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 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? Because what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these things mean.” 21Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new. 22Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, “People of Athens! I see that you are extremely religious in every respect.

Acts 17:20 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• thou bringestεἰσφέρωeispherō · to bring inG1533
• certainτιςtis · oneG5100
• strangeξενίζωxenizō · to hostG3579
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• earsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• earsἀκοήakoē · hearingG189
• we wouldβούλομαιboulomai · to planG1014
• knowγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• these thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• meanθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• ·ἄνan · ifG302
• ·εἰμίeimi · to beG1510

Cross-references for Acts 17:20

• Hosea 8:12Though I were to write out for him ten thousand points of my instruction, they would be regarded as something strange.
• Matthew 19:23Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.
• Mark 10:24The disciples were astonished at his words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
• John 6:60Therefore, when many of his disciples heard this, they said, “This teaching is hard. Who can accept it?”
• John 7:35Then the Jews said to one another, “Where does he intend to go that we won’t find him? He doesn’t intend to go to the Jewish people dispersed among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, does he?
• 1 Corinthians 1:18For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved.
• 1 Corinthians 2:14But the person without the Spirit does not receive what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually.
• Hebrews 5:11We have a great deal to say about this, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand.
• 1 Peter 4:4They are surprised that you don’t join them in the same flood of wild living — and they slander you.
• Acts 2:12They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
• Acts 10:17While Peter was deeply perplexed about what the vision he had seen might mean, right away the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions to Simon’s house, stood at the gate.
• Mark 9:10They kept this word to themselves, questioning what “rising from the dead” meant.

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

In the dictionaries

• Appoint
• Assurance
• Blood
• Determine
• Ignorantly
• James
• Manner
• Mind
• Move
• Noble

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