Acts 17:29New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— “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.
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— 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.
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— 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.
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— 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.
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— 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.
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— 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.
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— 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.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— '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;
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— 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.
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— 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.
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— 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.
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— Now therefore, man, being of the family of God, is not bound to worship resemblances made of gold or silver or stone shapen by the skill and knowledge of man into resemblances of the Deity.
John Etheridge Peshitta-Aramaic NT (1849)
— 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.
James Murdock Peshitta-Aramaic NT (1852)
— 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 |
Forasmuch then
3767 {3767} Primeοὖνoun{oon}
Apparently a primary word; (adverbially) certainly, or (conjugationally) accordingly.
as we are
5225 {5225} Primeὑπάρχωhuparcho{hoop-ar'-kho}
From G5259 and G0756; to begin under ( quietly), that is, come into existence ( be present or at hand); expletively, to exist (as copula or subordinate to an adjective, participle, adverb or preposition, or as auxilliary to principal verb).
z5723 <5723> Grammar
Tense - Present (See G5774) Voice - Active (See G5784) Mood - Participle (See G5796) Count - 2549
the offspring
1085 {1085} Primeγένοςgenos{ghen'-os}
From G1096; 'kin' (abstractly or concretely, literally or figuratively, individually or collectively).
of God,
2316 {2316} Primeθεόςtheos{theh'-os}
Of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with G3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively a magistrate; by Hebraism very.
we ought
3784 {3784} Primeὀφείλωopheilo{of-i'-lo}
Including its prolonged form (second form) used in certain tenses. Probably from the base of G3786 (through the idea of accruing); to owe (pecuniarily); figuratively to be under obligation ( ought, must, should); morally to fail in duty.
z5719 <5719> Grammar
Tense - Present (See G5774) Voice - Active (See G5784) Mood - Indicative (See G5791) Count - 3019
not
3756 {3756} Primeοὐou{oo}
A primary word; the absolutely negative (compare G3361) adverb; no or not.
to think
3543 {3543} Primeνομίζωnomizo{nom-id'-zo}
From G3551; properly to do by law ( usage), that is, to accustom (passively be usual); by extension to deem or regard.
z5721 <5721> Grammar
Tense - Present (See G5774) Voice - Active (See G5784) Mood - Infinitive (See G5795) Count - 647
that the
x3588 (3588) Complementὁho{ho}
The masculine, feminine (second) and neuter (third) forms, in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom).
Godhead
2304 {2304} Primeθεῖοςtheios{thi'-os}
From G2316; godlike (neuter as noun, divinity).
is
1511 {1511} Primeεἶναιeinai{i'-nahee}
Present infinitive from G1510; to exist.
z5750 <5750> Grammar
Tense - Present (See G5774) Voice - No Voice Stated (See G5799) Mood - Infinitive (See G5795) Count - 135
like
y3664 [3664] Standardὅμοιοςhomoios{hom'-oy-os}
From the base of G3674; similar (in appearance or character).
unto
x3664 (3664) Complementὅμοιοςhomoios{hom'-oy-os}
From the base of G3674; similar (in appearance or character).
gold,
5557 {5557} Primeχρυσόςchrusos{khroo-sos'}
Perhaps from the base of G5530 (through the idea of the utility of the metal); gold; by extension a golden article, as an ornament or coin.
or
2228 {2228} Primeἤe{ay}
A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.
silver,
696 {0696} Primeἄργυροςarguros{ar'-goo-ros}
From ἀργός [[argos]] ( shining); silver (the metal, in the articles or coin).
or
2228 {2228} Primeἤe{ay}
A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.
stone,
3037 {3037} Primeλίθοςlithos{lee'-thos}
Apparently a primary word; a stone (literally or figuratively).
graven
5480 {5480} Primeχάραγμαcharagma{khar'-ag-mah}
From the same as G5482; a scratch or etching, that is, stamp (as a badge of servitude), or sculptured figure ( statue).
by art
5078 {5078} Primeτέχνηtechne{tekh'-nay}
From the base of G5088; art (as productive), that is, (specifically) a trade, or (generally) skill.
and
2532 {2532} Primeκαίkai{kahee}
Apparently a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so, then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words.
man's
444 {0444} Primeἄνθρωποςanthropos{anth'-ro-pos}
From G0435 and ὤψ [[ops]] (the countenance; from G3700); manfaced, that is, a human being.
device.
1761 {1761} Primeἐνθύμησιςenthumesis{en-thoo'-may-sis}
From G1760; deliberation. |
Acts 17:29
_ _ Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think — The courtesy of this language is worthy of notice.
_ _ that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device — (“graven by the art or device of man”). One can hardly doubt that the apostle would here point to those matchless monuments of the plastic art, in gold and silver and costliest stone, which lay so profusely beneath and around him. The more intelligent pagan Greeks no more pretended that these sculptured gods and goddesses were real deities, or even their actual likenesses, than Romanist Christians do their images; and Paul doubtless knew this; yet here we find him condemning all such efforts visibly to represent the invisible God. How shamefully inexcusable then are the Greek and Roman churches in paganizing the worship of the Christian Church by the encouragement of pictures and images in religious service! (In the eighth century, the second council of Nicea decreed that the image of God was as proper an object of worship as God Himself). |
Acts 17:29
We ought not to think — A tender expression especially in the first per son plural. As if he had said, Can God himself be a less noble being than we who are his offspring? Nor does he only here deny, that these are like God, but that they have any analogy to him at all, so as to be capable of representing him. |
Acts 17:29
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, (q) graven by art and man's device.
(q) Which things (gold, silver, and stones) are custom engraved as much as a man's mind can devise, for men will not worship those things as they are, unless by some art it has formed into an image of some sort. |
- we ought:
Psalms 94:7-9 Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard [it]. ... He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
Psalms 106:20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.
Psalms 115:4-8 Their idols [are] silver and gold, the work of men's hands. ... They that make them are like unto them; [so is] every one that trusteth in them.
Isaiah 40:12-18 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? ... To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
Isaiah 44:9-20 They that make a graven image [are] all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they [are] their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. ... He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, [Is there] not a lie in my right hand?
Habakkuk 2:19-20 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it [is] laid over with gold and silver, and [there is] no breath at all in the midst of it. ... But the LORD [is] in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
Romans 1:20-23 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: ... And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
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- graven:
Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or 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:
Exodus 32:4 And he received [them] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Isaiah 46:5-6 To whom will ye liken me, and make [me] equal, and compare me, that we may be like? ... They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, [and] hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.
Jeremiah 10:4-10 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. ... But the LORD [is] the true God, he [is] the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
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