Acts 17:20

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

18Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection. 19So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, where they asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” 21Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas. 22Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.

Acts 17:20 word by word

ξενίζοντα γάρ τινα εἰσφέρεις εἰς τὰς ἀκοὰς ἡμῶν· βουλόμεθα οὖν γνῶναι τίνα θέλει ταῦτα εἶναι.Read the interlinear

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• you are bringingεἰσφέρωeispherō · to bring inG1533
• someτιςtis · oneG5100
• strange notionsξενίζωxenizō · to hostG3579
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• earsἀκοήakoē · hearingG189
• ·οὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• we wantβούλομαιboulomai · to planG1014
• to knowγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• ·οὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• meanθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• meanεἰμίeimi · to beG1510

Cross-references for Acts 17:20

• Hosea 8:12Though I wrote for them the great things of My law, they regarded them as something strange.
• Matthew 19:23Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
• Mark 10:24And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
• John 6:60On hearing it, many of His disciples said, “This is a difficult teaching. Who can accept it?”
• John 7:35At this, the Jews said to one another, “Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him? Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?
• 1 Corinthians 1:18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
• 1 Corinthians 2:14The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
• Hebrews 5:11We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain, because you are dull of hearing.
• 1 Peter 4:4Because of this, they consider it strange of you not to plunge with them into the same flood of reckless indiscretion, and they heap abuse on you.
• Acts 2:12Astounded and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
• Acts 10:17While Peter was puzzling over the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and approached the gate.
• Mark 9:10So they kept this matter to themselves, discussing what it meant to rise from the dead.

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

• Athens
• Curiosity
• Paul

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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