Acts 17 25

Acts 17:25 kjv

Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

Acts 17:25 nkjv

Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.

Acts 17:25 niv

And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

Acts 17:25 esv

nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

Acts 17:25 nlt

and human hands can't serve his needs ? for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.

Acts 17 verses

Acts 17 25 Meaning

Paul declares a fundamental truth about God's nature: He is utterly self-sufficient and independent, not requiring anything from human hands or human activity. He does not need service or offerings as though He lacked something, but rather He is the bountiful Giver and sustainer of all existence. Every living creature, including humanity, receives life, breath, and every other necessity directly from Him. This profound statement dismantles pagan misconceptions of deities needing appeasement or sustenance, asserting God's transcendent and self-existent perfection.

Acts 17 25 Context

This verse is part of Paul's famous sermon on Mars Hill (Areopagus) in Athens (Acts 17:22-31). He addresses Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, and other Athenians, who are "very religious" but worship many gods and have an altar "to an unknown god" (Acts 17:23). Paul uses this as a starting point to reveal the true God. The verses immediately preceding Acts 17:25 (Acts 17:24) establish that God, as Creator of the world and everything in it, does not dwell in temples made by human hands. Verse 25 logically follows, expanding on God's non-reliance on humanity. It forms part of Paul's profound apologetic argument against their polytheism, idolatry, and anthropomorphic understanding of deities. He aims to shift their perception from gods needing human provision to the God who is the sole source of all provision.

Acts 17 25 Word analysis

• Nor (οὐδὲ - oude): A strong negative conjunction. It logically links this statement to the preceding one, emphasizing that not only does God not dwell in temples made by human hands, but He also isn't "served" by human hands out of His need.
• is He served (θεραπεύεται - therapeuetai): Passive voice of therapeuō. This verb denotes religious service, worship, ministry, or caring for someone. In context, it points to rendering assistance or ministering to God. The passive voice implies that no service from humans is received by God in a way that suggests His deficiency.
• by human hands (ὑπὸ χειρῶν ἀνθρώπων - hypo cheirōn anthrōpōn): Literally "under hands of men." This phrase reinforces the origin and limitation of such service. It's an emphatic rejection of man's attempts to "help" God or satisfy Him with their physical creations or ritual actions, contrasting divine perfection with human limitation.
• as though (ὡς - hōs): Indicates a false or erroneous supposition. Paul exposes the faulty premise underlying much pagan worship: the idea that deities somehow lack or need human provision.
• He needed anything (προσδεόμενος τινός - prosdeomenos tinos): Prosdeomenos is a participle from prosdeomai, meaning "to have further need of," "to lack something from an external source." Tinos means "of anything." This phrase powerfully refutes the notion that God is in any way dependent or incomplete, lacking any supply, resources, or honor that humans could provide Him.
• since (αὐτὸς γὰρ - autos gar): Gar means "for" or "since," introducing the reason for the preceding statement. Autos is the intensive pronoun "He Himself," strongly emphasizing God's intrinsic and self-initiated nature. It marks the contrast: God does not need because He gives.
• He Himself gives (διδούς - didous): Present active participle, "giving." It indicates an ongoing, continuous action. This highlights God's role as the active, abundant, and inexhaustible provider. It's His nature to give, not to receive out of necessity.
• to all (πᾶσιν - pasin): Dative plural, signifying universal reach. God's provision is not limited to a select few or a particular nation, but extends to all living things, including every human being.
• life (ζωήν - zōēn): Both biological existence and, implicitly, spiritual vitality. It encompasses the very principle of living.
• and breath (πνοήν - pnoēn): Refers to the animating breath, the vital spirit that allows for life (Gen 2:7). It represents the immediate source of physical existence and activity, emphasizing God's direct and intimate connection to all living beings.
• and all things (τὰ πάντα - ta panta): A comprehensive phrase indicating complete provision. This includes sustenance, provision for existence, sustenance of natural laws, and all other necessities for being and flourishing. God is the source of literally "the everything."

Words-group by words-group analysis

• Nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything: This entire clause is a direct and forceful theological negation. It corrects a fundamental misconception about divine-human relationship common in pagan thought. It’s a polemic against ritualistic offerings and temple service driven by the false belief that such acts somehow supplement God's divine perfection or satiate a perceived need in Him. It redefines true worship as arising from a different premise.
• since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things: This clause presents the compelling theological reason for the first statement. It asserts God's ultimate nature as the selfless and continuous Giver. This flips the relationship dynamic: humans are the recipients of God's overflowing abundance, not the suppliers of His deficiency. This identifies God as the ultimate sustaining force behind all creation.

Acts 17 25 Bonus section

The concept of God giving "breath" (pnoē) holds a subtle yet powerful polemic. In Greek philosophy, pneuma often referred to the animating force or world soul. By using pnoē (akin to pneuma), Paul indirectly acknowledges their conceptual frameworks while distinctly attributing the origin of this vital force to a personal, transcendent Creator, not an impersonal force or an anthropomorphic deity that somehow breathes for its own existence. This echoes Genesis 2:7 where God literally "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life," affirming God as the personal, intimate source of life for all. This verse sets the stage for Paul's subsequent call to repentance (Acts 17:30-31), demonstrating that humans are utterly dependent on God, which therefore compels a proper response of honoring and seeking Him.

Acts 17 25 Commentary

Acts 17:25 profoundly shifts the paradigm of human-divine interaction, particularly in a polytheistic environment like Athens. Paul isn't just saying God doesn't need; he's asserting God can't need, due to His inherent, perfect self-sufficiency. Unlike the capricious, dependent deities of pagan mythology who needed appeasement, sacrifices for their own benefit, or temples for dwelling, the true God is eternally complete and requires nothing. He is the infinite Source, not a needy recipient. This truth is foundational: our worship and service are therefore not about filling a void in God, but an outpouring of grateful adoration for who He is and what He endlessly provides. True service flows from gratitude, acknowledgment of His supremacy, and a desire to reflect His giving nature, rather than from a misguided attempt to earn favor or supply a deficit in the Divine. It calls believers to re-examine their motivations for serving God, ensuring it stems from love and worship, recognizing Him as the benevolent sustainer of their very existence.