Passage

Acts 17.15

Book: Acts · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV

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 17:13-17, ASV)

WEB

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 17:13-17, WEB)

KJV

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 17:13-17, KJV)

YLT

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 17:13-17, YLT)

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Setting

Speaker: the narrator of Acts, traditionally Luke
Audience: Theophilus (Acts 1:1) and the reader
Location: the journey from Berea 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

"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." Paul has been sent out of Berea because the opposition from Thessalonica followed him there (17:13-14). He reaches Athens alone.

Escorted for safety. The men of Berea "conducted" Paul (Strong's G2525), that is, took him on his way and saw him safely to his destination. The believers in each city treat Paul's safety as their responsibility, as in Thessalonica (17:10) and Berea (17:14).

Alone in Athens. Silas and Timothy had stayed in Berea (17:14). Paul sends back word for them to come "with all speed." Paul's own letter fills in what happened next: "when we could no longer forbear, 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). This suggests that Timothy did reach Paul at Athens and was sent back to Thessalonica, and that both men later rejoined him in Corinth, "when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia" (Acts 18:5). Acts and the letter are written for different purposes, and they fit together without strain.

The setting for what follows. Luke places Paul in Athens waiting, not on a planned mission. The speech on the Areopagus grows out of that wait: what he saw in the city (17:16), his daily conversations (17:17), and the curiosity of the philosophers (17:18-21).

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:

Preaching to Non-Believers, via Acts 17.13-15

Passages:

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.