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.
Parallel translations
- WEB So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him.
- 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.
- BSB So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day.
- 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.
- 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul reasoned in the synagogue and debated daily in the marketplace with whoever was present.
Overview
He engaged both the religious community and the general public, taking the gospel wherever people gathered. His persistent, reasoned dialogue in the marketplace shows readiness to meet people on their own ground. Paul's example commends taking Christ into the everyday public square, not only into religious settings.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Acts 17:2–4Paul, as was his custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
- Acts 13:16Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.
- Acts 9:20Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God.
- Acts 14:1–4In Iconium, they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed.
- Prov 1:20–22Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
- Mark 16:15He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation.
- Prov 8:1–4Doesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?
- Matt 5:1–2Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
- Luke 12:3Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. What you have spoken in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
- Prov 8:34Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.
- Acts 10:2a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God.
- Acts 8:2Devout men buried Stephen, and lamented greatly over him.
- 2 Tim 3:5holding a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also.
- Jer 6:11Therefore I am full of Yahweh’s wrath. I am weary with holding in. “Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him who is full of days.
- 2 Tim 3:2For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 17:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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