Acts 17:29

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man's skill and imagination.

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
And since all this is the truth, we really can't expect God to be some chainsaw carving or a sculpted bronze idol made by mortal hands.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.

Legacy Standard Bible
Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to suppose that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the craft and thought of man.

Bible in Basic English
If 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.

Darby Translation
Being therefore [the] offspring of God, 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.

New King James Version
Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising.

Christian Standard Bible®
Being God's offspring then, we shouldn't think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination.

World English Bible
Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and device of man.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think the Godhead is like gold or silver, or stone, graven by art and contrivance of man.

Weymouth's New Testament
Since then we are God's offspring, we ought not to imagine that His nature resembles gold or silver or marble, or anything sculptured by the art and inventive faculty of man.

King James Version (1611)
Forasmuch then as wee are the offspring of God, wee ought not to thinke that the Godhead is like vnto golde, or siluer, or stone grauen by arte, and mans deuice.

Literal Translation
Then being offspring of God, we ought not to suppose that the Godhead is like gold or silver or stone, engraved by art and the imagination of man.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For as moch then as we are the generacion of God, we oughte not to thinke that the Godheade is like vnto golde or syluer, or ymagery worke of the crafte or ymaginacion of man.

Mace New Testament (1729)
since then we are the offspring of God, we should not imagine that the Deity bears any resemblance to the form which Gold, or Silver, or Stone has receiv'd from human art and industry.

Amplified Bible
"So then, being God's children, we should not think that the Divine Nature (deity) is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination or skill of man.

American Standard Version
Being 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.

Revised Standard Version
Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the Deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, a representation by the art and imagination of man.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For as moche then as we are the generacion of God we ought not to thynke that the godhed is lyke vnto golde silver or stone graven by crafte and ymaginacion of man.

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

Webster's Bible Translation
Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like to gold, or silver, or stone graven by art and man's device.

Young's Literal Translation
`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;

New Century Version
Since we are God's children, you must not think that God is like something that people imagine or make from gold, silver, or rock.

New English Translation
So since we are God's offspring, we should not think the deity is like gold or silver or stone, an image made by human skill and imagination.

Contemporary English Version
Since we are God's children, we must not think that he is like an idol made out of gold or silver or stone. He isn't like anything that humans have thought up and made.

Complete Jewish Bible
So, since we are children of God, we shouldn't suppose that God's essence resembles gold, silver or stone shaped by human technique and imagination.

English Standard Version
Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Forasmuch then, as we are the generation of God, we ought not to thinke that ye Godhead is like vnto gold, or siluer, or stone grauen by arte and the inuention of man.

George Lamsa Translation
Now therefore, man, being of the family of God, is not bounden to worship resemblances made of gold or silver or stone shapen by the skill and knowledge of man into resemblances of the Deity.

Hebrew Names Version
Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and device of man.

International Standard Version
So if we are God's children, we shouldn't think that the divine being is like gold, silver, or stone, or is an image carved by human imagination and skill.Isaiah 40:18;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Men, therefore, whose descent is from Aloha, should not think that gold or silver or stone sculptured by the art and skill of man is like the Divinity. [fn]

Murdock Translation
Therefore we, whose descent is from God, ought not to suppose that the Deity hath the likeness of gold, or silver, or stone, sculptured by the art and skill of men

New Living Translation
And since this is true, we shouldn't think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.

New Life Bible
If we are God's children, we should not think of Him as being like gold or silver or stone. Such gods made of gold or silver or stone are planned by men and are made by them.

English Revised Version
Being 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.

New Revised Standard
Since we are God's offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Being, then, offspring, of God, we ought not to be supposing that, unto gold or silver or stone, graven by art and device of man, the Divine, is like.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Being 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.

King James Version
Forasmuch 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.

Lexham English Bible
Therefore, because we are offspring of God, we ought not to think the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Forasmuch then as we are the offpring of God, we ought not to thynke that the Godhead is lyke vnto golde, siluer, or stone, grauen by art, and mans deuice.

Easy-to-Read Version
"That's right. We all come from God. So you must not think that he is like something people imagine or make. He is not made of gold, silver, or stone.

New American Standard Bible
"Therefore, since we are the descendants of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought.

