Acts 17:29
What does Acts 17:29 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 17:29 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 17:29 means
Paul draws a logical conclusion: being God’s offspring, we should not imagine the divine nature like gold, silver, or stone carved by human art and ingenuity. Lifelike or precious as they may be, images cannot depict the living God who gives life to all. Idolatry confuses the relationship between Maker and made, reversing roles by having creatures fashion their “creator.” The argument is gentle but firm: your own admission about humanity’s relation to God refutes the legitimacy of idols. This paves the way for moral urgency; false worship is not harmless art but a profound error requiring repentance.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Being 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.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Forasmuch 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Being 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.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949If then we are the offspring of God, it is not right for us to have the idea that God is like gold or silver or stone, formed by the art or design of man.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`Being, therefore, offspring of God, we ought not to think the Godhead to be like to gold, or silver, or stone, graving of art and device of man;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Being therefore the offspring of God, we must not suppose the divinity to be like unto gold or silver or stone, the graving of art and device of man.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Being therefore [the] offspring ofGod, we ought not to think that which is divine to be like gold or silver or stone, [the] graven form of man's art and imagination.
Context
This verse caps the theological argument of verses 24–28 by explicitly rejecting idolatry. With God’s nature and humanity’s dependence established, Paul turns to application in verses 30–31. He declares that God formerly overlooked such ignorance but now commands all people everywhere to repent because He has appointed a day to judge the world by the man He ordained, providing assurance by the resurrection. These claims lead to the varied responses in Athens—mockery, delay, and faith (verses 32–34).
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Exodus 20:4
Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
- Jeremiah 10:4
They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
- Isaiah 46:5
To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
- Exodus 32:4
And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf: and they said, These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
- Isaiah 40:25
To whom then will ye liken me, that I should be equal to him? saith the Holy One.
- Romans 1:20
For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse:
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