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Amplified Bible

Acts 14:17

yet He did not leave Himself without some witness [as evidence of Himself], in that He kept constantly doing good things and showing you kindness, and giving you rains from heaven and productive seasons, filling your hearts with food and happiness."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Barnabas;   Blessing;   Homage;   Lycaonia;   Lystra;   Minister, Christian;   Paul;   Religion;   Zeal, Religious;   Scofield Reference Index - Churches;   Elders;   Thompson Chain Reference - Creation;   Gladness;   Joy-Sorrow;   Meteorology;   Missions, World-Wide;   Mysteries-Revelations;   Nature's;   Rain;   Revelation;   Storms;   The Topic Concordance - Worship;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Fruits;   Goodness of God, the;   Heathen, the;   Rain;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Food;   Galatians, letter to the;   Goodness;   Lystra;   Mission;   Paul;   Providence;   Revelation;   Time;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Amos, Theology of;   Heaven, Heavens, Heavenlies;   Providence of God;   Religion;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Beneficence;   Jesus Christ;   Obedience;   Ordination;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Providence;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Acts of the Apostles;   Iconium;   Lycaonia;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Clouds;   Gods, Pagan;   Heart;   Lycaonia;   Proverbs, Book of;   Revelation of God;   Timothy;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Canon of the New Testament;   Christianity;   Incarnation;   Kindness;   Messiah;   World;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Fruit;   Galatia ;   Galatians Epistle to the;   Garlands ;   God;   Heart ;   Ignorance (2);   Inspiration and Revelation;   Joy;   Revelation (2);   Unity;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Lystra ;   Witness;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Iconium;   Rain;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Lycaonia;   Lystra;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Saul of Tarsus;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Doctrine;   Good;   Omnipotence;   Philosophy;   Revelation;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for September 28;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
although he did not leave himself without a witness, since he did what is good by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons and filling you with food and your hearts with joy.”
King James Version (1611)
Neuerthelesse, he left not himselfe without witnesse, in that he did good, and gaue vs raine from heauen, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladnesse.
King James Version
Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
English Standard Version
Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness."
New American Standard Bible
yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness."
New Century Version
Yet he proved he is real by showing kindness, by giving you rain from heaven and crops at the right times, by giving you food and filling your hearts with joy."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness."
Legacy Standard Bible
and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness."
Berean Standard Bible
Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness."
Contemporary English Version
But he showed that he was there by the good things he did. God sends rain from heaven and makes your crops grow. He gives food to you and makes your hearts glad.
Complete Jewish Bible
yet he did not leave himself without evidence of his nature; because he does good things, giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons, filling you with food and your hearts with happiness!"
Darby Translation
though indeed he did not leave himself without witness, doing good, and giving to you from heaven rain and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.
Easy-to-Read Version
But God was always there doing the good things that prove he is real. He gives you rain from heaven and good harvests at the right times. He gives you plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Neuerthelesse, hee left not him selfe without witnes, in that hee did good and gaue vs raine from heauen, & fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with foode, and gladnesse.
George Lamsa Translation
Nevertheless he left himself without testimony, in that he bestowed good on them from heaven, and gave them rain, and caused the fruits to grow in their seasons, and satisfied their hearts with food and gladness.
Good News Translation
But he has always given evidence of his existence by the good things he does: he gives you rain from heaven and crops at the right times; he gives you food and fills your hearts with happiness."
Lexham English Bible
And yet he did not leave himself without witness by doing good, giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying you with food and your hearts with gladness."
Literal Translation
though indeed He did not leave Himself without witness, doing good, giving rain and fruitful seasons to us from heaven, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
American Standard Version
And yet he left not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.
Bible in Basic English
But he was not without witness, because he did good, and gave you rain from heaven and times of fruit, making your hearts full of food and joy.
Hebrew Names Version
Yet he didn't leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from the sky and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."
International Standard Version
yet he has not left himself without a witness by doing good, by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, and by filling you with food and joyful hearts."Leviticus 26:4; Deuteronomy 11:14; 28:12; Job 1:5:10; Psalm 65:10; 68:9; 147:8; Jeremiah 14:22; Matthew 5:45; Acts 17:27; Romans 1:20;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
yet leaving not himself without witness, while he did them good from heaven, and sent down rain, and multiplied the fruits in their times, and filled with food and gladness their hearts.
Murdock Translation
although he did not leave himself without testimony, while he did them good from heaven, and sent down the rain, and made the fruits to grow in their seasons, and filled their hearts with food and pleasure.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Neuerthelesse, he left not hym selfe without witnesse, in that he shewed his benefites from heauen, in geuyng vs rayne and fruitefull seasons, fillyng our heartes with foode and gladnesse.
English Revised Version
And yet he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.
World English Bible
Yet he didn't leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from the sky and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
in that he did good, giving rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness.
Weymouth's New Testament
and yet by His beneficence He has not left His existence unattested--His beneficence, I mean, in sending you rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and joyfulness."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And yit he lefte not hym silf with out witnessing in wel doyng, for he yaf reyns fro heuene, and times beringe fruyt, and fulfillide youre hertis with meete and gladnesse.
Update Bible Version
And yet he did not leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.
Webster's Bible Translation
Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
New English Translation
yet he did not leave himself without a witness by doing good, by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying you with food and your hearts with joy."
New King James Version
Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."
New Living Translation
but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts."
New Life Bible
Even then God did not leave you without something to see of Him. He did good. He gave you rain from heaven and much food. He made you happy."
New Revised Standard
yet he has not left himself without a witness in doing good—giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling you with food and your hearts with joy."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Although, not without witness, he left himself, doing good, from heaven, upon you, giving rain and fruitful seasons, filling, with food and gladness, your hearts.
Douay-Rheims Bible
(14-16) Nevertheless he left not himself without testimony, doing good from heaven, giving rains and fruitful Seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
Revised Standard Version
yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness."
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Neverthelesse he lefte not him selfe with outen witnes in that he shewed his benefites in gevinge vs rayne from heaven and frutefull ceasons fyllinge oure hertes with fode and gladnes.
Young's Literal Translation
though, indeed, without witness He did not leave himself, doing good -- from heaven giving rains to us, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness;'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Neuertheles he hath not left hi selfe without wytnesse, in yt he hath shewed his benefites, and geuen vs rayne from heauen, and frutefull seasons, fyllynge oure hertes with fode and gladnesse.
Mace New Testament (1729)
nevertheless he sufficiently display'd himself by his beneficence to mankind, in giving us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, replenishing our hearts with food and gladness."
Simplified Cowboy Version
but he never did so without showing them how much he loved them. He sent down the rain for crops, cattle for food, and smiles for your ugly mugs."

