Acts 17 27

Acts 17:27 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:

Acts 17:27 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;

Acts 17:27 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.

Acts 17:27 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,

Acts 17:27 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.

Acts 17 verses

Acts 17 27 Meaning

Paul declares that God's purpose in creating humanity was for them to seek Him. This seeking is characterized by an awareness of His presence and a desire for connection, recognizing that God is not distant but intimately involved in human existence. The ultimate goal of this seeking is to find and potentially know God.

Acts 17 27 Context

This verse is found in Paul's sermon on Mars Hill in Athens (Acts 17:15-34). Paul, seeing the deep religiosity of the Athenians and their numerous idols, uses their altar "To an Unknown God" as a starting point. He contrasts their many gods with the one true God, the Creator and sustainer of all things. He explains that God is not served by human hands, as they imagined their gods were. Instead, God's intention in creation was that humanity would search for Him, recognizing His proximity and role as their Creator. This searching is presented as a fundamental human impulse, a testament to the innate awareness of God imprinted on the human heart. Paul argues that this innate desire and the evidence of God's creation should lead people to seek Him, thereby overcoming their ignorance and moving towards a genuine relationship with the divine.

Acts 17 27 Word Analysis

• ὅπως (hopos): "in order that," "so that." This signifies purpose or goal. The creation of humanity had a divine aim.
• ζητῶσι (zētōsi): Present subjunctive of ζητέω (zēteō), meaning "to seek," "to search for," "to desire," "to inquire." This verb suggests an active, earnest, and continuous search.
• τὸν (ton): The definite article "the," emphasizing a specific object of the search.
• θεὸν (theon): Accusative singular of θεός (theos), meaning "God." The definite article along with the noun points to God as the specific object of this intended search.
• εἴ (ei): "if," "whether." Introduces a conditional or purpose clause.
• τινόμενοι (tinomenoi): Present participle passive of γίνομαι (ginomai), meaning "to become," "to be." Here, it implies "possibly finding Him" or "if perhaps they might feel their way toward Him." It suggests a potentiality rather than a certainty based on human effort alone.
• γε (ge): An enclitic particle, often translated as "indeed," "at least," "certainly." It emphasizes the preceding word, here likely on the participle, strengthening the idea of actively "feeling their way" or " groping."
• ἂν (an): An untranslatable particle used with subjunctive or indicative verbs to express potentiality, possibility, or conditionality. Combined with the subjunctive, it creates a potential clause: "if they might possibly."
• εὑρεῖν (heurein): Aorist infinitive of εὑρίσκω (heuriskō), meaning "to find," "to discover." It represents the ultimate outcome of the seeking and feeling after God.

Words-group analysis

• ὅπως ζητῶσι τὸν θεόν (hopos zētōsi ton theon): This phrase clearly states the divine intention for humanity: to seek God. The use of the subjunctive verb with "hopos" highlights the purpose behind humanity's existence. It implies an inherent, God-given drive within people to search for Him.
• εἴ τι γε ἄν αὐτόν εἰναι (ei ti ge an autou einai): This part is slightly challenging due to its structure. A more literal rendition focusing on the implied meaning often conveyed in translations is "if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him." The "εἴ... ἂν εὑρεῖν" construction indicates a possibility – that in their seeking and feeling, they might, by God's grace and the evidence He has provided, find Him.

Acts 17 27 Bonus Section

The intellectual atmosphere of Athens was dominated by philosophical schools that emphasized human reason. Stoics, in particular, held that God was immanent in nature and that human beings, through reason, could discover Him. Paul skillfully weaves this philosophical background into his message. He quotes Greek poets Aratus and Epimenides, not as endorsements of their pantheistic or mythic views, but to establish common ground and demonstrate that the yearning for God and the concept of divine sonship were familiar ideas, albeit misunderstood. The "unknown God" altar provided Paul the perfect segue to reveal the "unknown" aspect of God to the Athenians, transitioning them from a purely intellectual or polytheistic understanding to a relational one centered on the Creator who actively sustains all existence and now calls for repentance. This emphasis on seeking and finding God resonates throughout Scripture, from the earliest accounts of humanity's interaction with God to the New Testament’s proclamation of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Acts 17 27 Commentary

Paul asserts that God’s very reason for creating humankind was so that they would search for Him. This isn't a burden but a design; within every person is an innate capacity and even a divine inclination to seek a higher power. The pursuit of God is not futile, but a response to the clear, though often obscured, evidence of His existence in creation and within the human conscience. The phrase "feel after Him" suggests an intuitive, sensory search, akin to touching or probing in darkness, indicating a dependence on God's revelation for clearer knowledge. The ultimate purpose of this quest is to "find" Him, meaning to come into a saving knowledge and relationship with the Creator.