Acts 17 · Verse 12

Acts 17:12

Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
Acts 17:12, King James Version

Acts 17:12 in other translations

BSBAs a result, many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men.
WEBMany of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men.
ASVMany of them therefore believed; also of the Greek women of honorable estate, and of men, not a few.
YLTmany, indeed, therefore, of them did believe, and of the honourable Greek women and men not a few.
DARBYTherefore many from among them believed, and of Grecian women of the upper classes and men not a few.
BBEAnd a number of them had faith, and no small number of the Greek women of high position and of the men.
WebsterTherefore many of them believed; also of honorable women who were Greeks, and of men not a few.

What does Acts 17:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 17:10-12

10-12. the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night--for it would have been as useless as rash to attempt any further preaching at that time, and the conviction of this probably made his friends the more willing to pledge themselves against any present continuance of missionary effort. unto Berea--fifty or sixty miles southwest of Thessalonica; a town even still of considerable population and…

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Barnes' Notes
Verse 12. Therefore. As the result of their examination. They found that the doctrines of Paul and Silas accorded with the Old Testament. This result will commonly follow when people search the Scriptures. Much is gained when men can be induced to examine the Bible. We may commonly take it for granted that such an examination will result in their conviction of the truth. The most prominent and invariable cause of infidelity is found in the fact that men will not investigate the Scriptures. Many infidels have confessed that they had never carefully read the New Testament. Thomas Paine confessed that he wrote the first part of the "Age of Reason" without having a Bible at hand; and without its being possible to procure one where he then was, (in Paris.) "I had," says he, "neither Bible nor Testament to refer to, though I was writing against both; nor could I procure any."--Age of Reason, p. 65, Edin. 1831. Also p. 33. None have ever read the Scriptures with candour, and with the true spirit of prayer, who have not been convinced of the truth of Christianity, and been brought to submit their souls to its influence and its consolations. The great thing which Christians desire their fellow-men to do, is candidly to search the Bible; and when this is done, they confidently expect that they will be truly converted to God.

Of honourable women. Acts 13:50.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 Therefore many of them believed - From the manner in which they heard, received, and examined the word preached to them, it was not likely they could be deceived. And, as it was the truth that was proclaimed to them, it is no wonder that they apprehended, believed, and embraced it. Of honorable women which were Greeks - Probably mere heathens are meant; and these were some of the chief families in the place. Thus we find that the preaching of Paul at Berea was made the instrument of converting both Jews and Gentiles.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 17:10-15

The Jews in Berea applied seriously to the study of the word preached unto them. They not only heard Paul preach on the sabbath, but daily searched the Scriptures, and compared what they read with the facts related to them. The doctrine of Christ does not fear inquiry; advocates for his cause desire no more than that people will fully and fairly examine whether things are so or not. Those are truly noble, and likely…

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Acts 17:12 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΠολλοὶPolloiManyG4183
μὲνmenindeedG3303
οὖνounthereforeG3767
ἐξexofG1537
αὐτῶνautōnthemG846
ἐπίστευσαν,episteusanbelieved,G4100
καὶkaiandG2532
τῶνtōnof theG3588
ἙλληνίδωνHellēnidōnGrecianG1674
γυναικῶνgunaikōnwomenG1135
τῶνtōn<the>G3588
εὐσχημόνωνeuschēmonōnprominentG2158
καὶkaiandG2532
ἀνδρῶνandrōnmenG435
οὐκouknotG3756
ὀλίγοι.¶oligoia few.G3641

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 17:12

  • Ephesians 5:14

    Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

  • Acts 14:1

    And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

  • Acts 13:50

    But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

  • Acts 17:2-4

    And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:26

    For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

  • Psalms 25:8-9

    Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

  • James 1:21

    Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

  • John 7:17

    If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

  • John 1:45-49

    Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. …

  • Acts 13:46

    Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

  • James 1:10

    But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
many.
2-4; 13:46; 14:1; Ps 25:8,9; Joh 1:45-49; 7:17; Eph 5:14; Jas 1:21
honourable.
13:50; 1Co 1:26; Jas 1:10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 17:11

    These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

  • Acts 17:12

    Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

  • Acts 17:13

    But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.

Read all of Acts 17

Acts 17:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Así que creyeron muchos de ellos; y mujeres Griegas de distinción, y no pocos hombres.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Plusieurs donc d’entre eux crurent, et des femmes grecques de qualité et des hommes aussi, en assez grand nombre.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Viele nun von ihnen glaubten, und von den griechischen vornehmen Weibern und Männern nicht wenige.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et multi quidem crediderunt ex eis, et mulierum gentilium honestarum, et viri non pauci.