Devine Scripture

Acts 17:28

What does Acts 17:28 mean?

A plain-English look at Acts 17:28 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Acts 17:28 means

Paul affirms that our very life, movement, and being are in God, and he supports this with a line from their own poets: “For we are also his offspring.” He skillfully uses shared cultural authorities to confirm truths compatible with revelation—our existence depends on God, and we bear a filial relation to Him as creatures. This does not blur Creator and creature but grounds a rational argument: if we derive from God and live in His sustaining power, then deity cannot be an artifact. The quote bridges worldviews, showing that even pagan literature can echo realities that point beyond idols to the living God.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For in him we have life and motion and existence; as certain of your verse writers have said, For we are his offspring.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for in Him we live, and move, and are; as also certain of your poets have said: For of Him also we are offspring.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For in him we live and move and are: as some also of your own poets said: For we are also his offspring.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

for in him we live and move and exist; as also some of the poets amongst you have said, For we are also his offspring.

Context

Verse 28 reinforces the assertion of God’s nearness in verse 27 and sets up the inference in verse 29: if we are God’s offspring, images of gold, silver, or stone cannot represent Him. The flow continues Paul’s case against idolatry begun in verse 24 (Creator not in temples) and verse 25 (self-sufficient Giver). Having established God’s nature and our relation to Him, Paul is ready to press the ethical demand of verses 30–31: a universal call to repent in view of coming judgment attested by the resurrection.

v.27that they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us:

v.28This passage

v.29Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • John 11:25

    Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live;

  • Hebrews 12:9

    Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

  • 1 Samuel 25:29

    And though men be risen up to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with Jehovah thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the hollow of a sling.

  • Colossians 1:17

    and he is before all things, and in him all things consist.

  • Psalms 36:9

    For with thee is the fountain of life: In thy light shall we see light.

  • Daniel 5:23

    but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou and thy lords, thy wives and thy concubines, have drunk wine from them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.

Related questions readers ask

Keep reading

Want to dig deeper? Explore Acts 17

Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on Acts 17.

Keep exploring

Follow this verse across Scripture

Topics, devotionals, original-language word studies, and figures connected to Acts 17:28.

Browse every hub

BibleTopicsBible answersDevotionalsFamous passagesWord studiesPeoplePlacesVerses for…Reading plansCommentary