Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.
Parallel translations
- WEB Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were conversing with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign deities,” because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.”
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
Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated him, puzzled by his preaching of Jesus and the resurrection.
Overview
Paul confronted the leading schools of Greek thought, which denied bodily resurrection. Their mocking label 'babbler' and confusion over 'foreign deities' reveal hearts darkened to the truth. At the center of his message stood the risen Jesus, the very point that would most provoke and divide his hearers.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- 1 Cor 1:20–21Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
- Col 2:8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.
- Luke 11:53As Jesus went on from there, the scribes and Pharisees began to oppose Him bitterly and to ply Him with questions about many things,
- 1 Cor 4:10We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.
- Acts 4:2greatly disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
- 1 Cor 3:18Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.
- Rom 1:22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,
- Mark 9:14When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them.
- Acts 6:9But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. They began to argue with Stephen,
- Prov 23:9Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
- Acts 17:31–32For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
- Prov 26:12Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- Acts 26:23that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”
- 1 Cor 15:3–4For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
- Rom 14:9–10For this reason Christ died and returned to life, that He might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
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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.
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