God’s Word Translation
Acts 17:18
18Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers had discussions with him. Some asked, “What is this babbling fool trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be speaking about foreign gods.” The philosophers said these things because Paul was telling the Good News about Jesus and saying that people would come back to life.
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 Silas and Timothy in Athens, he saw that the city had statues of false gods everywhere. This upset him. 17He held discussions in the synagogue with Jews and converts to Judaism. He also held discussions every day in the public square with anyone who happened to be there. Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers had discussions with him. Some asked, “What is this babbling fool trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be speaking about foreign gods.” The philosophers said these things because Paul was telling the Good News about Jesus and saying that people would come back to life. 19Then they brought Paul to the city court, the Areopagus, and asked, “Could you tell us these new ideas that you’re teaching? 20Some of the things you say sound strange to us. So we would like to know what they mean.”
Read all of Acts 17Acts 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 1:22While claiming to be wise, they became fools.
- 1 Corinthians 1:20Where is the wise person? Where is the scholar? Where is the persuasive speaker of our time? Hasn’t God turned the wisdom of the world into nonsense?
- Colossians 2:8Be careful not to let anyone rob you ⌞of this faith⌟ through a shallow and misleading philosophy. Such a person follows human traditions and the world’s way of doing things rather than following Christ.
- Acts 6:9⌞One day⌟ some men from the cities of Cyrene and Alexandria and the provinces of Cilicia and Asia started an argument with Stephen. They belonged to a synagogue called Freedmen’s Synagogue.
- Mark 9:14When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them. Some experts in Moses’ Teachings were arguing with them.
- Luke 11:53When Jesus left, the experts in Moses’ Teachings and the Pharisees held a terrible grudge against him. They questioned him about many things
- Proverbs 23:9Do not talk directly to a fool, because he will despise the wisdom of your words.
- Proverbs 26:12Have you met a person who thinks he is wise? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- 1 Corinthians 3:18Don’t deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise in the ways of this world, you should give up that wisdom in order to become really wise.
- Acts 17:31He has set a day when he is going to judge the world with justice, and he will use a man he has appointed to do this. God has given proof to everyone that he will do this by bringing that man back to life.”
- Acts 26:23They said that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to come back to life and would spread light to Jewish and non-Jewish people.”
- Romans 14:9For this reason Christ died and came back to life so that he would be the Lord of both the living and the dead.
- 1 Corinthians 15:3I passed on to you the most important points of doctrine that I had received: Christ died to take away our sins as the Scriptures predicted.
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
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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