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The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Acts 17:19

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?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Areopagus;   Athens;   Curiosity;   Mars' Hill;   Paul;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Areopagus;   Thessalonica;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Areopagus;   Athens;   Epicureans;   Mission;   Paul;   Stoics;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - New Command;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Ordination;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Acts of the Apostles;   Paul;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Areopagus;   Athens;   Greece;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Acts of the Apostles;   Areopagus;   Epicureans;   Thessalonians, First Epistle to the;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Areopagite, Areopagus;   Name ;   Roman Law in the Nt;   Simon Magus;   Wisdom;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Areopagus, or Mars Hill ;   Athens ;   Philosopher, Philosophy;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Areopagus;   Athens;   Jason;   Mars;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Areopagus;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Saul of Tarsus;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Acts of the Apostles;   Areopagus;   New;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for October 8;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
They took Paul to a meeting of the Areopagus council. They said, "Please explain to us this new idea that you have been teaching.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And they toke him and brought him into Marsestrete sayinge: maye we not knowe what this newe doctrine wher of thou speakest is?
Hebrew Names Version
They took hold of him, and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by you?
International Standard Version
Then they took him, brought him before the Areopagus,[fn] and asked, "May we know what this new teaching of yours is?
New American Standard Bible
And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming?
New Century Version
They got Paul and took him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said, "Please explain to us this new idea you have been teaching.
Update Bible Version
And they took hold of him, and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by you?
Webster's Bible Translation
And they took him, and brought him to Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine [is], of which thou speakest?
English Standard Version
And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
World English Bible
They took hold of him, and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by you?
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine is, which is spoken by thee?
Weymouth's New Testament
Then they took him and brought him up to the Areopagus, asking him, "May we be told what this new teaching of yours is?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei token, and ledden hym to Ariopage, and seide, Moun we wite, what is this newe doctryne, that is seid of thee?
English Revised Version
And they took hold of him, and brought him unto the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by thee?
Contemporary English Version
They brought Paul before a council called the Areopagus, and said, "Tell us what your new teaching is all about.
Amplified Bible
They took him and brought him to the Areopagus (Hill of Ares, the Greek god of war), saying, "May we know what this [strange] new teaching is which you are proclaiming?
American Standard Version
And they took hold of him, and brought him unto the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by thee?
Bible in Basic English
And they took him to Mars' Hill, saying, Will you make clear to us what is this new teaching of yours?
Complete Jewish Bible
They took and brought him before the High Council, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
Darby Translation
And having taken hold on him they brought [him] to Areopagus, saying, Might we know what this new doctrine which is spoken by thee [is]?
Etheridge Translation
And they took him and brought him to the house of judgment which is called Arios-pagos, saying to him, Can we know what this new doctrine is which thou art preaching?
Murdock Translation
And they took him and brought him to the place of judgments called Areopagus, and said to him: May we know what this new doctrine which thou preachest is?
King James Version (1611)
And they tooke him, and brought him vnto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
New Living Translation
Then they took him to the high council of the city. "Come and tell us about this new teaching," they said.
New Life Bible
Then they took him to Mars' Hill and said, "We want to hear of this new teaching of yours.
New Revised Standard
So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
Geneva Bible (1587)
And they tooke him, and brought him into Mars streete, saying, May we not know, what this newe doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
George Lamsa Translation
So they arrested him and brought him to the court house which is called Ar-e-op''agus, and said to him, May we know what is this new doctrine which you preach?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And so, laying hold of him, they brought him up, to the Hill of Mars, saying - Can we get to know what this new teaching is, which, by thee, is being spoken.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And taking him, they brought him to the Areopagus, saying: May we know what this new doctrine is, which thou speakest of?
Revised Standard Version
And they took hold of him and brought him to the Are-op'agus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is which you present?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And they toke hym, and brought him into Marce streate, saying: Maye we not knowe what this newe doctrine wherof thou speakest is?
Good News Translation
So they took Paul, brought him before the city council, the Areopagus, and said, "We would like to know what this new teaching is that you are talking about.
Christian Standard Bible®
They took him and brought him to the Areopagus, and said, “May we learn about this new teaching you are presenting?
King James Version
And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
Lexham English Bible
And they took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we learn what is this new teaching being proclaimed by you?
Literal Translation
And taking hold of him, they led him to the Areopagus, saying, Are we able to know what is this new doctrine being spoken by you?
Young's Literal Translation
having also taken him, unto the Areopagus they brought [him], saying, `Are we able to know what [is] this new teaching that is spoken by thee,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And they toke him, and broughte him before the councell house, and sayde: Maye we not knowe, what new doctryne this is that thou teachest?
Mace New Testament (1729)
One day they conducted him to the Areopagus, and said to him, may we know what this new doctrine is, which you publish?
THE MESSAGE
These people got together and asked him to make a public presentation over at the Areopagus, where things were a little quieter. They said, "This is a new one on us. We've never heard anything quite like it. Where did you come up with this anyway? Explain it so we can understand." Downtown Athens was a great place for gossip. There were always people hanging around, natives and tourists alike, waiting for the latest tidbit on most anything.
New English Translation
So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are proclaiming?
New King James Version
And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak?
Simplified Cowboy Version
Then they invited him to come speak at the courthouse square. They introduced Paul by saying, "We would like to hear more about this new teaching you bring.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming?
Legacy Standard Bible
And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is which you are speaking?

