• Acts 17:23
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 23 διερχόμενος going through γὰρ for καὶ and ἀναθεωρῶν beholding up τὰ the σεβάσματα objects of veneration ὑμῶν of YOU εὗρον I found καὶ also βωμὸν altar ἐν in ᾧ which ἐπεγέγραπτο it had been written upon ᾿Αγνώστῳ To Unknown Θεῷ. God. ὃ Which οὖν therefore ἀγνοοῦντες being ignorant εὐσεβεῖτε, YOU are venerating, τοῦτο this (thing) ἐγὼ I καταγγέλλω am announcing down ὑμῖν. to YOU.

  • Acts 17:23
    The Bible in Living English

    • 23 For in passing along and observing the objects of your worship I found among the rest an altar inscribed “To Unknown God.” So it is of what you adore unknowing that I am bringing you information.

  • Acts 17:23
    American Standard Version

    • 23 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.

  • Acts 17:23
    The Emphasized Bible

    • 23 For passing through, and carefully observing your objects of devotion I found an altar also in which was inscribed—Unto an Unknown God. What therefore not knowing ye reverence the same do I declare unto you.

  • Acts 17:23
    King James Version

    • 23 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.

  • Acts Study Notes—Chapter 17
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 17:23

      To an Unknown God: The Greek words A·gnoʹstoi the·oiʹ were part of an inscription on an altar in Athens. The Athenians expressed their fear of deities by building many temples and altars, even making altars to abstract deities, such as Fame, Modesty, Energy, Persuasion, and Pity. Perhaps fearing that they might omit a god and thereby incur that god’s disfavor, they dedicated an altar “to an Unknown God.” By means of such an altar, the people admitted the existence of a God about whom they knew nothing. Paul skillfully used the presence of this altar as a basis for his preaching to introduce his audience to the God​—the true God—​who until then was unknown to them.