complete verse (Acts 17:21)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 17:21:

  • Uma: “(Because the Atena people and other people who dwelled in Atena, their hobby [lit., happiness] was to continually hear and talk about new talk.)” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “(All the people of Aten hep and the foreigners living there, they are addicted to chatting and listening about anything new.)” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “(The reason they said this is because the Athenians and even the foreigners who come to live there they really like to listen to and tell about teachings which are new to them, even if it takes them all afternoon.)” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “They said that, because all the inhabitants in Athens, even those who came-from different towns to reside-with them, they spend-their-days telling-about and listening-to new teaching.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “(That was the habit of the people in Atenas, the original inhabitants and those who had gone there to live, they were fond of listening to and relating new things. They didn’t bother with anything else.)” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 17:21

This sentence constitutes a parenthetical explanation by Luke concerning the activities of people in Athens.

Citizens of Athens may be rendered as “people who belong to the town of Athens” or even, as in some languages, “people who were born in the town of Athens.” The expression the foreigners who lived there is “those who had come to live in Athens.”

The final phrase telling and hearing the latest new thing may need to be somewhat expanded: “telling others the latest new thing they had heard and hearing from others something new.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 17:21

17:21a–b

all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas: These words imply that Luke thought that the people of Athens were foolish to spend all their time doing this. In some languages a literal translation does not indicate or imply that they are foolish. If that is true in your language, indicate that in your translation. For example:

all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there lived ⌊foolishly⌋ by only talking about and listening to the latest ideas
-or-
all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there are addicted to chatting and listening about anything new

17:21a

all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there: This phrase refers generally to the people of Athens and non-Greek people who moved to Athens and lived there. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

the Athenians and the foreigners living there (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
people of Athens and resident non-Greeks
-or-
All the people of Athens and those from other countries who lived there (New Century Version)

Athenians: This word refers to people who were born in Athens and still lived there. Other ways to translate this word are:

native Athenians
-or-
people born in Athens

spent their time: This phrase refers to using the time people have to do something. For example:

used their time (New Century Version)

17:21b

doing nothing more than: This phrase refers to always doing something. The people living in Athens used all of the time they could to talk about and listen to new ideas. Other ways to translate this clause are:

all the time
-or-
always (New Century Version)

new ideas: This phrase in Greek is literally “something newer.” It refers to news. For the people of Athens, it referred to new ideas, philosophies, ways to live, and things like that. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

something new (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
anything new (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
new teaching

General Comment on 17:21a–b

This verse is extra information about the people who lived in Athens. Therefore, the Berean Standard Bible begins this verse with “Now,” and the New International Version puts this verse in parentheses. The story about Paul in Athens continues in 17:22a. Other ways to indicate that 17:21a–b is extra information are:

People of Athens, Greeks and non-Greeks, habitually spent all their time talking about and listening to anything new.
-or-

⌊They said this because⌋ all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time continually talking about the latest ideas and listening to them.

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