Contextual Overview

8Now at Lystra a man sat who was unable to use his feet, for he was crippled from birth and had never walked. 9This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, and Paul looked intently at him and saw that he had faith to be healed, 10and said with a loud voice, "Stand up on your feet." And he jumped up and began to walk. 11And the crowds, when they saw what Paul had done, raised their voices, shouting in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" 12They began calling Barnabas, Zeus [chief of the Greek gods], and Paul, Hermes [messenger of the Greek gods], since he took the lead in speaking. 13The priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance of the city, brought bulls and garlands to the city gates, and wanted to offer sacrifices with the crowds. 14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, 15"Men, why are you doing these things? We too are only men of the same nature as you, bringing the good news to you, so that you turn from these useless and meaningless things to the living God, WHO MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA AND EVERYTHING THAT IS IN THEM. 16"In generations past He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; 17yet He did not leave Himself without some witness [as evidence of Himself], in that He kept constantly doing good things and showing you kindness, and giving you rains from heaven and productive seasons, filling your hearts with food and happiness."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he left: Acts 17:27, Acts 17:28, Psalms 19:1-4, Romans 1:19, Romans 1:20

in that: Psalms 36:5-7, Psalms 52:1, Psalms 104:24-28, Psalms 145:9, Psalms 145:15, Psalms 145:16, Luke 6:35

and gave: Leviticus 26:4, Deuteronomy 11:14, Deuteronomy 28:12, 1 Kings 18:1, Job 5:10, Job 37:6, Job 38:26-28, Psalms 65:9-13, Psalms 68:9, Psalms 68:10, Psalms 147:7, Psalms 147:8, Isaiah 5:6, Jeremiah 5:24, Jeremiah 14:22, Matthew 5:45, James 5:17, James 5:18

filling: Deuteronomy 8:12-14, Nehemiah 9:25, Isaiah 22:13, 1 Timothy 6:17

Reciprocal: Genesis 1:29 - to you Genesis 25:6 - gifts Leviticus 26:5 - eat your Deuteronomy 10:18 - loveth Deuteronomy 33:14 - the precious Job 22:18 - he filled Job 36:31 - he giveth Psalms 33:5 - earth Psalms 65:13 - pastures Psalms 74:17 - made summer Psalms 104:13 - watereth Psalms 107:37 - which may Ecclesiastes 2:24 - nothing Isaiah 40:21 - General Luke 12:16 - The ground John 1:10 - was in John 5:17 - My Acts 17:25 - seeing

