Acts 17:20

20 Some of the things we hear you say sound strange to us, and we would like to know what they mean.

Acts 17:20 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 17:20

For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears
Strange doctrines and strange deities, such as they had never heard of before:

we would know therefore what these things mean;
they desire he would explain these things to them, and let them know the rise, and ground, and nature, and end, and design of them.

Acts 17:20 In-Context

18 Certain Epicurean and Stoic teachers also debated with him. Some of them asked, "What is this ignorant show-off trying to say?" Others answered, "He seems to be talking about foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching about Jesus and the resurrection.

19 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.

20 Some of the things we hear you say sound strange to us, and we would like to know what they mean.

21 (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.)

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