^17:26From one man⁹¹ he made every nation of the human race⁹² to inhabit the entire earth,⁹³ determining their set times⁹⁴ and the fixed limits of the places where they would live,⁹⁵^17:27so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around⁹⁶ for him and find him,⁹⁷ though he is⁹⁸ not far from each one of us. ^17:28For in him we live and move about⁹⁹ and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’¹⁰⁰^17:29So since we are God’s offspring, we should not think the deity¹⁰¹ is like gold or silver or stone, an image¹⁰² made by human¹⁰³ skill¹⁰⁴ and imagination.¹⁰⁵^17:30Therefore, although God has overlooked¹⁰⁶ such times of ignorance,¹⁰⁷ he now commands all people¹⁰⁸ everywhere to repent,¹⁰⁹^17:31because he has set¹¹⁰ a day on which he is going to judge the world¹¹¹ in righteousness, by a man whom he designated,¹¹² having provided proof to everyone by raising¹¹³ him from the dead.”

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Footnotes

91 The one man refers to Adam (the word “man” is understood).
92 Or “mankind.” ἔθνος 1 has “every nation of humankind Ac 17:26.”
93 Grk “to live over all the face of the earth.”
94 προστάσσω has “(οἱ) προστεταγμένοι καιροί (the) fixed times Ac 17:26” here, but since the following phrase is also translated “fixed limits,” this would seem redundant in English, so the word “set” has been used instead.
95 Grk “the boundaries of their habitation.” L&N 80.5 has “fixed limits of the places where they would live” for this phrase.
96 See ψηλαφάω, which lists “touch, handle” and “to feel around for, grope for” as possible meanings.
97 Perhaps grope around for him and find him. The pagans’ struggle to know God is the point here. Conscience alone is not good enough.
98 The participle ὑπάρχοντα (huparchonta) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.
99 According to L&N 15.1, “A strictly literal translation of κινέω in Ac 17:28 might imply merely moving from one place to another. The meaning, however, is generalized movement and activity; therefore, it may be possible to translate κινούμεθα as ‘we come and go’ or ‘we move about’ ’ or even ‘we do what we do.’ ”
100 This quotation is from Aratus ( 310–245 b.c.), Phaenomena 5. Paul asserted a general relationship and accountability to God for all humanity.
101 Or “the divine being.” θεῖος 1.b has “divine being, divinity” here.
102 Or “a likeness.” Again idolatry is directly attacked as an affront to God and a devaluation of him.
103 Grk “by the skill and imagination of man,” but ἀνθρώπου (anthrōpou) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
104 Or “craftsmanship” (cf. τέχνη).
105 Or “thought.” ἐνθύμησις has “thought, reflection, idea” as the category of meaning here, but in terms of creativity (as in the context) the imaginative faculty is in view.
106 Or “has deliberately paid no attention to.”
107 Or “times when people did not know.”
108 Here ἀνθρώποις (anthrōpois) has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).
109 He now commands all people everywhere to repent. God was now asking all mankind to turn to him. No nation or race was excluded.
110 Or “fixed.”
111 The world refers to the whole inhabited earth.
112 Or “appointed.” ὁρίζω 2.b has “of persons appoint, designate, declare: God judges the world ἐν ἀνδρὶ ᾧ ὥρισεν through a man whom he has appointed Ac 17:31.” A man whom he designated. Jesus is put in the position of eschatological judge. As judge of the living and the dead, he possesses divine authority (Acts 10:42).
113 The participle ἀναστήσας (anastēsas) indicates means here.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for

“ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’;

as even some of your own poets have said,

“ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

From one man he has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live. He did this so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’ Since, then, we are God’s offspring, we shouldn’t think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination.

“Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

NLTNew Living Translation

From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

“His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.

“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And he made from one man every nation of humanity to live on all the face of the earth, determining their fixed times and the fixed boundaries of their habitation, to search for God, if perhaps indeed they might feel around for him and find him. And indeed he is not far away from each one of us, for in him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said: ‘For we also are his offspring.’ Therefore, because we are offspring of God, we ought not to think the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought. Therefore although God has overlooked the times of ignorance, he now commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has set a day on which he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man who he has appointed, having provided proof to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

KJV 1900King James Version

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

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