“God has overlooked
The pastimes
Of human ignorance,
But now he commands
All people everywhere
To repent!”
τοὺς μὲν οὖν χρόνους τῆς ἀγνοίας ὑπεριδὼν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ νῦν ἀπαγγέλλει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις πάντας πανταχοῦ μετανοεῖν,
The author of Acts indicated that Paul said that God (ὁ Θεὸς) had overlooked or disregarded (ὑπεριδὼν) the pastimes of human ignorance (τοὺς μὲν οὖν χρόνους τῆς ἀγνοίας), but now he commanded (τὰ νῦν ἀπαγγέλλει) that all people (τοῖς ἀνθρώποις πάντας) everywhere (πανταχοῦ) to repent or have a metanoia (μετανοεῖν). Acts was the only Greek biblical writing that used this Greek word ὑπεριδὼν, that means to overlook, take no notice, or disregard. Paul seemed to indicate that God had overlooked or disregarded the past human ignorance about God. However, now it was time for all people everywhere to repent. There would be no more overlooking human failures due to ignorance. The time of world wide repentance or metanoia, a change of heart, was now. Do you think that repentance or metanoia is important?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 