Acts 14:16

Nations. Gr. ethne, a common NT word designating Gentiles. Here is the first indication of what may be called Paul’s philosophy of history. A similar thought appears in his speech at Athens (ch. 17:30), where Paul declared that the times of ignorance God had “winked at.” Those who had lived through them would be fairly dealt with, and judged according to their limited knowledge. He expands this philosophy in Rom. 1; 2. The ignorance and sin of the Gentile world had been allowed to run their course as a part, so to speak, of a divine drama, to lead the Gentiles to feel the need of redemption, and to prepare them for its reception.