The Meaning of Acts 17:11 Explained

Acts 17:11

KJV: 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.

YLT: and these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, they received the word with all readiness of mind, every day examining the Writings whether those things were so;

Darby: And these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, receiving the word with all readiness of mind, daily searching the scriptures if these things were so.

ASV: Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

<1161> 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. 

What does Acts 17:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 17:1-12 - Persecution Spreads The Truth
Thessalonica. Slowly Paul made his way among the great cities of Greece. He was sowing seeds of which others would reap the harvest. His one theme was the risen Lord, whether amid the less or the more cultivated, Acts 17:3; Acts 17:31. This is surely the true method of world evangelization-not to argue but to proclaim the glorious personality of our risen Lord. Notice the distinction in Acts 17:3 between the human name, Jesus, and the royal name, Christ. As Jesus, our Lord lived, ministered, and died; as Christ, He was raised from the dead, and as such He is the crowned King of men, Acts 17:7. However loyal we may be to the civil government, our first allegiance is to another king, Acts 17:7.
Berea. True nobility consists in being open to any new truth that God may reveal to us from His Word. The one test of truth is Scripture as interpreted to the pure heart by the Holy Spirit; but we should examine the Scriptures daily as the Bereans did. It is not to be wondered at that many believed. If only our people would love the Bible, saturating their minds with it and teaching it to their children, what different results would follow the preaching of the gospel! [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 17

1  Paul preaches at Thessalonica, where some believe,
5  and others persecute him
10  He is sent to Berea, and preaches there
13  Being persecuted by Jews from Thessalonica,
16  he comes to Athens, and disputes and preaches the living God, to them unknown;
32  whereby, though some mock, many are converted unto Christ

Greek Commentary for Acts 17:11

More noble than those [ευγενεστεροι των]
Comparative form of ευγενης — eugenēs old and common adjective, but in N.T. only here and Luke 19:12; 1 Corinthians 1:26. Followed by ablative case των — tōn as often after the comparative. [source]
With all readiness of mind [μετα πασης προτυμιας]
Old word from προτυμος — prothumos Paul expounded the Scriptures daily as in Thessalonica, but the Beroeans, instead of resenting his new interpretation, examined (ει εχοι ταυτα ουτως — anakrinō means to sift up and down, make careful and exact research as in legal processes as in Acts 4:9; Acts 12:19, etc.) the Scriptures for themselves. In Scotland people have the Bible open on the preacher as he expounds the passage, a fine habit worth imitating. Whether these things were so Literally, “if these things had it thus.” The present optative in the indirect question represents an original present indicative as in Luke 1:29 (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 1043f.). This use of ei with the optative may be looked at as the condition of the fourth class (undetermined with less likelihood of determination) as in Acts 17:27; Acts 20:16; Acts 24:19; Acts 27:12 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1021). The Beroeans were eagerly interested in the new message of Paul and Silas but they wanted to see it for themselves. What a noble attitude. Paul‘s preaching made Bible students of them. The duty of private interpretation is thus made plain (Hovey). [source]
Examining the Scriptures daily [ανακρινω]
Paul expounded the Scriptures daily as in Thessalonica, but the Beroeans, instead of resenting his new interpretation, examined (ει εχοι ταυτα ουτως — anakrinō means to sift up and down, make careful and exact research as in legal processes as in Acts 4:9; Acts 12:19, etc.) the Scriptures for themselves. In Scotland people have the Bible open on the preacher as he expounds the passage, a fine habit worth imitating. [source]
Whether these things were so [ει]
Literally, “if these things had it thus.” The present optative in the indirect question represents an original present indicative as in Luke 1:29 (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 1043f.). This use of ei with the optative may be looked at as the condition of the fourth class (undetermined with less likelihood of determination) as in Acts 17:27; Acts 20:16; Acts 24:19; Acts 27:12 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1021). The Beroeans were eagerly interested in the new message of Paul and Silas but they wanted to see it for themselves. What a noble attitude. Paul‘s preaching made Bible students of them. The duty of private interpretation is thus made plain (Hovey). [source]
Searched []
Or examined. See on Luke 23:14. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 17:11

