Keraia
Acts 17

Acts 17:21

Paul in Athens · Acts 17:16–21
Read Acts 17

Translations

Modern
Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas.
Traditional
(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
Literal
Now all the Athenians and the visiting foreigners spent their time on nothing other than to say something and to hear something new.
Latin
(Athenienses autem omnes, et advenæ hospites, ad nihil aliud vacabant nisi aut dicere aut audire aliquid novi.)

Original

Greek
English
Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas.

Notes

Acts 17:16–34

In 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 beings are answerable; that they will be judged by him through Jesus, whom God raised from the dead; and that they should therefore repent and put their faith in Jesus.

Events

Places

Athens: A major city in Greece, visited by Paul

Glossary

Areopagus Athens Book of the Acts of the Apostles Chronology of the Bible (New Testament) First Letter to the Thessalonians Gospel Jude, Letter of Mars’ Hill Pagans Philosophy Stoicism, Stoics Travel

Topics

Athens: A City of Greece Curiosity of the Athenians, to Hear some New Thing Idleness and Sloth: Athenians Idleness: General Scriptures Concerning Mars' Hill: A Hill in Athens Paul: Debates on Mars' Hill (At the Meeting of the Areopagus Council) with Greeks