What Does Acts 17:17 Mean in the King James?
Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The same reasoned exchange moves between the synagogue and the marketplace, reaching even whoever happens by.
THE MEANING
This verse meets you in both gathered worship and the passing encounters of an ordinary day. Its conversation stays open to whoever crosses your path, day after day.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It loosens the assumption that meaningful spiritual conversation belongs only in a religious gathering, or that disputing necessarily means hostile quarrelling.
THE ROOT
διελέγετο
dielégeto
GROWS FROM
λέγω
legō
To say or speak; διαλέγομαι (dialégomai) carries the sense of speaking through ideas with others.
“disputed; reasoned in discussion” in this verse is dielégeto. The verb carries the texture of ideas being worked through aloud, not merely a statement being delivered. Its speech-family includes λόγος (lógos), a word, message, or reason, and διαλογίζομαι (dialogízomai), to reason or deliberate; the exchange can be sustained whether or not it ends in agreement.
ALSO GROWS
lógos: Word, message, or reason.
λόγος
The shared speech-root links the exchange in the verse to words that carry and shape thought.
dialogízomai: To reason, deliberate, or consider.
διαλογίζομαι
This branch makes visible the thinking-through that can take place within a spoken exchange.
παρατυγχάνοντας
paratynchánontas
GROWS FROM
τυγχάνω
tynchánō
To happen upon, encounter, or meet with.
“those who met with him; those who happened by” in this verse is paratynchánontas. The people in the market are described as those who happen to be there or come alongside. This root opens the scene to unplanned encounters, as well as the people who enter a gathering deliberately.
ALSO GROWS
syntynchánō: To meet with or come together with.
συντυγχάνω
This related form makes the root’s meeting-together sense explicit.
epitynchánō: To obtain, attain, or meet with.
ἐπιτυγχάνω
Its sense of encountering or reaching something echoes the chance meetings described in the verse.
THE PATTERN
Shared understanding takes shape through conversation that enters the everyday places and encounters of life.
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:THE THREAD
But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.The same Greek verb for reasoned discussion appears here, again joined to the word “daily.” The exchange moves into a different gathering place, showing how the conversation keeps meeting people where they are.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us