The most striking thing here is how quickly the listeners' reactions split after hearing about the resurrection. While some openly mocked (a direct rejection), others delayed their decision, wanting to hear "again about this matter." This shows that the core of Jesus' message, the resurrection, was the immediate stumbling block or point of intrigue, not the earlier discussion about the "Unknown God."
Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul had just presented the resurrection of Jesus as the cornerstone of his message to the Athenian philosophers. Upon hearing this, the crowd fractured into two distinct reactions: some erupted in scorn, dismissing the idea as absurd, while others, intrigued or at least willing to defer judgment, expressed a desire to hear more later. This immediate division highlights the radical nature of the resurrection message, causing an instant and decisive split in how it was received.
The resurrection of the dead was not just an unusual idea; it was deeply offensive to many in Athens. Why did this core Christian message hit such a nerve?
Paul's mention of the resurrection of the dead was the trigger for the divided reaction. In Athens, a city known for its philosophers, the idea of a physical resurrection was largely rejected.
Paul presented a truth that challenged the very foundations of their worldly wisdom and personal beliefs, revealing the stark contrast between the gospel and the prevailing philosophies.
Athens wasn't just a city of philosophers; it was a city of decision-makers. Paul's message forced a choice, and people responded in very different ways.
The Athenians' responses to Paul's message about the resurrection fell into two distinct categories:
Ask a follow-up
Paul's experience highlights that the gospel message will always elicit a response, whether it's outright dismissal or a delayed, perhaps superficial, consideration.
Understand the original words
anastasin · Greek Noun
The act of being physically restored to life after death. In Christian theology, it is the fundamental event that signifies God's victory over death and the validation of Christ's sacrifice, serving as the "firstfruits" of the future resurrection for all believers.
echleuazon · Greek Verb
To express contempt, ridicule, or derision toward a message or person. In a biblical context, it often characterizes the response of those who reject the truth of the gospel due to pride or worldly wisdom.
episteusan · Greek Verb
To place one's full trust, reliance, and commitment in God and His message, specifically the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is an active, ongoing response of the heart that results in salvation and a transformed life.
The Athenians' reaction highlights the stark contrast between Greek philosophical thought, which largely dismissed bodily resurrection, and the core Christian message of Jesus' resurrection. This divide led to either scorn or cautious curiosity rather than immediate belief.
c. AD 50
Paul Arrives in Athens
The Apostle Paul, having been sent ahead from Beroea, arrives alone in Athens, the intellectual and cultural heart of Greece, to await Silas and Timothy.
c. AD 50— this verse
Paul Preaches on the Areopagus
Paul, disturbed by the city's idolatry, engages philosophers from the Epicurean and Stoic schools. He begins by speaking of the unknown God, then moves to the resurrection of Jesus.
c. AD 50
Mockery and Deferral
Upon hearing about the resurrection from the dead, some Athenians mock Paul, while others, likely Stoics, express interest in hearing more later.
c. AD 50
Paul Departs Athens
After the divided reaction on the Areopagus, Paul leaves Athens without a large established church, though some individuals, like Dionysius the Areopagite, believed.
c. AD 50-51
Paul in Corinth
Silas and Timothy rejoin Paul in Corinth, and he begins a more fruitful ministry there, establishing a significant Christian community.
This passage echoes the Athenian reaction by highlighting how the message of the cross (which includes the resurrection) is foolishness to some but power to others, directly paralleling the 'mocking' and 'we will hear you again' responses.
Acts 2:13This verse describes a similar scene where some mockers interrupt Peter during his sermon on Pentecost, showing that the resurrection message has historically elicited ridicule from certain groups.
1 Corinthians 15:12-15Paul directly addresses the skepticism and denial of the resurrection of the dead, which was a significant stumbling block for many, just as it was for the Athenians.
John 11:47-48Here, religious leaders reject Jesus' miraculous signs, including raising Lazarus, fearing that belief in Him will lead people to follow Him and disrupt the established order, reflecting a similar resistance to divine power that can lead to mockery.
Acts 24:24-25This shows Felix, intrigued by Paul's message about righteousness and self-control, putting off a deeper hearing until a more convenient time, mirroring the 'we will hear you again' response as a deferral tactic, which Paul eventually presses with greater urgency.
ellicottActs 17:32: "And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter."
(32) Some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again. —The word “mocked” implies look and gesture, as well as words, of derision. (See Note on Acts 2:13 .) We may venture to assume that the mockers were found chiefly among the Epicureans, and that the inquirers, perhaps putting off the inquiry to a “more convenient season,” were Stoics, who wished to hea…
pooleActs 17:32: "And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter."
Some mocked; the Epicureans, whom Paul had spoken against in his doctrine of the resurrection from the dead, and judgment to come. Others said, We will hear thee again of this matter; it is thought the Stoics, who did not think the resurrection to be impossible, but did acknowledge rewards and punishments in the world to come; yet, though this seem most likely…
The most striking thing here is how quickly the listeners' reactions split after hearing about the resurrection. While some openly mocked (a direct rejection), others delayed their decision, wanting to hear "again about this matter." This shows that the core of Jesus' message, the resurrection, was the immediate stumbling block or point of intrigue, not the earlier discussion about the "Unknown God."
Paul had just presented the resurrection of Jesus as the cornerstone of his message to the Athenian philosophers. Upon hearing this, the crowd fractured into two distinct reactions: some erupted in scorn, dismissing the idea as absurd, while others, intrigued or at least willing to defer judgment, expressed a desire to hear more later. This immediate division highlights the radical nature of the resurrection message, causing an instant and decisive split in how it was received.
Paul had just presented the resurrection of Jesus as the cornerstone of his message to the Athenian philosophers. Upon hearing this, the crowd fractured into two distinct reactions: some erupted in scorn, dismissing the idea as absurd, while others, intrigued or at least willing to defer judgment, expressed a desire to hear more later. This immediate division highlights the radical nature of the resurrection message, causing an instant and decisive split in how it was received.
"Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite…" — The most striking thing here is how quickly the listeners' reactions split after hearing about the resurrection. While some openly mocked (a direct rejection), others delayed their decision, wantin…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
