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

16Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. 17Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. 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. 19And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 20For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore 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

• 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 1:22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
• 1 Corinthians 1:20Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
• Colossians 2:8Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
• Acts 6:9Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
• Mark 9:14And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.
• Luke 11:53And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:
• Proverbs 23:9Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
• Proverbs 26:12Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
• 1 Corinthians 3:18Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
• Acts 17:31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
• Acts 26:23That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
• Romans 14:9For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
• 1 Corinthians 15:3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how 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