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On several occasions Paul was mistaken as a one of the Greek gods.
11When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" 12Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15"Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. - Acts 14:11-15
5But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. - Acts 28:5-6
Most of the Greek deities were adopted by the Romans, although in many cases there was a change of name. There were twelve Olympian gods. Here is a brief description of each.
| Greek | Roman | Description |
|---|
| Zeus | Jupiter |
Lord of the sky and supreme ruler of the gods. Known for throwing lightning bolts (Acts 14:12-13) |
| Poseidon | Neptune |
Ruler of the sea. Brother of Zeus. Carried a three-pronged spear known as a trident |
| Hades | Pluto |
Ruler of the underworld and the dead. Brother of Zeus. Had a helmet which rendered its wearer invisible |
| Hestia | Vesta |
A virgin goddess and sister of Zeus. No distinct personality or part in myths. Goddess of the Hearth, the symbol of the home |
| Hera | Juno |
Zeus's wife and sister. Protector of marriage, spent most of her time punishing the many women Zeus fell in love with. Likes cows and peacocks |
| Ares | Mars |
God of war and son of Zeus and Hera. Likes vultures and dogs |
| Athena | Minerva |
Daughter of Zeus alone. No mother.(?) She sprang from his head full-grown and in full armor. The protector of civilized life, handicrafts, and agriculture. Invented the bridle, and first to tame the horse. Likes Athens, olives, and owls |
| Apollo | Apollo |
Son of Zeus. Master musician, archer god, healer, god of light, god of truth, sun god. A busy god who likes the laurel tree, dolphins, and crows |
| Aphrodite | Venus |
Daughter of Zeus. Goddess of Love and Beauty. Likes the myrtle tree, doves, sparrows, and swans |
| Hermes | Mercury |
Son of Zeus. Messenger of the gods. Wore wings on his sandals and his hat, thus was graceful and swift (Acts 14:12-13) |
| Artemis | Diana |
Apollo's twin sister and daughter of Zeus. Lady of wild things and huntsman to the gods. As Apollo is the Sun, Artemis is the moon (Acts 19) |
| Hephaestus | Vulcan |
Son of Hera, God of Fire. The only ugly and deformed god. Makes armor and weapons forged under volcanoes |
One of the Olympian gods is Hades. Of the lesser gods is Lucifer. In some translations of the Bible these words are used for Hell (also sheol and gehenna) (Ecc 12:3; Matt 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23; Acts 2:27,31; Rev 1:18; 6:8; 20:13-14) and Satan (or the king of Babylon) (Isa 14:12; Rev 2:5).
Did Greek mythology influence the names used in the Bible or did the Greeks adopt these names from the Hebrew writers? Or maybe it was a poor choice of the translators. Keep in mind the New Testament was written in Greek, and the oldest copy of the Old Testament is the Greek translation (Septuagint), so it is no wonder common Greek words were used for a different meaning. Note that the Greek word baptizo was transliterated as baptize instead of its proper meaning, immerse.
Here are some of their lesser gods.
| Greek | Roman | Description |
|---|
| Gaea | Terra |
Mother Earth |
| Asclepius | Aesculapius |
God of medicine |
| Cronus | Saturn |
God of the sky; Ruler of the Titans (Roman mythology: God of agriculture) |
| Demeter | Ceres |
Goddess of grain |
| Dionysus | Bacchus |
God of wine and vegetation |
| Eros | Cupid |
God of love |
| Hypnos | Somnus |
God of sleep |
| Rhea | Ops |
Wife of Cronus/Saturn. Mother Goddess |
| Uranus | Uranus |
God of the sky. Father of the Titans |
| Nike | Victoria |
Goddess of Victory |
| Eos | Aurora, Mater Matuta | Goddess of the Dawn |
| Boreas | Aquilo | North Wind (Acts 27:14) |
| Zephyr | Favonius | West Wind |
| Notus | Auster | South Wind |
| Eurus | Eurus | East Wind |
| Eris | Discordia | Goddess of Discord |
| Maia | Fauna, Bono Dea | Goddess of Fields, "Good Goddess" |
| Peitha | Suadela | Goddess of Persuasion |
| Hecate | Trivia | Goddess of the Crossways, the Dark Side of the Moon, and Magic |
| Tyche | Fortuna | Goddess of Fortune |
| Phosphor | Lucifer | Light-bearer, Star that brings in the day |
Here are some gods of just the Romans.
| Roman | Description |
|---|
| Sylvanus | Helper of Plowmen and Woodcutters |
| Janus | God of good beginnings |
| Pomona & Vertumnus | Powers Protecting Orchards and Gardens |
| Flora | Goddess of Flowers |
| Juturna | Goddess of Springs [Water] |
| Voluptas | Goddess of Pleasure |
Here are some gods of just the Greeks.
| Greek | Description |
|---|
| Hymen | God of the Wedding Feast |
| Hebe | Goddess of Youth |
| Iris | Goddess of the Rainbow |
| Aether | God of Light |
| Hygea | Goddess of Health |
| Aeolus | King of the Winds |
| Pontus | God of the Deep Sea |
| Nereus | "Old Man of the Sea" |
| Triton | Trumpeter of the Sea |
| Ate | Goddess of Mischief |
| Poena | Goddess of Punishment |
| Nemesis | Goddess of Revenge |
| Hespera | Goddess of Dusk |
| Morpheus | God of Dreams |
| Fama | God of fame, rumor |
Is it any wonder the Athenians had an altar to the "Unknown God?" It wouldn't be hard to forget one of their own gods.
The Romans absorbed the religion of their conquered subjects, often leading to situations in which the temples and priests of traditional Roman deities were with those of foreign gods, such as the Egyptian Isis and the Persian Mithras. This inclusiveness aided the acceptance of Christianity. In the 2nd century, Christianity began to spread in the Empire, despite initial persecution by Nero.
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