Acts 17:27

New Century Version

God wanted them to look for him and perhaps search all around for him and find him, though he is not far from any of us:

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He did this so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

King James Version (1611)
That they should seeke the Lord, if haply they might feele after him and finde him, though he be not farre from euery one of vs.

King James Version
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:

English Standard Version
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,

New American Standard Bible
that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

Amplified Bible
"This was so that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grasp for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

Legacy Standard Bible
that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

Berean Standard Bible
God 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.

Contemporary English Version
God has done all this, so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. He isn't far from any of us,

Complete Jewish Bible
God did this so that people would look for him and perhaps reach out and find him although in fact, he is not far from each one of us,

Darby Translation
that they may seek God; if indeed they might feel after him and find him, although he is not far from each one of us:

Easy-to-Read Version
"God wanted people to look for him, and perhaps in searching all around for him, they would find him. But he is not far from any of us.

Geneva Bible (1587)
That they shoulde seeke the Lorde, if so be they might haue groped after him, and founde him though doubtlesse he be not farre from euery one of vs.

George Lamsa Translation
So that they should seek and search after God, and find him by means of his creations, because he is not far from any one of us:

Good News Translation
He did this so that they would look for him, and perhaps find him as they felt around for him. Yet God is actually not far from any one of us;

Lexham English Bible
to search for God, if perhaps indeed they might feel around for him and find him. And indeed he is not far away from each one of us,

Literal Translation
to seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after Him and might find Him, though indeed He not being far from each one of us.

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

Bible in Basic English
So that they might make search for God, in order, if possible, to get knowledge of him and make discovery of him, though he is not far from every one of us:

Hebrew Names Version
that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

International Standard Version
so that they might look for God,for the Lord">[fn] somehow reach for him, and find him. Of course, he is never far from any one of us.Acts 14:17; Romans 1:20;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
that they should seek Aloha and inquire, and from his creatures find himself, because he is not far from every one of us.

Murdock Translation
that they might inquire and search after God, and, by means of his creations, might find him; because he is not afar off from each one of us:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
That they shoulde seke the Lorde, yf perhappes they myght haue felt and founde hym, though he be not farre fro euery one of vs.

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

World English Bible
that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
That they might seek God, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.

Weymouth's New Testament
that they might seek God, if perhaps they could grope for Him and find Him. Yes, though He is not far from any one of us.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
to seke God, if perauenture thei felen hym, ether fynden, thouy he be not fer fro eche of you.

Update Bible Version
that they should seek God, if perhaps they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us:

Webster's Bible Translation
That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he is not far from every one of us:

New English Translation
so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

New King James Version
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;

New Living Translation
"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.

New Life Bible
"They were to look for God. Then they might feel after Him and find Him because He is not far from each one of us.

New Revised Standard
so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
that they might be seeking God - if, after all, indeed, they might feel after him and find him, - although, in truth, he is already not far from any one of us.

Douay-Rheims Bible
That they should seek God, if haply they may feel after him or find him, although he be not far from every one of us.

Revised Standard Version
that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from each one of us,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
that they shuld seke God yf they myght fele and fynde him though he be not farre from every one of vs.

Young's Literal Translation
to seek the Lord, if perhaps they did feel after Him and find, -- though, indeed, He is not far from each one of us,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
that they shulde seke the LORDE, yf they mighte fele and fynde him. And truly he is not farre from euery one of vs.

Mace New Testament (1729)
by which they might enquire, and by due reflection investigate the supreme being, although he be not far from every one of us: for in him we live,

Simplified Cowboy Version
"The only thing God wants is for all cowboys to find the trail that leads to him and follow it. It ain't a hard trail to follow if a cowboy has the right heart.

Contextual Overview

²² Then Paul stood before the meeting of the Areopagus and said, "People of Athens, I can see you are very religious in all things. ²³ As I was going through your city, I saw the objects you worship. I found an altar that had these words written on it: to a god who is not known . You worship a god that you don't know, and this is the God I am telling you about! ²⁴ The God who made the whole world and everything in it is the Lord of the land and the sky. He does not live in temples built by human hands. ²⁵ This God is the One who gives life, breath, and everything else to people. He does not need any help from them; he has everything he needs. ²⁶ God began by making one person, and from him came all the different people who live everywhere in the world. God decided exactly when and where they must live. ²⁷ God wanted them to look for him and perhaps search all around for him and find him, though he is not far from any of us: ²⁸ ‘By his power we live and move and exist.' Some of your own poets have said: ‘For we are his children.' ²⁹ 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. ³⁰ In the past, people did not understand God, and he ignored this. But now, God tells all people in the world to change their hearts and lives. ³¹ God has set a day that he will judge all the world with fairness, by the man he chose long ago. And God has proved this to everyone by raising that man from the dead!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

they: Acts 15:17, Psalms 19:1-6, Romans 1:20, Romans 2:4

he be: Acts 14:17, 1 Kings 8:27, Psalms 139:1-13, Jeremiah 23:23, Jeremiah 23:24

Reciprocal: Zechariah 14:17 - all

Cross-References

Genesis 18:19
I have chosen him so he would command his children and his descendants to live the way the Lord wants them to, to live right and be fair. Then I, the Lord , will give Abraham what I promised him."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

