Acts 17:21

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

(Ἀθηναῖοι δὲ πάντες καὶ οἱ ἐπιδημοῦντες ξένοι εἰς οὐδὲν ἕτερον εὐκαίρουν, ἢ λέγειν τι, καὶ ἀκούειν καινότερον.)

Transliteration

(Athēnaioi de all and the epidēmountes xenoi for ouden heteron eukairoun, than to legein something, and to akouein something kainoteron.)

Grammar Details

• *Athēnaioi*: nominative plural masculine - Athenians
• *de*: postpositive conjunction - and/now
• *epidēmountes*: present active participle, nominative plural masculine - residing/visiting
• *xenoi*: nominative plural masculine - strangers/foreigners
• *ouden*: accusative singular neuter - nothing
• *heteron*: accusative singular neuter - other
• *eukairoun*: imperfect active indicative, 3rd person plural - they were spending time
• *legein*: present active infinitive - to say/tell
• *akouein*: present active infinitive - to hear
• *kainoteron*: comparative adjective, accusative singular neuter - newer/more novel

Word Meanings

• *epidēmountes*: residing/visiting/sojourning
• *xenoi*: strangers/foreigners/visitors
• *eukairoun*: were spending time/had leisure for/devoted time to
• *kainoteron*: newer/more novel/the latest thing

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  For all the Athenians and foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else, but to tell or to hear some new thing.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  (Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning {G3588} there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.)

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  For all the Attenians and straungers which were there gave the selves to nothinge els but ether to tell or to heare newe tydynges.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  As for all they of Athens, and straungers & gestes, they gaue theselues to nothinge els, but either to tell, or to heare some newes.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  For all the Athenians, and strangers which dwelt there, gaue them selues to nothing els, but either to tell, or to heare some newes.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  For all the Athenians and straungers which were there, gaue them selues to nothing els, but either to tell or to heare some newe thyng.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and all Athenians, and the strangers sojourning, for nothing else were at leisure but to say something, and to hear some newer thing.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  (Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.)

• American Standard Version (1901)

  (Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.)

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  (Now all the Athenians and the men from other lands who come there were giving all their time to talking or hearing of anything new.)

• World English Bible (2000)

  Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there used to spend their time in nothing else than telling or listening to something new.)

Referenced Verses

• 2 Tim 2:16-17 : 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,
• Eph 5:16 : 16 Make the most of the time, because the days are evil.
• Col 4:5 : 5 Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.
• 2 Thess 3:11-12 : 11 We hear that some among you are living idle lives, refusing to work and instead becoming busybodies. 12 To such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and earn their own living.
• 1 Tim 5:13 : 13 At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going around from house to house. Not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they should not.