Acts 17:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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,

NIV: 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.

NASB: that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

CSB: 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.

NLT: 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.

KJV: 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:

NKJV: so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers are hearing from Paul in Athens. He is connecting their altar to "the unknown god" and the words of their poets to the true Creator God who will judge mankind. He has already compared the unknown god to the Creator of the world who is too magnificent to be confined in human-built temples and too powerful to need anything from humans. In fact, this God determines where and when individual people as well as empires will exist (Acts 17:22–26).

Paul now brings this mighty God closer to His creation. God's plan in establishing nations is to encourage people to seek Him. As he will say in his letter to the Romans:

"For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse" (Romans 1:19–20).

Paul will go on to show that God can't be far away because even the Greek poets have said that God gives people life. Further, the poets say that we are His offspring. But if we are, it is foolish to think God could be represented by an immobile statue designed by human imagination and made by human hands (Acts 17:28–29). To worship such an idol is ignorant foolishness; once people realize this, they must repent (Acts 17:30; Romans 1:22–23). Such affront against God will not go unjudged (Acts 17:31).

The Epicureans, in particular, find this hard to take. Like most Greeks, they believed the gods were far off, for the most part uninterested in human affairs. Faithful sacrifices may keep them occupied and even occasionally entice them to give blessings, but the gods don't go out of their way to seek relationships with humans. Furthermore, Epicureans did not believe in the soul, judgment after death, or the resurrection of the dead. They lived for sufficient food, comfort, and friends to live a peaceful, balanced life. In fact, these philosophers were probably closet atheists who didn't take the gods seriously, anyway. Some mock Paul as he walks away, some want to hear more, and a handful accept Jesus' offer of forgiveness (Acts 17:32–34).

Acts 17:22–34 contains the second of two sermons which Luke records from Paul. The more typical sermon explains to synagogues how Jesus is the Messiah (Acts 13:16–41). Here, however, Paul is speaking to a group of Athenian philosophers. Paul uses lines from classical poets to introduce the Creator God who cannot be represented by an idol. He calls his audience to repent of their idolatry lest they face judgment by the representative God has resurrected. But they don't believe in the resurrection of the dead or final judgment. The majority dismiss Paul as a fool and go on their way.

Acts 17 describes how Paul's ministry travels down the coast of Greece. In Thessalonica, some Jews and God-fearing Gentiles believe while other Jews start a riot (Acts 17:1–9). The Bereans study the veracity of Paul's statements—until the Thessalonian Jews arrive and threaten to start another riot (Acts 17:10–15). Paul flees to Athens where the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers accept Paul's argument when he uses Greek poets to introduce God as the creator of the world, but lose interest when he mentions the resurrection from the dead (Acts 17:16–34).

Acts 17 continues Paul and Silas' travels out of Macedonia and on to Greece. The two have been through modern-day Asia minor where they picked up Timothy in Lystra and Luke in Troas (Acts 16:1–10). They have established a strong church in Philippi but were forced to leave after being falsely imprisoned (Acts 16:11–40). They now skip down the coast to Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. From here, they will spend a considerable amount of time in Corinth before heading back to Judea and Syrian Antioch (Acts 18:1–22).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.