That they should seek the Lord,.... Or "God", as the Alexandrian copy and others, and the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions read; their Creator, and kind Benefactor, and who has appointed their time of life, and their habitations for them; and this should engage them to seek to know him, who has done all this for them, and to fear and serve him, and to glorify his name:

if haply they might feel after him, and find him; which shows, that though it is possible for men, by a contemplation of the perfections of God, visible in the works of creation and providence, so to find God, as to know that there is one, and that there is but one God, who has made all things; and so as to be convinced of the vanity and falsehood of all other gods, and to see the folly, wickedness, and weakness of idolatrous worship; yet, at the same time, it very strongly intimates, how dim and obscure the light of nature is; since those, who have nothing else to direct them, are like persons in the dark, who "feel" and grope about after God, whom they cannot see; and after all their search and groping, there is only an "haply", a peradventure, a may be, that they find him:

though he be not far from everyone of us; not only by his omnipresence, and immensity, whereby he is everywhere; but by his power in supporting all in their being; and by his goodness in continually communicating the blessings of providence to them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

That they should seek the Lord - Greek: to seek the Lord. The design of thus placing them on the earth - of gang them their habitation among his works - was, that they should contemplate his wisdom in his works, and thus come to a knowledge of his existence and character. All nations, though living in different regions and climates, have thus the opportunity of becoming acquainted with God, Romans 1:19-20. The fact that the nations did not thus learn the character of the true God shows their great stupidity and wickedness. The design of Paul in this was doubtless to reprove the idolatry of the Athenians. The argument is this: “God has given to each nation its proper opportunity to learn his character. Idolatry, therefore, is folly and wickedness, since it is possible to find out the existence of the one God from his works.”

If haply - εἰ ἄρα γε ei ara ge. If perhaps - implying that it was possible to find God, though it might be attended with some difficulty. God has placed us here that we may make the trial, and has made it possible thus to find him.

They might feel after him - The word used here ψηλαφήσειαν psēlaphēseian means properly “to touch, to handle” Luke 24:39; Hebrews 12:18, and then to ascertain the qualities of an object by the sense of touch. And as the sense of touch is regarded as a certain way of ascertaining the existence and qualities of an object, the word means “to search diligently, so that we may know distinctly and certainly.” The word has this sense here. It means “to search diligently and accurately for God, to learn his existence and perfections.” The Syriac renders it, “That they may seek for God, and find him from his creatures.”

And find him - Find the proofs of his existence. Become acquainted with his perfections and laws.

Though he be not far ... - This seems to be stated by the apostle to show that it was possible to find him; and that even those who were without a revelation need not despair of becoming acquainted with his existence and perfections. He is near to us:

(1) Because the proofs of his existence and power are round about us everywhere, Psalms 19:1-6.

(2) Because he fills all things in heaven and earth by his essential presence, Psalms 139:7-10; Jeremiah 23:23-24; Amos 9:2-4; 1 Kings 8:27. We should learn then:

(1) To be afraid of sin. God is present with us, and sees all.

(2) He can protect the righteous. He is always with them.

(3) He can detect and punish the wicked. He sees all their plans and thoughts, and records all their doings.

(4) We should seek him continually. It is the design for which he has made us; and he has given us abundant opportunities to learn his existence and perfections.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 17:27. That they should seek the Lord — This is a conclusion drawn from the preceding statement. God, who is infinitely great and self-sufficient, has manifested himself as the maker of the world, the creator, preserver, and governor of men. He has assigned them their portion, and dispensed to them their habitations, and the various blessings of his providence, to the end that they should seek him in all his works.

Feel after him — ψηλαφησειαν αυτον, That they might grope after him, as a person does his way who is blind or blindfolded. The Gentiles, who had not a revelation, must grope after God, as the principle of spiritual life, that they might find him to be a Spirit, and the source of all intellectual happiness; and the apostle seems to state that none need despair of finding this fountain of goodness, because he is not far from every one of us.