Now God made allowance for the times when people were still uninformed [about His complete will], but now [in the Gospel age] He requires all people everywhere to repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives].
Acts 14:16 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition) God allowed all nations to go their own way in past generations, More versionsKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition In generations past He permitted all the nations to walk in their own ways; American Standard Version (1901) who in the generations gone by suffered all the nations to walk in their own ways. Common English Bible In the past, he permitted every nation to go its own way. Catholic Public Domain Version But certainly, he did not leave himself without testimony, doing good from heaven, giving rains and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness." Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version Nevertheless he left not himself without testimony, doing good from heaven, giving rains and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. |
Now God made allowance for the times when people were still uninformed [about His complete will], but now [in the Gospel age] He requires all people everywhere to repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives].
And since these people refused to acknowledge God, He has allowed [or, abandoned] them to have degraded minds and to practice those things which they should not do.
God presented Jesus as the atoning sacrifice [i.e., a “covering over” or forgiveness of our sins] through [our] faith in His blood [i.e., His death on the cross]. This was in order to demonstrate His justice when, by using forbearance, He passed over people’s sins in previous generations.
[Remember] that you were at that time without Christ; [you were] excluded from citizenship in the nation of Israel; [you were] foreigners regarding the Agreements of [God’s] promises. You had no hope and were without God in the world.
For the time you have [already] spent in the past [i.e., as Gentile unbelievers] was long enough to have practiced unrestrained, indecent conduct, improper sexual cravings, riotous living, wild parties, drunken orgies and disgusting idol worship.