Forming Faith Blog

Paul in Athens (Acts 17)

Posted on April 21 2026 by Gregory Rawn
  • Date: May 3, 2026
  • Bible Reading: Acts 17:16-31
  • The Point: God is the creator, sustainer, and redeemer of the whole world.
  • Unit Theme (May 3—May 24): Living in Hope

Paul used his gifts and talents for rhetoric when he proclaimed the gospel to the Athenians. How can we share our faith in ways that use our own gifts and talents?

Photo of the Parthenon temple in Athens, Greece.
Image from Pixabay
About the Story

Now on his second journey, Paul visits the city of Athens. Although Rome was the political center of the Greco-Roman world, Athens maintained its status as the cultural center. In addition to the arts and music, Athens was home to a variety of religious sites; the most famous one still standing is the Parthenon, a temple to the Greek goddess Athena. 

Paul’s testimony contains all the elements of classical rhetoric (speech): a “hook,” a proclamation, and a poetic quotation. In verses 22-23, he begins by referring to the men of Athens as “extremely religious” because he found an altar to “an unknown God” (the hook). Paul then describes the God he knows; the One who created the universe cannot be represented or constrained by images or shrines (verses 24-25, 29), and gives assurance of righteous judgment through the resurrection of the dead in verse 28 (proclamation). Paul’s quoting “for we too are his offspring” (verse 28) from the poet Aratus’ Phaenomena, would have signaled to the Athenians that he was worthy of their attention and respect. 

The religious traditions of ancient Greece, like others, were based on the practice of appeasing the gods by an offering (sacrifice or other action like building an altar), either to gain their favor for the future or to repay a fulfilled prayer. Not repaying a prayer to the god or goddess who acted on one’s behalf would incur their wrath, so it was critical to do so. However, if a person prayed for help from multiple gods or the divine in general and they considered the prayer answered, they sometimes did not know who to make the offering to. So, an offering could be made to an unknown god, as in: this offering is for the god who helped me, whoever it was. 

In the verses following this reading, the writer of Acts reports that several Athenians “became believers” (verse 33), giving witness to Paul’s success as an advocate for the faith. (Adapted from Living the Word: Small Groups)

Context Insights

The following are a few insights found in our background resource Living the Word: Contexts & Connections.

  • Linguistics: In Acts 17:27, “find” (Gk. heuroien) is in a verb form (optative) that is unusual in the Greek New Testament but quite common in classical Greek. It indicates an action which has a low possibility. In using the optative in this verse, Paul indicates that the people who “search” and “grope” do not have much chance of actually finding God.
  • Culture/Religion: Paul’s speech takes place within the pluralistic Greco-Roman religious context. This is evidenced by the vast number of religious sites that Paul observed as he walked. The most famous one still remaining is the Parthenon. Among the Athenians were traditional polytheists, monotheists, and atheists. 
  • Literature/Genre: This passage serves to show Paul’s interaction with an exclusively non-Jewish audience. It continues the motif of Paul being interrogated by the authorities of different cities, and it also allows Paul to demonstrate his rhetorical gifts.
Connections and Suggestions

We have Narrative Lectionary curriculum resources for all age groups (see also our 2026-2027 NL resources!). Here are a few activity summaries you can use. The full activity descriptions and much more are available in the product noted.

  • Kids: On one side of a playing space, arrange one paper cup (top down) per student, divided into teams. Introduce the activity by discussing our own “idols” (things that get in the way of following God). Divide the large group into teams. Teams will compete in a relay race in which they will run (or otherwise move) across the space, stomp an “idol,” and then return to the end of their team’s line. The first team to finish wins. (From Living the Word: Kids (PK-2nd))
  • Youth: Create a hands-on experience by serving a variety of Greek foods for youth to taste. The activity can even be more hands-on if the youth make a Greek dish like baklava. (From Living the Word: Youth)
  • Intergenerational education: Provide two half-sheets of paper to each participant, and make markers or crayons available. Have participants draw a favorite part of creation on each half-sheet, fold the papers, and place them in the center of the table. Each participant will then choose a paper from the pile and pray a thankfulness prayer for that part of creation. They can guess or ask for help if they cannot identify the drawing. (From Living the Word: Cross+Gen Education)
Previous Posts

This is our blog’s third go-around in the Narrative Lectionary, Year 4. Here are some previous posts on this particular passage if you are interested:

I hope you find this all useful! If you have any questions or feedback on this blog post (or anything else), comment on this post below or on Facebook, or send me a message.

In Christ,

Gregory Rawn (Publisher)

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Learning Together is a series of five-lesson units on a variety of topics. Our faith formation resources are easy to use, theologically sound, and inclusive. Each unit can be used at any time in many different settings, but here are a few suggestions:

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