Acts 17 20

Acts 17:20 kjv

For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.

Acts 17:20 nkjv

For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean."

Acts 17:20 niv

You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean."

Acts 17:20 esv

For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean."

Acts 17:20 nlt

"You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it's all about."

Acts 17 verses

Acts 17 20 Meaning

This verse conveys the Athenian interlocutors' bewildered curiosity regarding the apostle Paul's teachings. They openly state that he is introducing doctrines that are foreign, novel, and astonishing to their established philosophical and religious frameworks. This prompts them to formally request an explanation, indicating their intellectual interest—either genuine inquiry or a desire to critically examine and debate these "strange things"—to understand the core meaning and implications of Paul's message, particularly concerning Jesus and the resurrection.

Acts 17 20 Context

Acts 17:20 is embedded within Paul's initial interactions in Athens, following his solo journey from Berea. Before delivering his renowned sermon on the Areopagus (Mars Hill), Paul had been engaging with both Jews in the synagogue and curious Athenians in the marketplace (agora). His proclamation of Jesus and the resurrection profoundly disturbed the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers who encountered him. These intellectual groups, accustomed to debating a myriad of philosophies but wary of anything truly new or challenging to their established worldviews, found Paul's teaching—particularly the concept of a bodily resurrection—to be profoundly "strange." This verse represents their collective response, an intellectual demand for clarity and a formal hearing regarding the unusual doctrines Paul was advocating, setting the stage for his subsequent evangelistic address to them.

Acts 17 20 Word analysis

• For you are bringing (Φέρεις γάρ - phereis gar):
  • Φέρεις (phereis): Second person singular, present active indicative of φέρω (pherō), meaning "to carry," "to bring," "to bear." The present tense suggests an ongoing action—Paul is actively, currently, and continually presenting these ideas. It acknowledges Paul as the source of these new teachings.
  • γάρ (gar): A causal conjunction, "for" or "because." It connects this statement to the underlying reason for their request, explaining why they are expressing their bewilderment.
• some strange things (τινὰ ξενίζοντα - tina xenizonta):
  • τινὰ (tina): Accusative plural of τὶς (tis), meaning "some" or "certain." It implies not all of Paul's message, but specific aspects that were particularly unsettling or unfamiliar.
  • ξενίζοντα (xenizonta): Present active participle, accusative plural of ξενίζω (xenizō). It means "things that are strange," "foreign," "new," "unusual," or "astonishing." It highlights the radical difference between Paul's message and their existing Hellenistic philosophies and polytheistic beliefs. The concept of bodily resurrection, in particular, was bizarre and objectionable to Greek thought, which often viewed the body as a prison or a lesser part of existence. It evokes a sense of both novelty and perceived absurdity.
• to our ears (εἰς τὰς ἀκοὰς ἡμῶν - eis tas akoas hēmōn):
  • εἰς (eis): Preposition meaning "into," indicating direction towards.
  • τὰς ἀκοὰς (tas akoas): Accusative plural of ἀκοή (akoē), literally "hearings," but idiomatically meaning "ears." It refers not just to the physical reception of sound, but to their mental and intellectual reception of the spoken word, emphasizing that these doctrines have registered with them.
  • ἡμῶν (hēmōn): Genitive plural pronoun, "our." A collective statement by the Athenian audience.
• Therefore we want to know (βουλόμεθα οὖν γνῶναι - boulometha oun gnōnai):
  • βουλόμεθα (boulometha): First person plural, present active indicative of βούλομαι (boulomai), meaning "we desire," "we wish," or "we intend." This is a stronger word for "wanting" than θέλω (thelō); it suggests a settled determination or purpose behind their desire for knowledge. Their inquiry is deliberate, not mere casual curiosity.
  • οὖν (oun): A particle meaning "therefore" or "so." It logically connects their bewilderment with their ensuing request for explanation.
  • γνῶναι (gnōnai): Aorist active infinitive of γιγνώσκω (gignōskō), meaning "to know," "to learn," "to ascertain." It implies a desire for a full and comprehensive understanding, to grasp the full significance of these new teachings.
• what these things mean (τίνα θέλει ταῦτα εἶναι - tina thelei tauta einai):
  • τίνα (tina): Accusative plural of τὶς (tis), functioning as an interrogative pronoun, "what" or "which." It's asking for the nature or substance of these strange teachings.
  • θέλει (thelei): Third person singular, present active indicative of θέλω (thelō), meaning "it wills," "it wishes," "it means." In this idiomatic Greek phrase, often rendered "what means it" or "what does it intend to be," it signifies a request for the purpose or significance of the teachings.
  • ταῦτα (tauta): Accusative plural of οὗτος (houtos), demonstrative pronoun, "these things." Referring specifically to the "strange things" Paul has been preaching.
  • εἶναι (einai): Present active infinitive of εἰμί (eimi), "to be." The phrase as a whole, τίνα θέλει ταῦτα εἶναι, is an idiomatic expression for "What do these things mean?" or "What is their purpose?"

• "you are bringing some strange things to our ears": This phrase captures the immediate intellectual and cultural clash. Paul, a Jewish Christian, is presenting concepts that are utterly foreign to the philosophical traditions and pagan pantheon of Athens. The "strange things" refer to the core doctrines of the Gospel, especially the person of Jesus as Messiah and his bodily resurrection, which profoundly challenged both Epicurean materialism and Stoic pantheism and apatheia.
• "Therefore we want to know what these things mean": This represents an invitation, albeit perhaps a challenging one, for Paul to elaborate. It showcases the Athenian desire for novelty and intellectual debate (as noted in Acts 17:21) and their cultural expectation for public discourse and examination of new ideas. It's an expression of a deliberate intention to understand the purpose and implications of his radical teachings.

Acts 17 20 Bonus section

• The Athenian intellectual milieu placed a high value on public discourse and philosophical debate. This request in Acts 17:20 is less a polite question and more an intellectual challenge or an official invitation to present his doctrines formally for examination before a critical audience.
• The word ξενίζοντα (xenizonta), "strange," carried implications of being "foreign" or "unnatural," suggesting Paul's message was an unwelcome intruder to their ordered world of Greek logic and belief. For the Epicureans, the resurrection was absurd as the soul dissolved at death. For the Stoics, the idea of a personal, resurrected body was extraneous to their ideal of an immutable, rational universe.
• This verse acts as the immediate prelude to the famous Areopagus speech. Paul did not shy away from their demand but used it as an opportunity to bridge the gap between their philosophical search for truth and the ultimate truth revealed in Christ.
• Their desire "to know what these things mean" suggests a perceived lack of coherence or fitting within their known intellectual categories, underscoring the revolutionary nature of the Gospel in their sophisticated but spiritually bankrupt culture.

Acts 17 20 Commentary

Acts 17:20 provides a pivotal moment in Paul's Athenian ministry, encapsulating the intellectual and spiritual climate he encountered. The Athenians, known for their love of philosophy and constant search for novel ideas, found Paul's message concerning Jesus and his resurrection particularly unsettling and foreign to their established thought. Their use of "strange things" (ξενίζοντα) implies a blend of intrigue, perplexity, and potential skepticism. It reflects how deeply the Christian message, especially the doctrine of a bodily resurrection, contrasted with the prevailing Epicurean disinterest in an afterlife and the Stoic emphasis on fate and a material soul returning to the cosmos. Their demand, "Therefore we want to know what these things mean," signals not mere casual curiosity, but a deliberate intellectual inquiry, setting the stage for Paul's nuanced and powerful apologetic speech on the Areopagus, where he would address their unknown God and point to the resurrected Christ.