sets of hearers, to be falling back into popular superstition. Minos and Rhadamanthus, and Tartarus and the Elysian Fields,—these they had learnt to dismiss, as belonging to the childhood of the individual and of mankind,— “Esse aliquid Manes et subterranea regna Vix pueri credunt.”. . . . [“Talk of our souls and realms beyond the grave, The very boys will laugh and say you rave.”] —Juvenal, *Sat. ii.* 149. The Epicurean rejected the idea of a divine government altogether. For the Stoic, to quote a line from Schiller,— “Die Welt-geschichte ist das Welt-gericht,” [“And the world’s story is its judgment day, “] and he expected no other. The thought of a day of judgment as the consummation of that history, which was so prominent in St. Paul’s teaching, was altogether strange to them. **By that man whom he hath ordained.**—Literally, *by a man.* Who the man was, and what proof there was that he had been raised from the dead, were questions either reserved for a later stage of teaching, or interrupted by the derision of the hearers. Up to this point they had listened attentively, but that the dead should be raised again seemed to them—as to the Sadducean, to the Greeks generally—absolutely incredible (Acts 26:8; 1Corinthians 15:35).

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Acts. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Acts 17:31 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.