Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas.
A scholar that has acquaintance, and is in love, with the learning of the ancients, would think he should be very happy if he were where Paul now was, at Athens, in the midst of the various sects of philosophers, and would have a great many curious questions to ask them, for the explication of the remains we have of the Athenian learning; but Paul...
Commenting on Acts 17:16-21
For all the Athenians,.... The natives of Athens, who were born and lived there, and were inhabitants of the city, and free of it: and strangers which were there; who came there from several parts of the world, to get wisdom and knowledge, to learn the several arts and sciences, and to attend the several sects of philosophers they made choice of: spent their time...
Verse 21. For all the Athenians. This was their general character. And strangers which were there. Athens was greatly distinguished for the celebrity of its schools of philosophy. It was at that time at the head of the literary world. Its arts and its learning were celebrated in all lands.