Acts 17 · Verse 27

Acts 17:27

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, King James Version

Acts 17:27 in other translations

BSBGod 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.
WEBthat 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.
ASVthat they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us:
YLTto seek the Lord, if perhaps they did feel after Him and find, --though, indeed, He is not far from each one of us,
DARBYthat they may seek God; if indeed they might feel after him and find him, although he is not far from each one of us:
BBESo 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:
WebsterThat 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:

What does Acts 17:27 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 17:26-27

26-27. and hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth--Holding with the Old Testament teaching, that in the blood is the life (Ge 9:4; Le 17:11; De 12:23), the apostle sees this life stream of the whole human race to be one, flowing from one source [Baumgarten]. and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation--The apostle here opposes both…

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Barnes' Notes
Verse 27. That they should seek the Lord. Gr., To seek the Lord. The design of thus placing them on the earth--of giving 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, Rom 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. ειαραγε. 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--ψηλαφησειαν means, properly, to touch, to handle, Lk 24:39, Heb 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, 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, etc. 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, Ps 19:1-6.

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

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

(2.) He can protect the righteous. He is ever 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.

(*) "haply" "possible" (**) "feel after him" "search" (a) "he be not far" Acts 14:16

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 17:22-31

Here we have a sermon to heathens, who worshipped false gods, and were without the true God in the world; and to them the scope of the discourse was different from what the apostle preached to the Jews. In the latter case, his business was to lead his hearers by prophecies and miracles to the knowledge of the Redeemer, and faith in him; in the former, it was to lead them, by the common works of providence, to know…

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Acts 17:27 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ζητεῖνzēteinto seekG2212
τὸνton<the>G3588
θεόν,theonGod,G2316
εἰeiifG1487
ἄραaraperhapsG686
γεgeindeedG1065
ψηλαφήσειανpsēlaphēseianthey would touchG5584
αὐτὸνautonHimG846
καὶkaiandG2532
εὕροιεν,heuroienwould find [Him],G2147
καίkaiAndG2532
γεgeindeedG1065
οὐounotG3756
μακρὰνmakranfarG3112
ἀπὸapofromG575
ἑνὸςhenosoneG1520
ἑκάστουhekastoueachG1538
ἡμῶνhēmōnof usG3165
ὑπάρχοντα.huparchontaHe is.G5225

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 17:27

  • Jeremiah 23:23-24

    Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.

  • Deuteronomy 4:7

    For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?

  • Romans 1:20

    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:

  • Acts 14:17

    Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

  • Psalms 19:1-6

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, …

  • Romans 2:4

    Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

  • Acts 15:17

    That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

  • Psalms 139:1-13

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. …

  • 1 Kings 8:27

    But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
they.
15:17; Ps 19:1-6; Ro 1:20; 2:4
he be.
14:17; 1Ki 8:27; Ps 139:1-13; Jer 23:23,24

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 17:26

    And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

  • Acts 17:27

    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 17:28

    For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Read all of Acts 17

Acts 17:27 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Para que buscasen á Dios, si en alguna manera, palpando, le hallen; aunque cierto no está lejos de cada uno de nosotros:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		pour qu’ils cherchent Dieu, s’ils pourraient en quelque sorte le toucher en tâtonnant et le trouver, quoiqu’il ne soit pas loin de chacun de nous;
German
Elberfelder 1871		daß sie Gott suchen, ob sie ihn wohl tastend fühlen und finden möchten, obgleich er nicht fern ist von einem jeden von uns.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		quærere Deum si forte attrectent eum, aut inveniant, quamvis non longe sit ab unoquoque nostrum.