Good News Translation
Since we are God's children, we should not suppose that his nature is anything like an image of gold or silver or stone, shaped by human art and skill.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor sithen we ben the kynde of God, we schulen not deme, that godli thing is lijk gold, and siluer, ethir stoon, ethir to grauyng of craft and thouyt of man.

Contextual Overview

²²Then Paul stood up before the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious. ²³For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with the inscription: To an unknown God. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you. ²⁴The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands. ²⁵Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. ²⁶From one man He made every nation of men, to inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands. ²⁷God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. ²⁸'For in Him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are His offspring.' ²⁹Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man's skill and imagination.³⁰Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all men everywhere to repent. ³¹For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising Him from the dead."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

we ought: Psalms 94:7-9, Psalms 106:20, Psalms 115:4-8, Isaiah 40:12-18, Isaiah 44:9-20, Habakkuk 2:19, Habakkuk 2:20, Romans 1:20-23

graven: Exodus 20:4, Exodus 32:4, Isaiah 46:5, Isaiah 46:6, Jeremiah 10:4-10

Reciprocal: Genesis 1:26 - in our Exodus 32:1 - make Exodus 34:17 - General Leviticus 26:1 - Ye shall Deuteronomy 4:16 - the likeness 2 Kings 19:18 - for they were Psalms 135:15 - idols Isaiah 40:18 - General Isaiah 44:13 - he marketh Daniel 3:1 - made Daniel 5:4 - of gold Daniel 5:23 - in whose Hosea 8:6 - the workman Acts 14:15 - and preach Acts 19:26 - that they Romans 1:23 - an image Romans 1:24 - God Galatians 4:8 - ye did Revelation 9:20 - and idols

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God,.... In the sense before given; for the apostle is not here speaking of himself, and other saints, as being the children of God, by adoption, and by regenerating grace, and faith in Christ Jesus, but as men in common with others, and with these Athenians:

we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device; for men themselves, who are the offspring of God, and made after his image, are not to be compared to graven images of gold, silver, and stone, but are vastly preferable to them, they being formed by their art, and the device of their minds; and much less then should God, the Creator of men, and from whom they spring, be likened to, or represented by, any such thing; for so to think of God, is to think very unworthily of him; for if to think thus of ourselves, who are descended from him, would be a debasing of us, then much more to think so of God, the Father of spirits, must be a depreciating of him; and which by no means ought to be done, and argues great stupidity: if living rational creatures are not to be equalled to, and compared with, senseless statues, much less God, the former of men and angels.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Forasmuch then - Admitting or assuming this to be true. The argument which follows is drawn from the concessions of their own writers.

We ought not to think - It is absurd to suppose. The argument of the apostle is this: “Since we are formed by God; since we are like him, living and intelligent beings; since we are more excellent in our nature than the most precious and ingenious works of art, it is absurd to suppose that the original source of our existence can be like gold, and silver, and stone. Man himself is far more excellent than an image of wood and stone; how much more excellent still must be the great Fountain and Source of all our wisdom and intelligence.” See this thought pursued at length in Isaiah 40:18-23.

The Godhead - The divinity (τὸ Θεῖον to Theion), the divine nature, or essence. The word used here is an adjective employed as a noun, and does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament.

Is like unto gold ... - All these things were used in making images or statues of the gods. It is absurd to think that the source of all life and intelligence resembles a lifeless block of wood or stone. Even degraded pagan, one would think, might see the force of an argument like this.

Graven - Sculptured; made into an image.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 29. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, c.] This inference of the apostle was very strong and conclusive and his argument runs thus: "If we are the offspring of God, he cannot be like those images of gold, silver, and stone, which are formed by the art and device of man; for the parent must resemble his offspring. Seeing, therefore, that we are living and intelligent beings, HE from whom we have derived that being must be living and intelligent. It is necessary, also, that the object of religious worship should be much more excellent than the worshipper; but a man is, by innumerable degrees, more excellent than an image made out of gold, silver, or stone; and yet it would be impious to worship a man: how much more so to worship these images as gods! Every man in the Areopagus must have felt the power of this conclusion; and, taking it for granted that they had felt it, he proceeds:-