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

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

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

18 Some 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.

19 So 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?

20 For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”

21 Now 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] δὲ G1161 Conjunction - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular Paul Παύλου G3972 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular was waiting for ἐκδεχομένου G1551 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Masculine Singular them αὐτοὺς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural in Ἐν G1722 Preposition - ταῖς G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Plural Athens Ἀθήναις G116 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural - τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular he was deeply disturbed παρωξύνετο G3947 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition - αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular spirit πνεῦμα G4151 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular to see that θεωροῦντος G2334 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular city πόλιν G4172 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular was οὖσαν G1510 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Feminine Singular full of idols κατείδωλον G2712 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 17

Original words

So οὖν G3767 Conjunction - μὲν G3303 Conjunction he reasoned διελέγετο G1256 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular synagogue συναγωγῇ G4864 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular with the τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural Jews Ἰουδαίοις G2453 Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural God-fearing [Gentiles] σεβομένοις G4576 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction in ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular marketplace ἀγορᾷ G58 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular with πρὸς G4314 Preposition those τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural he met παρατυγχάνοντας G3909 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural vvv κατὰ G2596 Preposition each πᾶσαν G3956 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular day ἡμέραν G2250 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 18

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction Some Τινὲς G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural Epicurean Ἐπικουρείων* G1946 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction Stoic Στοϊκῶν G4770 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural philosophers φιλοσόφων G5386 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural also καὶ G2532 Conjunction began to debate συνέβαλλον G4820 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural with him αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular - καί G2532 Conjunction Some [of them] τινες G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural asked ἔλεγον G2036 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural What Τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular . . . ἂν G302 Particle - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular {is} this οὗτος G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular babbler σπερμολόγος G4691 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular trying θέλοι G2309 Verb - Present Optative Active - 3rd Person Singular to say λέγειν G3004 Verb - Present Infinitive Active - δέ G1161 Conjunction Others [said] οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural He seems δοκεῖ G1380 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to be εἶναι G1510 Verb - Present Infinitive Active advocating καταγγελεὺς G2604 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular foreign Ξένων G3581 Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural gods δαιμονίων G1140 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural [They said this] because ὅτι G3754 Conjunction [Paul] was proclaiming the good news εὐηγγελίζετο G2097 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular of Jesus Ἰησοῦν G2424 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular resurrection ἀνάστασιν G386 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 19

Original words

So τε* G5037 Conjunction they took Ἐπιλαβόμενοί G1949 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural [Paul] αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular [and] brought [him] ἤγαγον G71 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural to ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular Areopagus Ἄρειον G697 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular . . . πάγον G697 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular [where] they asked [him] λέγοντες G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural May we Δυνάμεθα G1410 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Plural know γνῶναι G1097 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active what τίς G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular this αὕτη G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular new καινὴ G2537 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular teaching [is] διδαχή G1322 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular [that] you σοῦ G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular vvv ὑπὸ G5259 Preposition are presenting λαλουμένη G2980 Verb - 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

For γάρ G1063 Conjunction you are bringing εἰσφέρεις G1533 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular some τινα G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural strange notions ξενίζοντα G3579 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Plural to εἰς G1519 Preposition our ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural - τὰς G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Plural ears ἀκοὰς G189 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural [and] οὖν G3767 Conjunction we want βουλόμεθα G1014 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Plural to know γνῶναι G1097 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active what τίνα G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Plural [they] ταῦτα G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Plural mean θέλει G2309 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . εἶναι G1510 Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Verse 21

Original words

Now δὲ G1161 Conjunction all πάντες G3956 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural [the] Athenians Ἀθηναῖοι G117 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural foreigners ξένοι G3581 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural who lived there ἐπιδημοῦντες G1927 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural spent their time ηὐκαίρουν G2119 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural [doing] εἰς G1519 Preposition nothing οὐδὲν G3762 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular [more] ἕτερον G2087 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular than G2228 Conjunction hearing ἀκούειν G191 Verb - Present Infinitive Active and G2228 Conjunction articulating λέγειν G3004 Verb - Present Infinitive Active - τι G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular - τι G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular new [ideas] καινότερον G2537 Adjective - 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.