Focused Passage

Acts 17:16-21

The Gospel Reasoned from Scripture and Proclaimed to the Nations

Paul reasons from Scripture in Thessalonica, the Bereans examine the message eagerly, opposition follows the mission, and Paul proclaims the unknown God as Creator, Lord, Judge, and the one who raised Jesus from the dead.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols.

17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day.

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?

20For 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.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 16

Original words

[While]δὲG1161Conjunction-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularPaulΠαύλουG3972Noun - Genitive Masculine Singularwas waiting forἐκδεχομένουG1551Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Masculine SingularthemαὐτοὺςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person PluralinἘνG1722Preposition-ταῖςG3588Article - Dative Feminine PluralAthensἈθήναιςG116Noun - Dative Feminine Plural-τὸG3588Article - Nominative Neuter Singularhe was deeply disturbedπαρωξύνετοG3947Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularinἐνG1722Preposition-αὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person SingularhisαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person SingularspiritπνεῦμαG4151Noun - Nominative Neuter Singularto see thatθεωροῦντοςG2334Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine SingulartheτὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularcityπόλινG4172Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularwasοὖσανG1510Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Feminine Singularfull of idolsκατείδωλονG2712Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 17

Original words

SoοὖνG3767Conjunction-μὲνG3303Conjunctionhe reasonedδιελέγετοG1256Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularinἐνG1722PrepositiontheτῇG3588Article - Dative Feminine SingularsynagogueσυναγωγῇG4864Noun - Dative Feminine Singularwith theτοῖςG3588Article - Dative Masculine PluralJewsἸουδαίοιςG2453Adjective - Dative Masculine PluralandκαὶG2532Conjunction-τοῖςG3588Article - Dative Masculine PluralGod-fearing [Gentiles]σεβομένοιςG4576Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Masculine PluralandκαὶG2532ConjunctioninἐνG1722PrepositiontheτῇG3588Article - Dative Feminine SingularmarketplaceἀγορᾷG58Noun - Dative Feminine SingularwithπρὸςG4314PrepositionthoseτοὺςG3588Article - Accusative Masculine Pluralhe metπαρατυγχάνονταςG3909Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine PluralvvvκατὰG2596PrepositioneachπᾶσανG3956Adjective - Accusative Feminine SingulardayἡμέρανG2250Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 18

Original words

-δὲG1161ConjunctionSomeΤινὲςG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural-τῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluralEpicureanἘπικουρείων*G1946Noun - Genitive Masculine PluralandκαὶG2532ConjunctionStoicΣτοϊκῶνG4770Adjective - Genitive Masculine PluralphilosophersφιλοσόφωνG5386Noun - Genitive Masculine PluralalsoκαὶG2532Conjunctionbegan to debateσυνέβαλλονG4820Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Pluralwith himαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular-καίG2532ConjunctionSome [of them]τινεςG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine PluralaskedἔλεγονG2036Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralWhatΤίG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular. . .ἂνG302Particle-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine Singular{is} thisοὗτοςG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularbabblerσπερμολόγοςG4691Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingulartryingθέλοιG2309Verb - Present Optative Active - 3rd Person Singularto sayλέγεινG3004Verb - Present Infinitive Active-δέG1161ConjunctionOthers [said]οἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluralHe seemsδοκεῖG1380Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singularto beεἶναιG1510Verb - Present Infinitive ActiveadvocatingκαταγγελεὺςG2604Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularforeignΞένωνG3581Adjective - Genitive Neuter PluralgodsδαιμονίωνG1140Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural[They said this] becauseὅτιG3754Conjunction[Paul] was proclaiming the good newsεὐηγγελίζετοG2097Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular-τὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine Singularof JesusἸησοῦνG2424Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctiontheτὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularresurrectionἀνάστασινG386Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 19

Original words

Soτε*G5037Conjunctionthey tookἘπιλαβόμενοίG1949Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural[Paul]αὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular[and] brought [him]ἤγαγονG71Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluraltoἐπὶG1909PrepositiontheτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularAreopagusἌρειονG697Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular. . .πάγονG697Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular[where] they asked [him]λέγοντεςG3004Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralMay weΔυνάμεθαG1410Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person PluralknowγνῶναιG1097Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActivewhatτίςG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular-G3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularthisαὕτηG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Feminine SingularnewκαινὴG2537Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singularteaching [is]διδαχήG1322Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular[that] youσοῦG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular-G3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularvvvὑπὸG5259Prepositionare presentingλαλουμένηG2980Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • Or Ares Hill or Mars Hill; also in verse 22 and added for clarity in verse 33
Verse 20

Original words

ForγάρG1063Conjunctionyou are bringingεἰσφέρειςG1533Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person SingularsomeτιναG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Pluralstrange notionsξενίζονταG3579Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter PluraltoεἰςG1519PrepositionourἡμῶνG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural-τὰςG3588Article - Accusative Feminine PluralearsἀκοὰςG189Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural[and]οὖνG3767Conjunctionwe wantβουλόμεθαG1014Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Pluralto knowγνῶναιG1097Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActivewhatτίναG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Plural[they]ταῦταG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter PluralmeanθέλειG2309Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. . .εἶναιG1510Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Verse 21

Original words

NowδὲG1161ConjunctionallπάντεςG3956Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural[the] AtheniansἈθηναῖοιG117Adjective - Nominative Masculine PluralandκαὶG2532Conjunction-οἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluralforeignersξένοιG3581Adjective - Nominative Masculine Pluralwho lived thereἐπιδημοῦντεςG1927Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Pluralspent their timeηὐκαίρουνG2119Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural[doing]εἰςG1519PrepositionnothingοὐδὲνG3762Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular[more]ἕτερονG2087Adjective - Accusative Neuter SingularthanG2228ConjunctionhearingἀκούεινG191Verb - Present Infinitive ActiveandG2228ConjunctionarticulatingλέγεινG3004Verb - Present Infinitive Active-τιG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular-τιG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singularnew [ideas]καινότερονG2537Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular - Comparative

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.