Acts 17:21
19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas.
- KJV
- (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
- WEB
- Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.
- ASV
- (Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.)
- DARBY
- Now all [the] Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else than to tell and to hear the news.
- BLB
- Now all the Athenians and the visiting foreigners spent their time on nothing other than to say something and to hear something new.
- ÅB
- Alle atenerne og utlendingene som bodde der gjorde ikke annet enn å fortelle eller høre nytt.
- OTB
- (Alle athenerne og de fremmede som bodde der, brukte tiden til ikke annet enn å snakke om og lytte til de siste ideene.)
- B1930
- Men alle atenere og de fremmede som opholdt sig der, gav sig ikke stunder til annet enn å fortelle eller høre nytt.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
2 Timothy 2:16–17
But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
Read in contextColossians 4:5
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
Read in contextEphesians 5:16
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Read in context2 Thessalonians 3:11–12
For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
Read in context1 Timothy 5:13
And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
Read in context