4 Bible Verses about Pagan Gods
Most Relevant Verses
And they called Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
Now, while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him, seeing the city wholly given to idolatry. He therefore discoursed in the synagogue to the Jews and the devout persons, and in the market-place daily to those whom he met with. Then some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers incountered him: and some said, What would this babler say? Others, he seemeth to be a proclaimer of strange gods; because he preached to them Jesus, and the resurrection.read more.
And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine is, which is spoken by thee? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears; we would therefore know, what these things mean? (For all the Athenians, and the strangers sojourning there, spent their time in nothing else, but telling or hearing some new thing.) Then Paul standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that ye are greatly addicted to the worship of invisible powers. For as I passed along and beheld the objects of your worship, I found an altar, on which was inscribed, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD: him therefore whom ye worship without knowing him, I proclaim unto you.
And about that time, there arose no small tumult concerning the way. For a man named Demetrius, a silver smith, who made silver shrines of Diana, procured no small gain to the artificers: Whom having gathered together, with the workmen employed in such things, he said, Sirs, ye know, that our maintenance arises from this occupation.read more.
But ye see and hear, that not at Ephesus only, but almost through all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned aside much people, saying, That they are not gods, which are made with hands. So that there is danger, not only that this our craft should be set at nought, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia, and the world worshipeth. And hearing this, they were filled with rage, and cried out, saying, The great Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confusion; and they rushed with one accord into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's fellow-travellers. And when Paul would have gone in to the people, the disciples would not suffer him. And some also of the principal officers of Asia, being his friends, sent to him and desired, that he would not venture himself into the theatre. Some therefore cried one thing, and some another; for the assembly was confused, and the greater part did not know, for what they were come together. And they thrust Alexander forward from among the multitude, the Jews pushing him on; and Alexander, waving with his hand, would have made a defence to the people. But when they knew that he was a Jew, one voice arose from them all, crying out, for about two hours, The great Diana of the Ephesians. But the register, having pacified the people, said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there who knoweth not, that the city of the Ephesians is a worshiper of the great Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? Seeing then these things cannot be denied, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. For ye have brought these men, who are neither robbers of temples, nor blasphemers of your goddess.
Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
