24
The Godὁ θεὸςwho madeὁ ποιήσαςthe worldτὸν κόσμονandκαὶall thingsπάντα τὰinἐνit,αὐτῷhe,οὗτοςbeingὑπάρχωνLordκύριοςof heavenοὐρανοῦandκαὶearth,γῆςdoes notοὐκdwellκατοικεῖinἐνsanctuariesναοῖςmade by hands,χειροποιήτοις
Acts 17:24
Study it in the app“The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by hands,”
Paul in Athens: God needs no temples and is not far from anyoneWho God Is
With the Greek beneath
Acts 17:24, word by word
- The Godθεὸςtheos
God
The Creator and Lord of all, the one God of Israel.
Where else “theos” appears- who madeποιήσαςpoiēsas
make
To bring something into being: to make or create it.
Where else “poiēsas” appears- the worldκόσμονkosmon
creation
Everything God made.
Where else “kosmon” appears- beingὑπάρχωνhyparchōn
be
To exist, or to be already in a condition.
Where else “hyparchōn” appears- Lordκύριοςkyrios
Lord
The Lord: God, whose name is YHWH; also Jesus.
Where else “kyrios” appears- of heavenοὐρανοῦouranou
sky
The vault we see above the earth, where birds fly and the stars are.
Where else “ouranou” appears- earthγῆςgēs
earth
The whole earth under heaven, where human beings live.
Where else “gēs” appears- dwellκατοικεῖkatoikei
dwell, live
Dwell, live in a place, inhabit.
Where else “katoikei” appears- sanctuariesναοῖςnaois
sanctuary
God's house inside the temple.
Where else “naois” appears- made by handsχειροποιήτοιςcheiropoiētois
made by hands
Made by human hands.
Where else “cheiropoiētois” appears
The context
23For as I was passing through and observing your objects of worship, I found also an altar on which had been inscribed, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship without knowing it, this I proclaim to you.
24 · This verse (above)
25nor is he served by human hands, as though needing anything, since he himself gives to all life and breath and all things;
To study Acts 17 in a group
1. What it says
What did the people of Berea do with what Paul said, and what came of it? (vv. 10-12)
2. What it means
In Athens, Paul starts from the altar "to an unknown god" (vv. 22-23). Why does he begin with something they already knew?
3. How I live it
When talking with someone who thinks differently, how can you start from what you share and listen with respect?