American Standard Version
Acts 17:20
20For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
Acts 17:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
- New International Version (NIV)You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean."
- New King James Version (NKJV)For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.”
Context of Acts 17:20
18And certain also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, What would this babbler say? others, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached Jesus and the resurrection. 19And they took hold of him, and brought him unto the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by thee? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. 21(Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.) 22And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, in all things I perceive that ye are very religious.
Read all of Acts 17Acts 17:20 word by word
ξενίζοντα γάρ τινα εἰσφέρεις εἰς τὰς ἀκοὰς ἡμῶν· βουλόμεθα οὖν γνῶναι τίνα θέλει ταῦτα εἶναι.Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Acts 17:20
- Hosea 8:12I wrote for him the ten thousand things of my law; but they are counted as a strange thing.
- Matthew 19:23And Jesus said unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
- Mark 10:24And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
- John 6:60Many therefore of his disciples, when they heardthis, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?
- John 7:35The Jews therefore said among themselves, Whither will this man go that we shall not find him? will he go unto the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?
- 1 Corinthians 1:18For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.
- 1 Corinthians 2:14Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged.
- Hebrews 5:11Of whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become dull of hearing.
- 1 Peter 4:4wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
- Acts 2:12And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
- Acts 10:17Now while Peter was much perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood before the gate,
- Mark 9:10And they kept the saying, questioning among themselves what the rising again from the dead should mean.
Commentaries on Acts 17:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Thou bringest - strange things to our ears - The doctrine of the apostles was different from any they had ever heard: it was wholly spiritual and divine; thus it was strange: it was contrary to their customs and manners; and thus it was strange also. As it spoke much of the exaltation and glory of Jesus Christ, they supposed him to be a setter forth of strange gods: and, therefore, on the authority of the laws, which forbade the introduction of any new…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Certain strange things - Literally, something pertaining to a foreign country or people. Here it means something unusual or remarkable - something different from what they had been accustomed to hear from their philosophers. What these things mean - We would understand more clearly what is affirmed respecting Jesus and the resurrection.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-21Verses 16-21 Athens was then famed for polite learning, philosophy, and the fine arts; but none are more childish and superstitious, more impious, or more credulous, than some persons, deemed eminent for learning and ability. It was wholly given to idolatry. The zealous advocate for the cause of Christ will be ready to plead for it in all companies, as occasion offers. Most of these learned men took no notice of Paul; but some, whose principles were the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-34In this chapter, we see Paul presented as a model witness for Christ, engaging the thinkers of his day and challenging them with the Christian message. Paul quoted writers his audience would be familiar with and showed the relevance of the gospel by dialoguing with them, critiquing their assumptions, and offering Jesus as a constructive alternative (see Colossians 1:28). Paul reminded these proud intellectuals that there is a living God to whom all human…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2118-21. certain ... of the Epicureans--a well-known school of atheistic materialists, who taught that pleasure was the chief end of human existence; a principle which the more rational interpreted in a refined sense, while the sensual explained it in its coarser meaning. and of the Stoics--a celebrated school of severe and lofty pantheists, whose principle was that the universe was under the law of an iron necessity, the spirit of which was what is called…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 17:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries