The Holy Spirit inspires daily sacrifices.
Verse of the Day
For Sunday, 22 Feb, 2025, Verse of the Day.
A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
—Acts 17:18 Verse of the Day.
Thoughts on Today’s Verse of the Day
Like the enslavers in Philippi (Acts 16:21), the philosophers in Athens notice that Paul is promoting the worship of a deity not authorised by the Roman Empire. In De Legibus, ii. 8, Cicero states, “…let no one have private gods—neither new gods nor strange gods, unless publicly acknowledged, are to be worshipped privately…”
Unlike the enslavers, the philosophers have no reason to use this against Paul: they find it intriguing. The philosophers use the plural “divinities” because they believe Paul is teaching about a God of healing named Jesus and another god called Resurrection. They wouldn’t have paid any attention to Paul if they had already realised their mistake.
Epicureans held to materialism and annihilationism: they believed there is no supernatural realm, and when a person dies, there is no soul or spirit to resurrect. Stoics believed everything is material, including the soul, which is made of fire, and at death, the soul returns to logos, the fundamental law of the cosmos. Neither believed in a final judgment for wrongful behaviour.
Epicureans are often mistakenly accused of promoting hedonism. They did not teach that, since humans cease to exist after death, one should indulge in pleasures while alive. Instead, they sought to attain a state of ultimate peace and enjoy life without excessive worry.
Gods are distant and indifferent to us, they said, so don’t worry about them — they don’t even remember humans exist, and there is no judgment after death. In the Epicureans’ view, a fulfilled life includes just enough food, comforts, peaceful friendships, and balance.
Stoics were also materialists but believed in the logos—the natural law of the cosmos. They thought that if one could align one’s expectations with the logos, one could find fulfilment and avoid the disappointment that comes with striving against reality. Where Epicureans debated, Stoics meditated.
“Babbler” comes from the Greek root word spermologos. It describes a bird that gathers random seeds from the ground. Metaphorically, it refers to someone who wanders through the marketplace, collecting bits and pieces of different philosophies and mixing them into an incoherent jumble.
Paul understands Greek philosophy, and the philosophers might have some knowledge of Judaism. However, this talk of resurrection, healing, and sin is quite new; the classical philosophers have not yet developed a cohesive framework. — Verse of the Day.
My Prayer…
Grant us the strength to persevere on our journeys and the grace to accept the gifts You bestow upon us.
Heavenly Father, I humbly approach You, seeking Your divine wisdom and understanding.
May we reflect Your excellence in all that we do and share the fruits of our labour with compassion and joy. In Your holy name, we pray. Amen — verse of the day.
Look no further. We present the seven most powerful Bible verses that will empower and affirm your spiritual journey. Embrace these timeless words from the Holy Scriptures and witness the transformative impact they can have on your life.
Genesis 1:28 – Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and every living thing that moves on the earth.
Exodus 34:10 – The Lord said, “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people, I will do wonders that have never been done in any nation worldwide. The people you live among will see how excellent the work that I, the Lord, will do for you.
Genesis 8:22 – “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”The Psalm of Victory 23:5 – You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. The Lord provides for us more generously than our hearts can desire. The enemies can do nothing about God’s generosity but can only watch and admire the victory the Lord has given us.
Romans 8:38 – 38 – For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Isaiah 54:17 – No weapon formed against thee shall prosper, and thou shalt condemn every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment. This is the heritage of the LORD’s servants, whose righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
Genesis 1:1 – In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. We shall largely adhere to the essential, fundamental, and unambiguous concepts. The Bible’s opening statements unequivocally declare that God, who we will eventually learn to be the God of Israel, created the earth and the sky. In other words, He made everything in the natural universe, including our globe and everything on it, the skies, the heavens, and outer space.
Bring God’s Word into your home with this Bible Verse Wall Art Set. Each scripture print is a daily reminder of faith and encouragement.