^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

Read in Logos

Footnotes

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.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

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.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

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.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

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.

NLTNew Living Translation

“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.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

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.

KJV 1900King James Version

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.

Public Domain