With hand outstretched toward the temple crowded with idols, Paul poured out the burden of his soul, and exposed the fallacies of the religion of the Athenians. The wisest of his hearers were astonished as they listened to his reasoning. He showed himself familiar with their works of art, their literature, and their religion. Pointing to their statuary and idols, he declared that God could not be likened to forms of man's devising. These graven images could not, in the faintest sense, represent the glory of Jehovah. He reminded them that these images had no life, but were controlled by human power, moving only when the hands of men moved them; and therefore those who worshiped them were in every way superior to that which they worshiped.

Med hånden udrakt mod templet, der var fuldt af afgudsbilleder, udøste Paulus det, der tyngede hans sjæl, og påpegede urigtighederne i athenernes religion. De klogeste blandt tilhørerne undredes, mens de lyttede til hans forklaringer. Han viste dem, at han var bekendt med deres kunst, deres litteratur og deres religion. Han pegede på deres statuer og afguder og erklærede, at Gud ikke kunne lignes ved skikkelser, der var skabt ved menneskers snilde. Disse udskårne billeder kunne ikke i ringeste grad fremstille Jehovas herlighed. Han mindede dem om at disse billeder var uden liv,kun beherskede af menneskelig kraft, så de kun bevægede sig ved menneskehænders hjælp; og derfor stod de, som tilbad dem, i enhver henseende over det, de tilbad.