Acts 17:22

Green's Literal Translation

And standing in the middle of the Areopagus, Paul said, Men, Athenians, I see in everything how god-fearing you are ;

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that you are extremely religious in every respect.

King James Version (1611)
Then Paul stood in the mids of Mars-hill, and said, Yee men of Athens, I perceiue that in all things yee are too superstitious.

King James Version
Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

English Standard Version
So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: "Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious.

New American Standard Bible
So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in all respects.

New Century Version
Then Paul stood before the meeting of the Areopagus and said, "People of Athens, I can see you are very religious in all things.

Amplified Bible
So Paul, standing in the center of the Areopagus, said: "Men of Athens, I observe [with every turn I make throughout the city] that you are very religious and devout in all respects.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects.

Legacy Standard Bible
So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Paul stood up before the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.

Contemporary English Version
So Paul stood up in front of the council and said: People of Athens, I see that you are very religious.

Complete Jewish Bible
Sha'ul stood up in the Council meeting and said, "Men of Athens: I see how very religious you are in every way!

Darby Translation
And Paul standing in the midst of Areopagus said, Athenians, in every way I see you given up to demon worship;

Easy-to-Read Version
Then Paul stood up before the meeting of the Areopagus council and said, "Men of Athens, everything I see here tells me you are very religious.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Paul stoode in the mids of Mars streete, and sayde, Yee men of Athens, I perceiue that in all things yee are too superstitious.

George Lamsa Translation
When Paul stood in the court at Ar-eop''a- gus, he said, Men of Athens, I see that above all things you are extravagant in the worship of idols.

Good News Translation
Paul stood up in front of the city council and said, "I see that in every way you Athenians are very religious.

Lexham English Bible
So Paul stood there in the middle of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I see you are very religious in every respect.

American Standard Version
And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, in all things I perceive that ye are very religious.

Bible in Basic English
And Paul got to his feet on Mars' Hill and said, O men of Athens, I see that you are overmuch given to fear of the gods.

Hebrew Names Version
Sha'ul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, "You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.

International Standard Version
So Paul stood up in front of the Areopagus[fn] and said, "Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in every way.

Etheridge Translation
AND as Paulos stood on Arios-pagos he said, Men of Athinos, I observe you that in all (things) you exceed in the worship of demons.

Murdock Translation
And as Paul stood in the Areopagus, he said: Men, Athenians, I perceive that in all things ye are excessive in the worship of demons.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then Paul stoode in the myddes of Marce streate, and sayde: ye men of Athens, I perceaue that in all thynges ye are to superstitious.

English Revised Version
And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, in all things I perceive that ye are somewhat superstitious.

World English Bible
Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, "You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Then Paul standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that ye are greatly addicted to the worship of invisible powers.

Weymouth's New Testament
So Paul, taking his stand in the centre of the Areopagus, spoke as follows: "Men of Athens, I perceive that you are in every respect remarkably religious.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Poul stood in the myddil of Ariopage, and seide, Men of Athenys, bi alle thingis Y se you as veyn worschipers.

Update Bible Version
And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, You men of Athens, in all things, I perceive that you are very religious.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars-hill, and said, [Ye] men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

New English Translation
So Paul stood before the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in all respects.

New King James Version
Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious;

New Living Translation
So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: "Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way,

New Life Bible
Then Paul stood up on Mars' Hill and said, "Men of Athens, I see how very religious you are in every way.

New Revised Standard
Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, "Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Paul taking his stand in the midst of the Hill of Mars, said - Ye men of Athens! In every way, how unusually reverent of the demons ye are, I perceive.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious.

Revised Standard Version
So Paul, standing in the middle of the Are-op'agus, said: "Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Paul stode in the myddes of Marse strete and sayde: ye men of Attens I perceave that in all thinges ye are to supersticious.

Young's Literal Translation
And Paul, having stood in the midst of the Areopagus, said, `Men, Athenians, in all things I perceive you as over-religious;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Paul stode on the myddes of the comon place, and sayde: Ye me of Athens, I se that in all thinges ye are to supersticious.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Then Paul being plac'd in the middle of the Areopagus, said thus, "I observe, O Athenians, that you are in a manner too devout.

THE MESSAGE
So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. "It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, to the god nobody knows . I'm here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you're dealing with.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Paul stood up and said, "People of Athens, I have walked through your city, and I can see you are a very religious bunch.

Contextual Overview

²² And standing in the middle of the Areopagus, Paul said, Men, Athenians, I see in everything how god-fearing you are ; ²³ for passing through and looking up at the objects of your worship, I also found an altar on which had been written, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Not knowing, then, whom you worship, I make Him known to you. ²⁴ The God who made the world and all things in it, this One being Lord of Heaven and of earth, does not dwell in handmade temples, ²⁵ nor is served by hands of men, as having need of anything. For He is giving life and breath and all things to all. ²⁶ And He made every nation of men of one blood, to live on all the face of the earth, ordaining fore-appointed seasons and boundaries of their dwelling, ²⁷ to seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after Him and might find Him, though indeed He not being far from each one of us. ²⁸ For in Him we live and move and exist, as also some of the poets among you have said, For we are also His offspring. ²⁹ Then being offspring of God, we ought not to suppose that the Godhead is like gold or silver or stone, engraved by art and the imagination of man. ³⁰ Truly, then, God overlooking the times of ignorance, now strictly commands all men everywhere to repent, ³¹ because He set a day in which "He is going to judge the habitable world in righteousness," by a Man whom He appointed; having given proof to all by raising Him from the dead. Psa. 9:8

