Acts 17:17-19

Expanded Bible

¹⁷ In the synagogue, he ·talked [or argued; reasoned] with the Jews and the ·Greeks who worshiped God [God-fearing Gentiles; ^Lpious/devout ones; see 17:4]. He also ·talked [or argued; reasoned] every day with ·people [^Lthose who happened to be present] in the ·marketplace [or public square].

¹⁸ Some of the Epicurean [^Cwho believed the goal of life was pleasure and did not believe the soul survived death] and Stoic philosophers [^Cwho believed life should be lived with indifference to pleasure and pain, and did not believe the soul was immortal] ·argued [conversed; debated] with him, saying, “What is this ·babbler [or charlatan; or ignorant show-off; ^Lword-scatterer] trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be telling us about ·some other gods [foreign gods; strange deities],” because Paul was ·telling them [preaching the Good News/Gospel] about Jesus and ·his rising from the dead [the resurrection]. ¹⁹ They got Paul and took him to ·a meeting of the Areopagus [or the Hill of Ares; or Mars Hill; ^CAres (Greek name) or Mars (Roman name) was the god of thunder and war; the council of Areopagus was the oldest and most prestigious court for intellectual and moral matters], where they said, “Please explain to us this new idea you have been teaching.