unfoldingWord_en_tn/act/17/19.md

General Information:

Here the words "They" and "we" refer to the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive)

General Information:

The words "him," "He" and "you" refer to Paul. (See: Acts 17:18)

They took ... brought him

This does not mean they arrested Paul. The philosophers invited Paul to speak formally to their leaders.

to the Areopagus

The "Areopagus" was the place where the leaders met. AT: "to the leaders that met on the Areopagus" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)

the Areopagus, saying

Here the leaders on the Areopagus are speaking. This can stated as a new sentence. AT: "the Areopagus. The leaders said to Paul"

Areopagus

This is a prominent rock outcropping or hill in Athens upon which the supreme court of Athens may have met. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names)

For you bring some strange things to our ears

Paul's teachings about Jesus and the resurrection are spoken of as an object that a person can bring to another person. Here "ears" refers to what they hear. AT: "For you teachings some things that we have never heard before" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)

Now ... something new

This word is used here to mark a break in the main story line. Here Luke tells background information about the people who lived in Athens and their interest in new teachings. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-background)

Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there

The word "all" is a generalization referring to many. AT: "Now many of the Athenians and the strangers living there" or "Now many of the Athenians and the strangers living there" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole)

all the Athenians

"Athenians" are people from Athens, a city near the coast below Macedonia (present day Greece). (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names)

the strangers

"the foreigners"

spent their time in nothing but either telling or listening

Here "time" is spoken of as if it were an object that a person could spend. AT: "used their time doing nothing but either telling or listening" or "were always doing nothing but telling or listening" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

spent their time in nothing but either telling or listening

The phrase "spent their time in nothing" is an exaggeration. AT: "did not do much but tell or listen" or "spent much of their time telling or listening" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole)

telling or listening about something new

"discussing new philosophical ideas" or "talking about what was new to them"

translationWords

• rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/paul