"For while I was passing throughand examiningthe objects of your worship,I alsofoundan altarwith thisinscription,'TO AN UNKNOWNGOD.'Thereforewhatyou worshipin ignorance,thisI proclaimto you.
He has not dealtthuswith anynation;And as for His ordinances,they have not knownthem. Praisethe LORD!
"Thesethingsyou have doneand I keptsilence;You thoughtthat I was just likeyou; I will reproveyou and state[the case] in orderbefore your eyes.
"For the sakeof JacobMy servant,And IsraelMy chosen[one], I have also calledyou by your name;I have givenyou a titleof honorThough you have not knownMe.
BUT IN VAINDO THEY WORSHIPME, TEACHINGAS DOCTRINESTHE PRECEPTSOF MEN.'"
"O righteousFather,althoughthe worldhas not knownYou, yetI have knownYou; and thesehave knownthat You sentMe;
"Thisis eternallife,that they may knowYou, the onlytrue God,and JesusChristwhomYou have sent.
"You worshipwhatyou do not know;we worshipwhatwe know,for salvationis from the Jews.
Jesusanswered,"IfI glorifyMyself,My gloryis nothing;it is My Fatherwho glorifiesMe, of whomyou say,'He is our God';
"Thereforehaving overlookedthe timesof ignorance,Godis nowdeclaringto menthat all[people] everywhereshould repent,
And justas they did not see fitto acknowledgeGodany longer, Godgave them overto a depravedmind,to dothosethings which are not proper,
For sincein the wisdomof Godthe worldthroughits wisdomdid not [come to] knowGod,Godwas well-pleasedthroughthe foolishnessof the message preachedto savethosewho believe.
For evenifthere are so-calledgodswhetherin heavenoron earth,as indeedthere are manygodsand manylords,
[remember] that you were at that timeseparatefrom Christ,excludedfrom the commonwealthof Israel,and strangersto the covenantsof promise,havingnohopeand without Godin the world.
who opposesand exaltshimself aboveeveryso-calledgodorobject of worship,sothat he takes his seatin the templeof God,displayinghimselfas beingGod.
Nowto the Kingeternal,immortal,invisible,the onlyGod,[be] honorand gloryforeverand ever.Amen.
And we knowthat the Sonof Godhas come,and has givenus understandingsothat we may knowHim whois true;and we are in Him who is true,in His SonJesusChrist.Thisis the true Godand eternallife.