Contextual Overview

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?" while 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Areopagus: or, Mars'-hill, Acts 17:22, "It was the highest court in Athens."

May: Acts 17:20, Acts 24:24, Acts 25:22, Acts 26:1, Matthew 10:18

new: Mark 1:27, John 13:34, 1 John 2:7, 1 John 2:8

Reciprocal: Isaiah 21:12 - if John 18:38 - What Acts 17:34 - the Areopagite

Cross-References

Genesis 17:2
I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly."
Genesis 17:3
Then Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,
Genesis 17:6
I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you.
Genesis 17:9
God also said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep My covenant, you and your descendants for the generations to come.
Genesis 17:10
This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, which you are to keep: Every male among you must be circumcised.
Genesis 17:13
Whether they are born in your household or purchased, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh will be an everlasting covenant.
Genesis 17:14
But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant."
Genesis 17:16
And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her."
Genesis 17:17
Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, "Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth at the age of ninety?"
Genesis 17:20
As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they took him,.... Not that they laid hands on him, and carried him away by violence, as a derider of their gods, and an introducer of new ones, in order to punish him; but they invited him to go with them, and they took him along with them in a friendly manner, and had him to a more convenient place for preaching and disputation, and where were many learned men to hear and judge of his doctrine; and this appears from their desire to hear what his doctrine was, and from his quiet departure, after he had ended his discourse:

and brought him unto Areopagus. The Arabic version seems to understand this of a person, rendering it, "and brought him to the most skilful, and the judge of the doctors"; to be heard and examined before him, about the doctrine he preached, who was most capable of judging concerning it; and this might be Dionysius, who is called the Areopagite, and was converted by the apostle, Acts 17:34. The Ethiopic version renders it, "they brought him to the house of their god"; to one of their idols' temple, the temple of Mars, which is not much amiss; for we are told g, that Areopagus was a street in Athens, in which was the temple of Mars, from whence it had its name; but the Syriac version renders it best of all, "they brought him to the house of judgment, or "court of judicature", which is called Areopagus"; and so it is called "Martium judicium", or Mars's "court of judicature", by Apuleius h, and "Martis curia", or the "court of Mars", by Juvenal i, for it was a court where causes were tried, and the most ancient one with the Athenians, being instituted by Cerops, their first king; and is thought to be near as ancient, if not fully as ancient, yea, as more ancient than the sanhedrim, or the court of seventy elders, appointed by Moses among the Jews. It was called Areopagus, because Ares, or Mars, was the first that was judged there k. The case was this, Alcippe, the daughter of Mars, being ravished by Habirrhothius, the son of Neptune, and caught by Mars in the very fact, was killed by him; upon which Neptune arraigned Mars for the murder, and tried him in this place, by a jury of twelve deities, by whom he was acquitted l. Hither Paul was brought, not to be tried in a legal manner; for it does not appear that any charge was exhibited against him, or any legal process carried on, only an inquiry was made about his doctrine, and that only to gratify their curiosity:

saying, may we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? for they had never heard of Jesus, nor of salvation by him, nor of the resurrection of the dead; these were all new things to them, and therefore they were the more curious to ask after them, new things being what they were fond of: wherefore they call his doctrine new, not so much by way of reproach, as suggesting it to be a reason why they inquired after it, and why they desired him to give them some account of it; and that it should be a new doctrine with them, or if they reproached it with the charge of novelty, it need not be wondered at in them, when the Jews charged and reproached the doctrine of Christ in like manner, Mark 1:27.

g Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 3. c. 5. h Milesiarum 10. i Satyr. 5. k Pausaniae Attica, p. 52. l Apellodorus de deorum origine, l. 3, p. 193.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And brought him unto Areopagus - Margin, or “Mars’ hill.” This was the place or court in which the Areopagites, the celebrated supreme judges of Athens, assembled. It was on a hill almost in the middle of the city; but nothing now remains by which we can determine the form or construction of the tribunal. The hill is almost entirely a mass of stone, and is not easily accessible, its sides being steep and abrupt. On many accounts this was the most celebrated tribunal in the world. Its decisions were distinguished for justice and correctness; nor was there any court in Greece in which so much confidence was placed. This court took cognizance of murders, impieties, and immoralities; they punished vices of all kinds, including idleness; they rewarded the virtuous; they were especially attentive to blasphemies against the gods, and to the performance of the sacred mysteries of religion. It was, therefore, with the greatest propriety that Paul was brought before this tribunal, as being regarded as a setter forth of strange gods, and as being supposed to wish to Introduce a new mode of worship. See Potter’s “Antiquities of Greece,” book 1, chapter 19; and Travels of Anacharsis, vol. i. 136, 185; ii. 292-295.

May we know - We would know. This seems to have been a respectful inquiry; and it does not appear that Paul was brought there for the sake of trial. There are no accusations; no witnesses; none of the forms of trial. They seem to have resorted thither because it was the place where the subject of religion was usually discussed, and because it was a place of confluence for the citizens, and judges, and wise men of Athens, and of foreigners. The design seems to have been, not to try him, but fairly to canvass the claims of his doctrines. See Acts 17:21. It was just an instance of the inquisitive spirit of the people of Athens, willing to hear before they condemned, and to examine before they approved.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 17:19. They took him, and brought him unto Areopagus — The Areopagus was a hill not far from the Acropolis, already described, where the supreme court of justice was held; one of the most sacred and reputable courts that had ever existed in the Gentile world. It had its name, αρειος παγος, Areopagus, or the Hill of Mars, or Ares, from the circumstance, according to poetic fiction, of Mars being tried there, by a court of twelve gods, for the murder of Halirrhothius, son of Neptune: the meaning of which is, that Ares, a Thessalian prince, having slain Halirrhothius, the son of a neighbouring prince, for having violated his daughter Alcippe, was here tried by twelve judges, by whom he was honourably acquitted: in the Athenian laws the death of the ravisher was the regular forfeiture for his crime. The justice administered in this court was so strict and impartial, that, it was generally allowed, both the plaintiff and defendant departed satisfied with the decision. "Innocence, when summoned before it, appeared without apprehension; and the guilty, convicted and condemned, retired with out daring to murmur." The place in which the judges sat was uncovered; and they held their sittings by night, to the end that nothing might distract their minds from the great business on which they were to decide; and that the sight of the accused might not affect them either with pity or aversion. In reference to this, all pleaders were strictly forbidden to use any means whatever to excite either pity or aversion, or to affect the passions; every thing being confined to simple relation, or statement of facts. When the two parties were produced before the court, they were placed between the bleeding members of victims slain on the occasion, and were obliged to take an oath, accompanied by horrible imprecations on themselves and families, that they would testify nothing but truth. These parties called to witness the eumenides, or furies, the punishers of the perjured in the infernal world; and, to make the greater impression on the mind of the party swearing, the temple dedicated to these infernal deities was contiguous to the court, so that they appeared as if witnessing the oaths and recording the appeal made to themselves. When the case was fully heard, the judges gave their decision by throwing down their flint pebbles, on two boards or tables, one of which was for the condemnation, the other for the acquittal, of the person in question.


 
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