Acts 17:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.

NIV: 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 about Jesus and the resurrection.

NASB: And some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers as well were conversing with him. Some were saying, 'What could this scavenger of tidbits want to say?' Others, 'He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,'—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.

CSB: Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also debated with him. Some said, "What is this ignorant show-off trying to say? "Others replied, "He seems to be a preacher of foreign deities"--because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

NLT: He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, 'What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?' Others said, 'He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods.'

KJV: Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

NKJV: Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.

Like the slaveowners in Philippi (Acts 16:21), the philosophers in Athens notice that Paul is promoting worship of a deity that is not authorized by the Roman Empire. In De Legibus, ii. 8, Cicero says, "…let no one have private gods—neither new gods nor strange gods, unless publicly acknowledged, are to be worshipped privately…" Unlike the slaveowners, they don't have any reason to use this against Paul: they find it interesting.

The philosophers use the plural "divinities" because they think Paul is teaching a God of healing named "Jesus" and another god named "Resurrection." If they'd realized their error from the beginning, they wouldn't have paid Paul any mind. Epicureans believed in materialism and annihilationism: that there is no true supernatural and when a person dies there is no soul or spirit to resurrect. Stoics believed everything is material, including the soul, which is made of fire, and at death the soul returns to logos, the foundational law of the cosmos. Neither believed in a final judgment of wrong behavior.

Epicureans are wrongly accused of teaching hedonism. They did not teach that since humans cease to exist at death they should indulge in any pleasurable behavior while living. Rather, they sought to reach a state of ultimate peace and enjoy life without worrying too much. Gods are far away and unconcerned with us, they said, so don't worry about them—they don't even remember humans exist, and there is no judgment after death. A fulfilled life, in the mind of Epicureans, includes just enough food, just enough comforts, peaceful friendships, and balance in all things.

Stoics were also materialists but believed in the logos—the natural law of the cosmos. They thought that if one could align their expectations with the logos, one could find fulfillment and avoid the disappointment that comes with striving against reality. Where Epicureans debated, Stoics meditated.

"Babbler" is from the Greek root word spermologos. Literally, it refers to a bird that picks up random seeds from the ground. Metaphorically, it refers to someone who wanders about the marketplace, picking up bits and pieces of different philosophies and mashing them together in an incohesive mess. Paul knows Greek philosophy, and it's possible that the philosophers know something of Judaism. This talk of resurrection and healing and sin, however, is too new; the classical philosophers don't see a cohesive framework yet.

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.