ris3n's Apologetics Codex
Acts 17.10-14
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Passage

Acts 17.10-14

Book: Acts · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV

8. And they troubled the multitude and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. 9. And when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

10. And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Beroea: who when they were come thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11. Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the scriptures daily, whether these things were so. 12. Many of them therefore believed; also of the Greek women of honorable estate, and of men, not a few. 13. But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed of Paul at Beroea also, they came thither likewise, stirring up and troubling the multitudes. 14. And then immediately the brethren sent forth Paul to go as far as to the sea: and Silas and Timothy abode there still.

  1. But they that conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timothy that they should come to him with all speed, they departed. 16. Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols. (Acts 17:8-16, ASV)
WEB

8. The multitude and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things. 9. When they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

10. The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11. Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12. Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men. 13. But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Beroea also, they came there likewise, agitating the multitudes. 14. Then the brothers immediately sent out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed there.

  1. But those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens. Receiving a commandment to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him very quickly, they departed. 16. Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols. (Acts 17:8-16, WEB)
KJV

8. And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. 9. And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

10. And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 12. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. 13. But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. 14. And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

  1. And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed. 16. Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. wholly: or, full of idols (Acts 17:8-16, KJV)
YLT

8. And they troubled the multitude and the city rulers, hearing these things, 9. and having taking security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

10. And the brethren immediately, through the night, sent forth both Paul and Silas to Berea, who having come, went to the synagogue of the Jews; 11. and these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, they received the word with all readiness of mind, every day examining the Writings whether those things were so; 12. many, indeed, therefore, of them did believe, and of the honourable Greek women and men not a few. 13. And when the Jews from Thessalonica knew that also in Berea was the word of God declared by Paul, they came thither also, agitating the multitudes; 14. and then immediately the brethren sent forth Paul, to go on as it were to the sea, but both Silas and Timothy were remaining there.

  1. And those conducting Paul, brought him unto Athens, and having received a command unto Silas and Timotheus that with all speed they may come unto him, they departed; 16. and Paul waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, beholding the city wholly given to idolatry, (Acts 17:8-16, YLT)

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Setting

  • Speaker: the narrator of Acts, traditionally Luke
  • Audience: Theophilus (Acts 1:1) and the reader
  • Location: Berea, a Macedonian town southwest of Thessalonica, where Paul and Silas went after being sent away by night (17:10)
  • Time period: c. AD 50, on Paul's second missionary journey, shortly before his eighteen months in Corinth (Acts 18:11)

Theological reading

The passage is Luke's account of Berea, from the night arrival (17:10) to Paul's departure for the coast (17:14). Its center is the description of the Bereans as hearers who examined the message against the Scriptures.

A different reception. The Bereans "were more noble than those in Thessalonica" (17:11). The word (Strong's G2104) first meant well-born, and here describes a disposition: open-minded, fair. Luke defines it at once: "they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the scriptures daily, whether these things were so."

Examining the Scriptures. "Examining" (G350) is the language of investigation, the word Luke uses of Pilate examining Jesus (Luke 23:14). The Bereans did to Paul's message what a judge does to testimony. The standard they used was the Scriptures (G1124), and they used it daily. See Acts 17.11.

Examination led to faith. "Many of them therefore believed" (17:12). The "therefore" (G3767) links the belief to the examination. As in Thessalonica, the converts include "Greek women of honorable estate, and of men, not a few."

Opposition imported. The trouble at Berea did not arise there. "The Jews of Thessalonica" heard that Paul was preaching at Berea, and "came thither likewise, stirring up and troubling the multitudes" (17:13).

Paul sent on; Silas and Timothy stay. "Immediately the brethren sent forth Paul to go as far as to the sea: and Silas and Timothy abode there still" (17:14). Paul was the target, so he left; his companions could remain with the new church. See Acts 17.14.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

Quoted in

Arguments and defeaters:

Concepts:

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.