They took hold of him, and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by you?
Parallel translations
- KJV And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
- BSB So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, where they asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
- NKJV And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak?
- NASB And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming?
- NLT Then they took him to the high council of the city. “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they said.
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
They brought Paul to the Areopagus to explain his new teaching.
Overview
The Areopagus was the venerable council and meeting place where ideas were examined in Athens. Paul is given a hearing before the city's intellectual elite. This sets up his masterful address, in which he engages pagan culture thoughtfully yet calls it to repentance before the one true God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Mark 1:27They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!”
- Acts 17:22Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus, and said, “You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.
- Acts 24:24But after some days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.
- Acts 25:22Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
- John 13:34A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.
- Acts 26:1Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.
- Matt 10:18Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations.
- Acts 17:20For you bring certain strange things to our ears. We want to know therefore what these things mean.”
- 1 Jn 2:7–8Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 17:19 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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