Passage

Acts 17.14-15

Book: Acts · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV

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. 15. 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.

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols. 17. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with them that met him. (Acts 17:12-17, ASV)

WEB

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. 15. 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.

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols. 17. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him. (Acts 17:12-17, WEB)

KJV

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. 15. 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.

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} 17. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. (Acts 17:12-17, KJV)

YLT

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. 15. 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;

and Paul waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, beholding the city wholly given to idolatry, 17. therefore, indeed, he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the worshipping persons, and in the market-place every day with those who met with him. (Acts 17:12-17, YLT)

See this page's graph and discover linked topics

Setting

Speaker: the narrator of Acts, traditionally Luke
Audience: Theophilus (Acts 1:1) and the reader
Location: Berea in Macedonia, then the journey to Athens, in the Roman province of Achaia, still the most famous seat of Greek philosophy
Time period: c. AD 50, on Paul's second missionary journey, shortly before his eighteen months in Corinth (Acts 18:11)

Theological reading

"And then immediately the brethren sent forth Paul to go as far as to the sea: and Silas and Timothy abode there still. 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." The two verses take Paul out of Macedonia and into Achaia.

Protected by new believers. The opposition from Thessalonica has reached Berea (17:13). The Berean brethren send Paul away "immediately" (Strong's G2112), as the Thessalonians had done (17:10), and then escort him all the way to Athens. "Conducted" (G2525) means to accompany someone and see him safely to his destination.

A text-critical note. The ASV has "as far as to the sea"; the KJV, following the Received Text, has "as it were to the sea." The difference is one short Greek word. Neither reading tells us whether Paul traveled on by sea or by land.

The team divided. Silas and Timothy stay to strengthen the new church while Paul, the one being hunted, goes on alone. He sends word for them to come "with all speed." Paul's letter fills in what followed: "we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone; and sent Timothy... to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith" (1 Thessalonians 3:1-2). Both men later rejoin him in Corinth (Acts 18:5).

The road to the Areopagus. Paul did not plan an Athenian mission. He arrived there as a refugee waiting for his companions, and his speech to the Areopagus grew out of that wait (17:16-34). See Acts 17.15 and Acts 17.16.

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.

G4314 - pros, pros, Strong's G4314

Quoted in

Concepts:

Notes

Your annotations.

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.