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Mars' hill: or, the court of the Areopagites, Acts 17:19

I perceive: Acts 17:16, Acts 19:35, Acts 25:19, Jeremiah 10:2, Jeremiah 10:3, Jeremiah 50:38

Reciprocal: Acts 19:30 - Paul

Cross-References

Genesis 17:3
And Abram fell on his face. And God spoke with him, saying,

Genesis 17:6
And I will make you very fruitful, exceedingly. And I will give you for nations. And kings shall come out of you.

Genesis 17:8
And I will give to you and to your seed after you the land of your sojourning, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession and I will be their God.

Genesis 17:9
And God said to Abraham, You shall keep My covenant, you and your seed after you in their generations.

Genesis 17:15
And God said to Abraham, You shall not call your wife Sarai by her name Sarai, for Sarah shall be her name;

Genesis 18:33
And when Jehovah had left off speaking to Abraham, He was finished. And Abraham returned to his place.

Exodus 20:22
And Jehovah said to Moses, You shall say this to the sons of Israel, You have seen that I have spoken with you from the heavens.

Deuteronomy 5:4
Jehovah talked with you face to face in the mountain out of the midst of the fire.

Judges 6:21
And the Angel of Jehovah put forth the end of the staff in His hand and touched the flesh and the unleavened bread . And the fire rose up out of the rock and burned up the flesh and the unleavenedwent out of his sight.

Judges 13:20
And it happened as the flame from off the altar was going up to the heavens, that the Angel of Jehovah went up in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife were watching. And they fell on their faces to the ground.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill,.... Or of Areopagus, as it is better rendered in Acts 17:19 for it is the same place, and it is the same word that is here used: Paul stood in the midst of that court of judicature, amidst the Areopagites, the judges of that court, and the wise and learned philosophers of the different sects that were assembled together:

and said, ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious; or "more religious", than any other persons, in other places, which has been observed before on Acts 17:16 they had more gods, and more altars, and more festivals, and were more diligent and studious in the worship of the gods, than others. And this manner of addressing them, both as citizens of Athens, and as very religious persons, and who, as such, greatly exceeded all others, must greatly tend to engage their attention to him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Then Paul - This commences Paul’s explanation of the doctrines which he had stated. It is evident that Luke has recorded but a mere summary or outline of the discourse; but it is such as to enable us to see clearly his course of thought, and the manner in which he met the two principal sects of their philosophers.

In the midst of Mars’ hill - Greek: Areopagus. This should have been retained in the translation.

Ye men of Athens - This language was perfectly respectful, notwithstanding his heart had been deeply affected by their idolatry. Everything about this discourse is calm, grave, cool, argumentative. Paul understood the character of his auditors, and did not commence his discourse by denouncing them, nor did he suppose that they would be convinced by mere dogmatical assertion. No happier instance can be found of cool, collected argumentation than is furnished in this discourse.

I perceive - He perceived this by his observations of their forms of worship in passing through their city, Acts 17:23.

In all things - In respect to all events.

Ye are too superstitious - δεισιδαιμονεστέρους deisidaimonesterous. This is a most unhappy translation. We use the word “superstitious” always in a bad sense, to denote being “over-scrupulous and rigid in religious observances, particularly in smaller matters, or a zealous devotion to rites and observances which are not commanded.” But the word here is designed to convey no such idea. It properly means “reverence for the gods.” It is used in the Classic writers in a good sense, to denote “piety toward the gods, or suitable fear and reverence for them”; and also in a bad sense, to denote “improper fear or excessive dread of their anger”; and in this sense it accords with our word “superstitious.” But it is altogether improbable that Paul would have used it in a bad sense. For:

(1) It was not his custom needlessly to blame or offend his auditors.

(2) It is not probable that he would commence his discourse in a manner that would only excite prejudice and opposition.

(3) In the thing which he specifies Acts 17:23 as proof on the subject, he does not introduce it as a matter of blame, but rather as a proof of their devotedness to the cause of religion and of their regard for God.

(4) The whole speech is calm, dignified, and argumentative - such as became such a place, such a speaker, and such an audience. The meaning of the expression is, therefore, “I perceive that you are greatly devoted to reverence for religion; that it is a characteristic of the people to honor the gods, to rear altars to them, and to recognize the divine agency in times of trial.” The proof of this was the altar reared to the unknown God; its bearing on his purpose was, that such a state of public sentiment must be favorable to an inquiry into the truth of what he was about to state.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 17:22. Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill — That is, in the midst of the judges, who sat in the Areopagus.

Ye are too superstitious. — Κατα παντα ὡς δεισιδαιμονεϚερους ὑμας θεωρω; I perceive that in all respects ye are greatly addicted to religious practices; and, as a religious people, you will candidly hear what I have got to say in behalf of that worship which I practise and recommend. See farther observations at the end of the chapter. Acts 17:22- :