Acts 4:12 Salvation [η σωτηρια]
The Messianic salvation as in Acts 5:31; Acts 17:11 and as Jesus meant in John 4:22. It is amazing to see Peter speaking thus to the Sanhedrin and proclaiming the necessity of salvation (δει σωτηναι — dei sōthēnai) in the name of Jesus Christ and in no other. If this was true then, it is true today. There is no second (ετερον — heteron) name to go beside that of Jesus in India, China, Japan, or America. [source]
1 Corinthians 2:14 Discerned [ἀνακρίνεται]
Rev., judged. Used only by Luke and Paul, and by the latter in this epistle only. By Luke, mostly of judicial examination: Luke 23:14; Acts 4:9; Acts 12:19; Acts 24:8; Acts 28:18. Of examining the Scriptures, Acts 17:11, but with the sense of proving or coming to a judgment on. The fundamental idea of the word is examination, scrutiny, following up ( ἀνά ) a series of objects or particulars in order to distinguish ( κρίνω ). This is its almost universal meaning in classical Greek. At Athens it was used technically in two senses: to examine magistrates with a view to proving their qualifications; and to examine persons concerned in a suit, so as to prepare the matter for trial, as a grand jury. The meaning judged is, at best, inferential, and the Rev. inserts examined in the margin. Bishop Lightfoot says: “ Ανακρίνειν is neither to judge nor to discern; but to examine, investigate, inquire into, question, as it is rightly translated, 1 Corinthians 9:3; 1 Corinthians 10:25, 1 Corinthians 10:27. The apostle condemns all these impatient human praejudicia which anticipate the final judgment, reserving his case for the great tribunal, where at length all the evidence will be forthcoming and a satisfactory verdict can be given. Meanwhile the process of gathering evidence has begun; an ἀνάκρισις investigationis indeed being held, not, however, by these self-appointed magistrates, but by one who alone has the authority to institute the inquiry, and the ability to sift the facts” (“On a Fresh Revision of the New Testament”). See, further, on 1 Corinthians 4:3, 1 Corinthians 4:4. [source]
1 Corinthians 2:14 Receiveth not [ου δυναται γνωναι]
Does not accept, rejects, refuses to accept. In Romans 8:7 Paul definitely states the inability Today one notes certain of the intelligentsia who sneer at Christ and Christianity in their own blinded ignorance. He cannot know them (πσυχικοι — ou dunatai gnōnai). He is not able to get a knowledge (ingressive second aorist active infinitive of πσυχη — ginōskō). His helpless condition calls for pity in place of impatience on our part, though such an one usually poses as a paragon of wisdom and commiserates the deluded followers of Christ. They are spiritually judged Paul and Luke are fond of this verb, though nowhere else in the N.T. Paul uses it only in I Corinthians. The word means a sifting process to get at the truth by investigation as of a judge. In Acts 17:11 the Beroeans scrutinized the Scriptures. These psuchikoi men are incapable of rendering a decision for they are unable to recognize the facts. They judge by the psuchē (mere animal nature) rather than by the pneuma (the renewed spirit). [source]
1 Corinthians 2:14 They are spiritually judged [πνευμα]
Paul and Luke are fond of this verb, though nowhere else in the N.T. Paul uses it only in I Corinthians. The word means a sifting process to get at the truth by investigation as of a judge. In Acts 17:11 the Beroeans scrutinized the Scriptures. These psuchikoi men are incapable of rendering a decision for they are unable to recognize the facts. They judge by the psuchē (mere animal nature) rather than by the pneuma (the renewed spirit). [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 17:11 mean?

These now were more noble than those in Thessalonica who received the word with all readiness on the every day examining the Scriptures if were these things so
οὗτοι δὲ ἦσαν εὐγενέστεροι τῶν ἐν Θεσσαλονίκῃ οἵτινες ἐδέξαντο τὸν λόγον μετὰ πάσης προθυμίας τὸ καθ’ ἡμέραν ἀνακρίνοντες τὰς γραφὰς εἰ ἔχοι ταῦτα οὕτως

οὗτοι  These 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
εὐγενέστεροι  more  noble 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural, Comparative
Root: εὐγενής  
Sense: well born, of noble race.
τῶν  than  those 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεσσαλονίκῃ  Thessalonica 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: Θεσσαλονίκη  
Sense: a famous and populous city, situated on the Thermaic Gulf, the capital of the second division of Macedonia and the residence of a Roman governor and quaestor.
ἐδέξαντο  received 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Plural
Root: δέχομαι  
Sense: to take with the hand.
λόγον  word 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: λόγος  
Sense: of speech.
προθυμίας  readiness 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: προθυμία  
Sense: zeal, spirit, eagerness.
τὸ  on  the 
Parse: Article, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
καθ’  every 
Parse: Preposition
Root: κατά 
Sense: down from, through out.
ἡμέραν  day 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
ἀνακρίνοντες  examining 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀνακρίνω  
Sense: examine or judge.
γραφὰς  Scriptures 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: γραφή  
Sense: a writing, thing written.
ταῦτα  these  things 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
οὕτως  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὕτως  
Sense: in this manner, thus, so.