SEV Biblia, Chapter 14:16
el cual en las edades pasadas ha dejado a todos los gentiles andar en sus caminos;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 14:16
Verse 16. Who in times past suffered all nations, &c.] The words panta ta eqnh, which we here translate, all nations, should be rendered, all the Gentiles, merely to distinguish them from the Jewish people: who having a revelation, were not left to walk in their own ways; but the heathens, who had not a revelation, were suffered to form their creed, and mode of worship, according to their own caprice.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 16. Who in times past , etc.] For many hundred years past; even ever since God chose and separated the people of Israel from the rest of the nations, to be a peculiar people to himself: from that time he suffered all nations to walk in their own ways ; of ignorance, superstition, and idolatry; which they devised, and chose, and delighted in: not that he gave them any licence to walk in these ways, without being chargeable with sin, or with impunity; but he left them to themselves, to the dim light and law of nature, and gave them no written law, nor any external revelation of his mind and will; nor did he send any prophets or ministers of his unto them, to show them the evil of their ways, and turn them from them, and direct them to the true God, and the right way of worshipping him; but left them to take their own methods, and pursue the imagination of their own hearts: but the apostle suggests, that the case was now altered, and God had sent them and other ministers of his, among all nations of the world, to protest against their superstition and idolatry; and to reclaim them from their evil ways, and to direct them to the true and living God, and his worship, and to preach salvation by his Son Jesus Christ.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 8-18 - All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, tha most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinfu habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and wal cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God appeared in the likeness of men, and did many miracles, men were so fa from doing sacrifice to him, that they made him a sacrifice to their pride and malice; but Paul and Barnabas, upon their working on miracle, were treated as gods. The same power of the god of this world which closes the carnal mind against truth, makes errors and mistake find easy admission. We do not learn that they rent their clothes when the people spake of stoning them; but when they spake of worshippin them; they could not bear it, being more concerned for God's honou than their own. God's truth needs not the services of man's falsehood The servants of God might easily obtain undue honours if they woul wink at men's errors and vices; but they must dread and detest suc respect more than any reproach. When the apostles preached to the Jews who hated idolatry, they had only to preach the grace of God in Christ but when they had to do with the Gentiles, they must set right their mistakes in natural religion. Compare their conduct and declaratio with the false opinions of those who think the worship of a God, unde any name, or in any manner, is equally acceptable to the Lord Almighty The most powerful arguments, the most earnest and affectionat addresses, even with miracles, are scarcely enough to keep men from absurdities and abominations; much less can they, without specia grace, turn the hearts of sinners to God and to holiness.
Greek Textus Receptus
ος 3739 R-NSM εν 1722 PREP ταις 3588 T-DPF παρωχημεναις 3944 5768 V-RNP-DPF γενεαις 1074 N-DPF ειασεν 1439 5656 V-AAI-3S παντα 3956 A-APN τα 3588 T-APN εθνη 1484 N-APN πορευεσθαι 4198 5738 V-PNN ταις 3588 T-DPF οδοις 3598 N-DPF αυτων 846 P-GPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
16. Times (geneaiv). More correctly, generations, as Rev.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
14:16 {In the generations gone by} (en tais parwicemenais geneais). Perfect middle participle from paroicomai, to go by, old verb, here alone in the N.T. {Suffered} (eiasen). Constative aorist active indicative of ea" (note syllabic augment). Paul here touches God in history as he did just before in creation. God's hand is on the history of all the nations (Gentile and Jew), only with the Gentiles he withdrew the restraints of his grace in large measure (#Ac 17:30; Ro 1:24,26,28), judgment enough for their sins. {To walk in their ways} (poreuesqai tais hodois autwn). Present middle infinitive, to go on walking, with locative case without en. this philosophy of history does not mean that God was ignorant or unconcerned. He was biding his time in patience.
