Acts 17:26-31
New English Translation
26 From one man[a] he made every nation of the human race[b] to inhabit the entire earth,[c] determining their set times[d] and the fixed limits of the places where they would live,[e] 27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around[f] for him and find him,[g] though he is[h] not far from each one of us. 28 For in him we live and move about[i] and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’[j] 29 So since we are God’s offspring, we should not think the deity[k] is like gold or silver or stone, an image[l] made by human[m] skill[n] and imagination.[o] 30 Therefore, although God has overlooked[p] such times of ignorance,[q] he now commands all people[r] everywhere to repent,[s] 31 because he has set[t] a day on which he is going to judge the world[u] in righteousness, by a man whom he designated,[v] having provided proof to everyone by raising[w] him from the dead.”
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- Acts 17:26 sn The one man refers to Adam (the word “man” is understood).
- Acts 17:26 tn Or “mankind.” BDAG 276 s.v. ἔθνος 1 has “every nation of humankind Ac 17:26.”
- Acts 17:26 tn Grk “to live over all the face of the earth.”
- Acts 17:26 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.
- Acts 17:26 tn Grk “the boundaries of their habitation.” L&N 80.5 has “fixed limits of the places where they would live” for this phrase.
- Acts 17:27 tn See BDAG 1097-98 s.v. ψηλαφάω, which lists “touch, handle” and “to feel around for, grope for” as possible meanings.
- Acts 17:27 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.
- Acts 17:27 tn The participle ὑπάρχοντα (huparchonta) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.
- Acts 17:28 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.’”
- Acts 17:28 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.
- Acts 17:29 tn Or “the divine being.” BDAG 446 s.v. θεῖος 1.b has “divine being, divinity” here.
- Acts 17:29 tn Or “a likeness.” Again idolatry is directly attacked as an affront to God and a devaluation of him.
- Acts 17:29 tn Grk “by the skill and imagination of man,” but ἀνθρώπου (anthrōpou) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
- Acts 17:29 tn Or “craftsmanship” (cf. BDAG 1001 s.v. τέχνη).
- Acts 17:29 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.
- Acts 17:30 tn Or “has deliberately paid no attention to.”
- Acts 17:30 tn Or “times when people did not know.”
- Acts 17:30 tn Here ἀνθρώποις (anthrōpois) has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).
- Acts 17:30 sn He now commands all people everywhere to repent. God was now asking all mankind to turn to him. No nation or race was excluded.
- Acts 17:31 tn Or “fixed.”
- Acts 17:31 sn The world refers to the whole inhabited earth.
- Acts 17:31 tn Or “appointed.” BDAG 723 s.v. 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.”sn 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).
- Acts 17:31 tn The participle ἀναστήσας (anastēsas) indicates means here.
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