Paul declares that God has appointed a Man — Jesus Christ — to judge the world in righteousness. Foreshadowed in Genesis 4:25–26 and 1 Samuel 13:14, God’s purpose is fulfilled in Christ, the risen Saviour and Judge, calling all people to repent and believe the gospel.
Bible Scriptures: Darby Translation
Acts 17:16-34 “16 But in Athens, while Paul was waiting for them, his spirit was painfully excited in him seeing the city given up to idolatry.
17 He reasoned therefore in the synagogue with the Jews, and those who worshipped, and in the market-place every day with those he met with.18 But some also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers attacked him. And some said, What would this chatterer say? and some, He seems to be an announcer of foreign demons, because he announced the glad tidings of Jesus and the resurrection [to them].19 And having taken hold on him they brought [him] to Areopagus, saying, Might we know what this new doctrine which is spoken by thee [is]?20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears. We wish therefore to know what these things may mean.
21 Now all [the] Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else than to tell and to hear the news.22 And Paul standing in the midst of Areopagus said, Athenians, in every way I see you given up to demon worship;23 for, passing through and beholding your shrines, I found also an altar on which was inscribed, To the unknown God. Whom therefore ye reverence, not knowing [him], him I announce to you.
24 The God who has made the world and all things which are in it, *he*, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands,25 nor is served by men’s hands as needing something, himself giving to all life and breath and all things;26 and has made of one blood every nation of men to dwell upon the whole face of the earth, having determined ordained times and the boundaries of their dwelling,
27 that they may seek God; if indeed they might feel after him and find him, although he is not far from each one of us:28 for in him we live and move and exist; as also some of the poets amongst you have said, For we are also his offspring.29 Being therefore [the] offspring of God, we ought not to think that which is divine to be like gold or silver or stone, [the] graven form of man’s art and imagination.30 God therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, now enjoins men that they shall all everywhere repent,
31 because he has set a day in which he is going to judge the habitable earth in righteousness by [the] man whom he has appointed, giving the proof [of it] to all [in] having raised him from among [the] dead.32 And when they heard [of the] resurrection of the dead, some mocked, and some said, We will hear thee again also concerning this.33 Thus Paul went out of their midst.34 But some men joining themselves to him believed; among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman by name Damaris, and others with them.”
Genesis 4:25-26 “25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son, and called his name Seth: … For God has appointed me another seed instead of Abel, because Cain has slain him.26 And to Seth, to him also was born a son; and he called his name Enosh. Then people began to call on the name of Jehovah.”
1 Samuel 13:14 “14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: Jehovah has sought him a man after his own heart, and Jehovah has appointed him ruler over his people; for thou hast not kept what Jehovah commanded thee.”