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Acts 17:18-21
New King James Version
Acts 17:18-21
New King James Version
18 [a]Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this [b]babbler want to say?”
Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them (A)Jesus and the resurrection.
19 And they took him and brought him to the [c]Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? 20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.” 21 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.
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- Acts 17:18 NU, M add also
- Acts 17:18 Lit. seed picker, an idler who makes a living picking up scraps
- Acts 17:19 Lit. Hill of Ares, or Mars’ Hill
Acts 17:18-21
New International Version
Acts 17:18-21
New International Version
18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news(A) about Jesus and the resurrection.(B) 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus,(C) where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching(D) is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians(E) and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
Acts 17:18-21
English Standard Version
Acts 17:18-21
English Standard Version
18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, (A)“What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because (B)he was preaching (C)Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to (D)the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this (E)new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some (F)strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.
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Acts 17:18-21
Young's Literal Translation
Acts 17:18-21
Young's Literal Translation
18 And certain of the Epicurean and of the Stoic philosophers, were meeting together to see him, and some were saying, `What would this seed picker wish to say?' and others, `Of strange demons he doth seem to be an announcer;' because Jesus and the rising again he did proclaim to them as good news,
19 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,
20 for certain strange things thou dost bring to our ears? we wish, then, to know what these things would wish to be;'
21 and all Athenians, and the strangers sojourning, for nothing else were at leisure but to say something, and to hear some newer thing.
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New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.