Acts 17:18

Acts 17:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
• New International Version (NIV)A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, "What does this babbler wish to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities"—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.

Context of Acts 17:18

16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed when he saw that the city was full of idols. 17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who worshiped God, as well as in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also debated with him. Some said, “What is this ignorant show-off trying to say?” Others replied, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign deities” — because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19They took him and brought him to the Areopagus, and said, “May we learn about this new teaching you are presenting? 20Because what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these things mean.”

Acts 17:18 word by word

τινὲς δὲ καὶ τῶν Ἐπικουρείων καὶ Στοϊκῶν φιλοσόφων συνέβαλλον αὐτῷ· καί τινες ἔλεγον· τί ἂν θέλοι ὁ σπερμολόγος οὗτος λέγειν; οἱ δέ· ξένων δαιμονίων δοκεῖ καταγγελεὺς εἶναι· ὅτι τὸν Ἰησοῦν καὶ τὴν ἀνάστασιν εὐηγγελίζετο.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thenδέde · thenG1161
• certainτιςtis · oneG5100
• philosophersφιλόσοφοςphilosophos · philosopherG5386
• of the Epicureansὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• of the EpicureansἘπικούρειοςEpikoureios · EpicureanG1946
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• of the StoicksΣτωϊκόςStōikos · StoicG4770
• encounteredσυμβάλλωsumballō · to ponder/conferG4820
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• ·ἄνan · ifG302
• willθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• babblerσπερμολόγοςspermologos · babblerG4691
• He seemethδοκέωdokeō · to thinkG1380
• to beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• a setter forthκαταγγελεύςkataggeleus · proclaimerG2604
• of strangeξένοςxenos · foreignG3581
• godsδαιμόνιονdaimonion · demonG1140
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• he preachedεὐαγγελίζομαιeuaggelizō · to speak good newsG2097
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• the resurrectionἀνάστασιςanastasis · resurrectionG386

Cross-references for Acts 17:18

• Romans 1:22Claiming to be wise, they became fools
• 1 Corinthians 1:20Where is the one who is wise? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish?
• Colossians 2:8Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.
• Acts 6:9Opposition arose, however, from some members of the Freedmen’s Synagogue, composed of both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, and they began to argue with Stephen.
• Mark 9:14When they came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes disputing with them.
• Luke 11:53When he left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to oppose him fiercely and to cross-examine him about many things;
• Proverbs 23:9Don’t speak to a fool, for he will despise the insight of your words.
• Proverbs 26:12Do you see a person who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
• 1 Corinthians 3:18Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become a fool so that he can become wise.
• Acts 17:31because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
• Acts 26:23that the Messiah would suffer, and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”
• Romans 14:9Christ died and returned to life for this: that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living.
• 1 Corinthians 15:3For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

Commentaries on Acts 17:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Certain philosophers of the Epicureans - These were the followers of Epicurus, who acknowledged no gods except in name, and absolutely denied that they exercised any government over the world or its inhabitants; and that the chief good consisted in the gratification of the appetites of sense. These points the Epicureans certainly held; but it is not clear that Epicurus himself maintained such doctrines. And of the Stoics - These did not deny the existence…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Then certain philosophers - Athens was distinguished, among all the cities of Greece and the world, for the cultivation of a subtle and refined philosophy. This was their boast, and the object of their constant search and study, 1 Corinthians 1:22. Of the Epicureans - This sect of philosophers was so named from Epicurus, who lived about 300 years before the Christian era. They denied that the world was created by God, and that the gods exercised any care…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. 18Epicurean philosophers followed Epicureanism, a Greek school of thought founded by Epicurus, who lived from 341 to 270 BC. Epicureans believed that the main goal of life was happiness. They did not define pleasure as physical excess, as some critics said. Instead, they valued peace of mind and freedom from fear. Many people in their time called them atheists because they did not believe the gods controlled human life. They also believed that death was…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 17:18

• Athens
• Babbler
• Epicureans
• Infidelity
• Paul
• Philosophy
• Resurrection
• Scoffing
• Stoicism

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Strange Gods
• Appoint
• Assurance
• Blood
• Determine
• Epicureans
• Ignorantly
• James

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