“You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.”
Parallel translations
- WEB For you bring certain strange things to our ears. We want to know therefore what these things mean.”
- KJV For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
- BSB For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”
- NKJV For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.”
- NASB For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.”
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 admitted his ideas were strange and said they wanted to understand them.
Overview
The Athenians' curiosity, though shallow, opened a door for Paul to proclaim the gospel. Their interest in novelty would soon be confronted by a call to repent and believe. The verse shows God using even idle curiosity as an occasion for the truth of Christ to be declared.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- 1 Cor 1:23but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks,
- Hos 8:12I wrote for him the many things of my law; but they were regarded as a strange thing.
- 1 Cor 2:14Now the natural man doesn’t receive the things of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can’t know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
- 1 Cor 1:18For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.
- 1 Pet 4:4They think it is strange that you don’t run with them into the same excess of riot, blaspheming:
- Acts 2:12They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
- John 7:35–36The Jews therefore said among themselves, “Where will this man go that we won’t find him? Will he go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?
- John 6:60Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying! Who can listen to it?”
- Mark 10:24–26The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answered again, “Children, how hard is it for those who trust in riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!
- Heb 5:11About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing.
- Mark 9:10They kept this saying to themselves, questioning what the “rising from the dead” meant.
- Matt 19:23–25Jesus said to his disciples, “Most certainly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty.
- Acts 10:17Now while Peter was very perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood before the gate,
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 17:20 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.