Cross-References

Judges 11:34
Then Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, and this is what he saw: his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. And she was his only child; except for her he had no son or daughter.
1 Samuel 18:6
As they were coming [home], when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines, [songs of] joy, and musical instruments.
2 Samuel 18:18
Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself a memorial pillar which is in the King's Valley, for he said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance." He named the memorial pillar after himself, and to this day it is called Absalom's Monument.
Proverbs 14:20
The poor man is hated even by his neighbor, But those who love the rich are many.
Proverbs 19:4
Wealth makes many friends, But a poor man is separated from his friend.
Hebrews 7:1
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Nevertheless, he left not himself without witness,.... Of his kindness and goodness to them, during this long interval and period of time; for they had not the written law, yet they were not destitute of the law of nature; and had, besides, many instances of providential goodness, by which they might have known God: and should have been thankful to him, and glorified him as God, and not have worshipped the idols of their own hands; the goodness of God should have led them to repentance, and not have been abused to so many wicked purposes as it had been:

in that he did good; in a providential way, to persons very undeserving of it, of which some particular instances follow:

and gave us rain from heaven, which none of the gods of the Gentiles could, do, Jeremiah 14:22. So מפתח גשמים, "the key of rains", is by the Jews a said to be one of the keys which God has in his own hands, and which he does not commit to any other: and a wonderful blessing is this to mankind, and which God gives to the just and to the unjust, and did give to the ignorant and idolatrous Gentiles. Beza's most ancient copy, and four other ancient copies of his, and some others, read "you", instead of "us"; which reading seems most agreeable:

and fruitful seasons; spring, summer, harvest, and autumn, at which several times, different fruits of the earth appear:

filling our hearts with food and gladness; giving a sufficiency of food, and even an abundance of it, and that for pleasure and delight, as well as for support and refreshment: the Syriac version reads, "their hearts"; some copies read, "your hearts".

a Targum Jerus. in Gen. xxx. 22. & Jon. in Deut. xxviii. 12.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Nevertheless - Though he gave them no revelation.

He left not himself without witness - He gave demonstration of his existence and of his moral character.

In that he did good - By doing good. The manner in which he did it, Paul immediately specifies. Idols did not do good; they conferred no favors, and were, therefore, unworthy of confidence.

And gave us rain from heaven - Rain from above - from the clouds, Mark 8:11; Luke 9:54; Luke 17:29; Luke 21:11; John 6:31-32. Rain is one of the evidences of the goodness of God. Man could not cause it; and without it, regulated at proper intervals of time and in proper quantities, the earth would soon be one wide scene of desolation. There is scarcely anything which more certainly indicates unceasing care and wisdom than the needful and refreshing showers of rain. The sun and stars move by fixed laws, whose operation we can see and anticipate. The falling of rain is regulated by laws which We cannot trace, and it seems, therefore, to be poured, as it were, directly from God’s hollow hand, Psalms 147:8, “Who covereth the heaven with clouds; who prepareth rain for the earth.”

And fruitful seasons - Seasons when the earth produces abundance. It is remarkable, and a striking proof of the divine goodness, that so few seasons are unfruitful. The earth yields her increase; the labors of the farmer are crowned with success; and the goodness of God demands the expressions of praise. God does not forget his ancient covenant Genesis 8:22, though man forgets it, and disregards his great Benefactor.

Filling our hearts with food - The word “hearts” is used here as a Hebraism, to denote “persons” themselves; filling us with food, etc. Compare Matthew 12:40.

Gladness - Joy; comfort the comfort arising from the supply of our constantly returning needs. This is proof of everwatchful goodness. It is a demonstration at once that there is a God, and that he is good. It would be easy for God to withdraw these blessings, and leave us to want. A single word, or a single deviation from the fullness of benevolence, would blast all these comforts, and leave us to lamentation, woe, and death, Psalms 104:27-29; Psalms 145:15-16.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 14:17. He left not himself without witness — Though he gave the Gentiles no revelation of his will, yet he continued to govern them by his gracious providence; doing them good in general; giving then rain to fertilize their grounds, and fruitful seasons as the result; so that grass grew for the cattle and corn for the service of man.

Filling our hearts with food — Giving as much food as could reasonably be wished, so that gladness, or general happiness, was the result. Such was the gracious provision made for man, at all times, that the economy and bounty of the Divine Being were equally evidenced by it. He never gives less than is necessary, nor more than is sufficient. His economy forbids men to waste, by going them in general no profusion. His bounty forbids them to want, by giving as much as is sufficient for all the natural wants of his creatures. By not giving too much, he prevents luxury and riot: by giving enough, he prevents discontent and misery. Thus he does mankind good, by causing his rain to descend upon the just and the unjust, and his sun to shine upon the evil, and the good. Thus he is said not to have left himself without witness: for his providential dealings are the witnesses of his being, his wisdom, and his bounty; and thus the invisible things of God, even his eternal power and Godhead, were clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made, Romans 1:20. Therefore those who continued to worship stocks and stones were without excuse. These were great and striking truths; and into what detail the apostles now went, we cannot say; but it is likely that they spoke much more than is here related, as the next verse states that, with all these sayings, they found it difficult to prevent the people from offering them sacrifice.


 
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