Acts 17:21
New International Version
(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

New Living Translation
(It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)

English Standard Version
Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.

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

Berean Literal Bible
Now all the Athenians and the visiting strangers spent their time in nothing else than to tell something and to hear something new.

King James Bible
(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.)

New King James Version
For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

New American Standard Bible
(Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

NASB 1995
(Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

NASB 1977
(Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

Legacy Standard Bible
(Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something newer.)

Amplified Bible
(Now all the Athenians and the foreigners visiting there used to spend their [leisure] time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

Christian Standard Bible
Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new.

American Standard Version
(Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.)

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But all the Athenians and those foreigners who come there are concerned about nothing except to tell and to hear something new.

Contemporary English Version
More than anything else the people of Athens and the foreigners living there loved to hear and to talk about anything new.

Douay-Rheims Bible
(Now all the Athenians, and strangers that were there, employed themselves in nothing else, but either in telling or in hearing some new thing.)

English Revised Version
(Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.)

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Everyone who lived in Athens looked for opportunities to tell or hear something new and unusual.

Good News Translation
For all the citizens of Athens and the foreigners who lived there liked to spend all their time telling and hearing the latest new thing.)

International Standard Version
Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there used to spend their time doing nothing else other than listening to the latest ideas or repeating them.

Literal Standard Version
and all Athenians, and the strangers sojourning, for nothing else were at leisure but to say something, and to hear some newer thing.

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

New American Bible
Now all the Athenians as well as the foreigners residing there used their time for nothing else but telling or hearing something new.

NET Bible
(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there used to spend their time in nothing else than telling or listening to something new.)

New Revised Standard Version
Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new.

New Heart English Bible
Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

Webster's Bible Translation
(For all the Athenians and strangers who were there, spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

Weymouth New Testament


World English Bible
Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

Young's Literal Translation
and all Athenians, and the strangers sojourning, for nothing else were at leisure but to say something, and to hear some newer thing.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul in Athens
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. 22Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.…

Cross References
Acts 2:10
Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome,

Acts 17:15
Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

Acts 17:16
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols.

Acts 17:20
For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean."


Treasury of Scripture

(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.)

spent.

Ephesians 5:16
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Colossians 4:5
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

2 Thessalonians 3:11,12
For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies…

Jump to Previous
Athenians Either Except Foreigners Hear Hearing Leisure Listening New News Sojourning Something Spend Spent Strangers Talking Telling Time Used Visiting
Jump to Next
Athenians Either Except Foreigners Hear Hearing Leisure Listening New News Sojourning Something Spend Spent Strangers Talking Telling Time Used Visiting
Acts 17
1. Paul preaches at Thessalonica, where some believe,
5. and others persecute him.
10. He is sent to Berea, and preaches there.
13. Being persecuted by Jews from Thessalonica,
16. he comes to Athens, and disputes and preaches the living God, to them unknown;
32. whereby, though some mock, many are converted unto Christ.














(21) For all the Athenians and strangers.--The restless inquisitiveness of the Athenian character had been all along proverbial. In words which St. Luke almost reproduces, Demosthenes (Philipp. i., p. 43) had reproached them with idling their time away in the agora, asking what news there was of Philip's movements, or the action of their own envoys, when they ought to have been preparing for strenuous action. The "strangers" who were present were probably a motley group--young Romans sent to finish their education, artists, and sight-seers, and philosophers, from every province in the empire.

Some new thing.--Literally, some newer thing; as we should say, the "very latest news." Theophrastus (c. 8) uses the self-same word in describing the questions of the loquacious prattlers of society, "Is there anything new? . . . Is there anything yet newer?"

Verse 21. - Now for for, A.V.; the strangers sojourning there for strangers which were there, A.V. Spent their time. This gives the general sense, but the margin of the R.T., had leisure for nothing else, is much more accurate. Αὐκαιρεῖν, which is not considered good Greek, is only used by Polybius, and in the sense either of "being wealthy" or of "having leisure" or "opportunity." In the New Testament it occurs in Mark 6:31 and 1 Corinthians 16:12. Some new thing. So Cleon (Thucyd., 3:38) rates the Athenians upon their being entirely guided by words, and constantly deceived by any novelty of speech (καινότητος λόγου). And Demosthenes in his first 'Philippic' (p. 43, 7), inveighs against them because, when they ought to be up and doing, they went about the Agora, asking one another, "Is there any news? (Λέγεταί τι καινόν;)." The comparative καινότερον ix a little stronger than καινόν: "the very last news" (Alford).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Now
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

all
πάντες (pantes)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

[the] Athenians
Ἀθηναῖοι (Athēnaioi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 117: Athenian, belonging to Athens. From Athenai; an Athenoean or inhabitant of Athenae.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

foreigners
ξένοι (xenoi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3581: Apparently a primary word; foreign; by implication, a guest or entertainer.

who lived there
ἐπιδημοῦντες (epidēmountes)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1927: From a compound of epi and demos; to make oneself at home, i.e. to reside.

spent their time
ηὐκαίρουν (ēukairoun)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2119: From eukairos; to have good time, i.e. Opportunity or leisure.

[doing]
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

nothing
οὐδὲν (ouden)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3762: No one, none, nothing.

[more]
ἕτερον (heteron)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2087: (a) of two: another, a second, (b) other, different, (c) one's neighbor. Of uncertain affinity; other or different.

than
(ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

hearing
ἀκούειν (akouein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

and
(ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

articulating
λέγειν (legein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

new [ideas].
καινότερον (kainoteron)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular - Comparative
Strong's 2537: Fresh, new, unused, novel. Of uncertain affinity; new


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NT Apostles: Acts 17:21 Now all the Athenians and the strangers (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 17:20
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