Acts 17 · Verse 4

Acts 17:4

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.
Acts 17:4, King James Version

Acts 17:4 in other translations

BSBSome of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women.
WEBSome of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas: of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the chief women.
ASVAnd some of them were persuaded, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
YLTAnd certain of them did believe, and attached themselves to Paul and to Silas, also of the worshipping Greeks a great multitude, of the principal women also not a few.
DARBYAnd some of them believed, and joined themselves to Paul and Silas, and of the Greeks who worshipped, a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
BBEAnd some of them had faith, and were joined to Paul and Silas; and a number of the God-fearing Greeks, and some of the chief women.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does Acts 17:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 17:2-4

2-4. Paul, as his manner was--always to begin with the Jews. went in unto them--In writing to the converts but a few months after this, he reminds them of the courage and superiority to indignity, for the Gospel's sake, which this required after the shameful treatment he had so lately experienced at Philippi (1Th 2:2).

Read the full comment on Acts 17:2-4 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 4. And consorted. Literally, had their lot with Paul and Silas; that is, they united themselves to them, and became their disciples. The word is commonly applied to those who are partakers of an inheritance.

And of the devout Greeks. Religious Greeks; or, of those who worshipped God. Those were so denoted who had renounced the worship of idols, and who attended on the worship of the synagogue, but who were not fully admitted to the privileges of Jewish proselytes. They were called, by the Jews, proselytes of the gate.

And of the chief women. Acts 13:50.

(a) "some of them" Acts 28:24 (b) "and consorted" 2Cor 8:5

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 The devout Greeks - That is, Gentiles who were proselytes to the Jewish religion, so far as to renounce idolatry, and live a moral life, but probably had not received circumcision.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 17:1-9

The drift and scope of Paul's preaching and arguing, was to prove that Jesus is the Christ. He must needs suffer for us, because he could not otherwise purchase our redemption for us; and he must needs have risen again, because he could not otherwise apply the redemption to us. We are to preach concerning Jesus that he is Christ; therefore we may hope to be saved by him, and are bound to be ruled by him. The…

Read the full comment on Acts 17:1-9 →

Acts 17:4 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.

καίkaiAndG2532
τινεςtinessomeG5100
ἐξexofG1537
αὐτῶνautōnthemG846
ἐπείσθησανepeisthēsanwere obedientG3982
καὶkaiandG2532
προσεκληρώθησανproseklērōthēsanthey joined themselvesG4345
τῷtō<the>G3588
ΠαύλῳPaulōto PaulG3972
καὶkaiandG2532
τῷtō<the>G3588
Σιλᾷ,Silato Silas,G4609
τῶνtōn<the>G3588
τεtealong withG5037
σεβομένωνsebomenōnworshippingG4576
ἙλλήνωνHellēnōnGreeksG1672
πλῆθοςplēthosa multitudeG4128
πολύ,polugreatG4183
γυναικῶνgunaikōnof womenG1135
τεtethenG5037
τῶνtōn<the>G3588
πρώτωνprōtōnleadingG4413
οὐκouknotG3756
ὀλίγαι.¶oligaia few.G3641

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

Cross references for Acts 17:4

  • Acts 17:12

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

  • Acts 13:43

    Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

  • Acts 14:4

    But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.

  • Acts 15:22

    Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

  • 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.

  • 2 Corinthians 8:5

    And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

  • Acts 28:24

    And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.

  • Acts 15:27

    We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.

  • Acts 5:12-14

    And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

  • Acts 21:28

    Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.

  • Acts 19:10

    And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

  • Proverbs 13:20

    He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
some.
34; 2:41,42,44; 4:23; 5:12-14; 14:1,4; 28:24; Pr 9:6; 13:20; So 1:7,8
So 6:1; Zec 2:11; 8:20-23; 2Co 6:17,18
consorted.
2Co 8:5
Silas.
15:22,27,32,40
the devout.
17; 13:43; 16:3; 18:4; 19:10; 21:28
and of the chief.
12; 13:50

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

Context

  • Acts 17:3

    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.

  • Acts 17:4

    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.

  • Acts 17:5

    But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

Read all of Acts 17

Acts 17:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y algunos de ellos creyeron, y se juntaron con Pablo y con Silas; y de los Griegos religiosos grande multitud, y mujeres nobles no pocas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et quelques-uns d’entre eux furent persuadés et se joignirent à Paul et à Silas, et une grande multitude de Grecs qui servaient Dieu, et des femmes de premier rang en assez grand nombre.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und etliche von ihnen glaubten und gesellten sich zu Paulus und Silas, und von den anbetenden Griechen eine große Menge und der vornehmsten Frauen nicht wenige.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et quidam ex eis crediderunt et adjuncti sunt Paulo et Silæ: et de colentibus gentilibusque multitudo magna, et mulieres nobiles non paucæ.