Acts 17:22 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ye are too superstitious.— Dr. Doddridge renders the original, Ye are exceedingly addicted to the worship of invisible powers; which, he observes, is very agreeable to the etymology of the word Δεισιδαιμονεστεροι, and has, what a version of scripture in such a case should always have, if possible, the ambiguity of the original; which learned writers have proved to be capable of a good as well as a bad sense: (Comp. ch. Acts 25:19.) whereas neither superstitious nor religious has that ambiguity. This sense too seems preferable to that in our version on another account; as the giving the original the worst signification of which it is capable, does not well suit the peculiar delicacy with which St. Paul addresses himself to the assembly throughout the whole of his speech; whereas, on this interpretation, his discourse opens not only in an inoffensivebut in a very obliging manner. See the note on Acts 17:34.