Acts 17:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.

NIV: So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.

NASB: So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be present.

CSB: So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who worshiped God, as well as in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.

NLT: He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there.

Paul is alone in Athens. Silas and Timothy are in Berea (Acts 17:14) and they left Luke in Philippi (Acts 17:1). Every non-Jewish city Paul has traveled to in his missionary journeys has had idols and temples, but Athens is overwhelming. Where most cities in the Roman Empire have a selection of civil gods to watch over the city, Athens seems to have collected them all—plus one, just in case (Acts 17:23). The more Paul sees, the more he feels driven to share about the true God—the only one who can save (Acts 17:16).

Fortunately, Athens is not completely foreign: there is a synagogue. Paul always starts in the synagogue (Acts 9:20; 13:13–41; 14:1; 17:1, 10; 18:4; 19:8), when there is one to be found (Acts 16:13), because the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles there have a baseline of understanding. Paul starts with the Psalms of David and the covenant God made that David would have an heir that will sit on the throne forever. He goes on to show how prophecy predicts that this heir—the Messiah—will die and rise again (Acts 13:16–41). Paul then shows how Jesus of Nazareth fulfills this prophecy: Jesus is the Messiah.

Undoubtedly, Paul also preaches in public during his different stops, but the "marketplace" of Athens is notable. It is the Agora and not only holds various merchant stalls, but also space for people to gather in assembly. It is used by noblemen to conduct business, elected officials to decide government affairs, philosophers to debate, and citizens to trade and watch entertainers. It's unclear if the people of Athens consider Paul to be a philosopher or an entertainer, but he does come to the attention of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Intrigued by his teaching, and with no fear of a new God unauthorized by the Roman government, they invite him to speak at the Areopagus.

Acts 17:16–21 records Paul's interactions with the Greek philosophers in Athens. First, he teaches in the synagogue that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. He takes a similar message to the Agora where the Stoics and Epicureans hear and invite him to the Areopagus. Paul uses their own poets to speak of their mutual Creator God. When Paul mentions the resurrection of the dead, however, they lose interest. They have no problem worshipping so many deities that it requires a monument to ''the unknown god,'' but the idea any god could raise the dead is unthinkable.

Acts 17 describes how Paul's ministry travels down the coast of Greece. In Thessalonica, some Jews and God-fearing Gentiles believe while other Jews start a riot (Acts 17:1–9). The Bereans study the veracity of Paul's statements—until the Thessalonian Jews arrive and threaten to start another riot (Acts 17:10–15). Paul flees to Athens where the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers accept Paul's argument when he uses Greek poets to introduce God as the creator of the world, but lose interest when he mentions the resurrection from the dead (Acts 17:16–34).

Acts 17 continues Paul and Silas' travels out of Macedonia and on to Greece. The two have been through modern-day Asia minor where they picked up Timothy in Lystra and Luke in Troas (Acts 16:1–10). They have established a strong church in Philippi but were forced to leave after being falsely imprisoned (Acts 16:11–40). They now skip down the coast to Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. From here, they will spend a considerable amount of time in Corinth before heading back to Judea and Syrian Antioch (Acts 18:1–22).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.