Acts 17:26-29

17:26 From one man ¹  he made every nation of the human race ²  to inhabit the entire earth, ³  determining their set times ⁴  and the fixed limits of the places where they would live, ⁵  17:27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around ⁶  for him and find him, ⁷  though he is ⁸  not far from each one of us. 17:28 For in him we live and move about ⁹  and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ ¹⁰  17:29 So since we are God’s offspring, we should not think the deity ¹¹  is like gold or silver or stone, an image ¹²  made by human ¹³  skill ¹⁴  and imagination. ¹⁵ 

¹ sn The one man refers to Adam (the word “man” is understood).

² tn Or “mankind.” BDAG 276 s.v. ἔθνος 1 has “every nation of humankind Ac 17:26.”

³ tn Grk “to live over all the face of the earth.”

⁴ tn BDAG 884-85 s.v. 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.

⁵ tn Grk “the boundaries of their habitation.” L&N 80.5 has “fixed limits of the places where they would live” for this phrase.

⁶ tn See BDAG 1097-98 s.v. ψηλαφάω, which lists “touch, handle” and “to feel around for, grope for” as possible meanings.

⁷ sn Perhaps grope around for him and find him. The pagans’ struggle to know God is the point here. Conscience alone is not good enough.

⁸ tn The participle ὑπάρχοντα (Juparconta) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

⁹ tn 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.’”

¹⁰ sn This quotation is from Aratus (ca. 310-245 b.c.), Phaenomena 5. Paul asserted a general relationship and accountability to God for all humanity.

¹¹ tn Or “the divine being.” BDAG 446 s.v. θεῖος 1.b has “divine being, divinity” here.

¹² tn Or “a likeness.” Again idolatry is directly attacked as an affront to God and a devaluation of him.

¹³ tn Grk “by the skill and imagination of man,” but ἀνθρώπου (anqrwpou) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

¹⁴ tn Or “craftsmanship” (cf. BDAG 1001 s.v. τέχνη).

¹⁵ tn Or “thought.” BDAG 336 s.v. 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.