Acts 17:18 nasb — And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, "What would this idle…

NASB

"And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, "What would this idle babbler wish to say?" Others, "He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,"--because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection."

— Acts 17:18, NASB

Read in Another Translation

5 of 21 translations

Acts 17:18 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations
  • 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.”

  • ASV

    “And certain also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, What would this babbler say? others, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached Jesus and the resurrection. ”

  • 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.”

  • NET

    “Also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him, and some were asking,“What does this foolish babbler want to say?” Others said,“He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods.”(They said this because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.)”

  • DRB

    “And certain philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoics disputed with him. And some said: What is it that this word sower would say? But others: He seemeth to be a setter forth of new gods. Because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.”

  • BBE

    “And some of those who were supporters of the theories of the Epicureans and the Stoics, had a meeting with him. And some said, What is this talker of foolish words saying? And others, He seems to be a preacher of strange gods: because he was preaching of Jesus and his coming back from the dead.”

  • KJVA

    “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.”

Acts 17 — Context

15

Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left.

16

Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols.

17

So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present.

18

And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, "What would this idle babbler wish to say?" Others, "He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,"--because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.

19

And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming?

20

"For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean."

21

(Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

Acts 17:18 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Acts 17:18 say?
Acts 17:18 in the NASB reads: “And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, "What would this idle babbler wish to say?" Others, "He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,"--because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.”
Where is Acts 17:18 in the Bible?
Acts 17:18 is found in the New Testament, in the book of Acts, chapter 17, verse 18.
Who wrote Acts?
Acts is traditionally attributed to Luke. It was written c. AD 62–64.
What is the book of Acts about?
Acts is the sequel to Luke's Gospel — the story of how the message of the risen Jesus moved out from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Through Peter, Paul, and many ordinary believers, the Holy Spirit builds the early church across the Roman world.
What are the major themes of Acts?
Acts explores themes including Holy Spirit, Mission, Church Growth, Persecution, Gospel to the Gentiles. These themes shape the meaning and context of Acts 17:18.
What translation should I read Acts 17:18 in?
Acts 17:18 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Acts 17:18?
Acts 17:18 reads (NASB): “And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, "What would this idle babbler wish to say?" Others, "He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,"--because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
GodsGoodBook logo

GodsGoodBook

Making God's Word accessible to everyone

Experience the Bible like never before with multiple translations, powerful search tools, and features to make God's Word personal to you. Completely free, forever.

Features

15+ Bible Translations
Powerful Search Tools
Highlight & Annotate
Share Verses
100% Free Forever
© 2025 GodsGoodBookVersion 1.8.2