Acts 17:29

Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

`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;

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Γένος οὖν ὑπάρχοντες τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὐκ ὀφείλομεν νομίζειν χρυσῷ, ἢ ἀργύρῳ, ἢ λίθῳ, χαράγματι τέχνης καὶ ἐνθυμήσεως ἀνθρώπου τὸ θεῖον εἶναι ὅμοιον.

Transliteration

Genos oun hyparchontes of the Theou, not we opheilomen to nomizein chrysō, or argyrō, or lithō, charagmati of technēs and enthymēseōs of anthrōpou the theion to einai homoion.

Grammar Details

• *Genos*: nominative singular neuter - offspring/kind
• *oun*: inferential particle - therefore
• *hyparchontes*: present active participle, nominative plural masculine - being/existing
• *Theou*: genitive singular masculine - of God
• *opheilomen*: present active indicative, 1st person plural - we ought
• *nomizein*: present active infinitive - to think/suppose
• *chrysō*: dative singular masculine - with gold
• *argyrō*: dative singular masculine - with silver
• *lithō*: dative singular masculine - with stone
• *charagmati*: dative singular neuter - with carving/sculpture
• *technēs*: genitive singular feminine - of art/skill
• *enthymēseōs*: genitive singular feminine - of thought/reflection
• *anthrōpou*: genitive singular masculine - of human
• *theion*: accusative singular neuter - divine nature/deity
• *einai*: present active infinitive - to be
• *homoion*: accusative singular neuter - like/similar

Word Meanings

• *Genos*: offspring/race/descendants
• *hyparchontes*: being/existing/belonging as
• *opheilomen*: we ought/we should/we are obligated
• *nomizein*: to think/suppose/consider
• *charagmati*: carving/sculpture/engraved work
• *technēs*: art/skill/craft
• *enthymēseōs*: thought/reflection/imagination
• *theion*: divine nature/deity/godhead
• *homoion*: like/similar/resembling

Referenced Verses

• Exod 20:4 : 4 `Thou dost not make to thyself a graven image, or any likeness which `is' in the heavens above, or which `is' in the earth beneath, or which `is' in the waters under the earth.
• Exod 32:4 : 4 and he receiveth from their hand, and doth fashion it with a graving tool, and doth make it a molten calf, and they say, `These thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.'
• Ps 94:7-9 : 7 And they say, `Jehovah doth not see, And the God of Jacob doth not consider.' 8 Consider, ye brutish among the people, And ye foolish, when do ye act wisely? 9 He who planteth the ear doth He not hear? He who formeth the eye doth He not see?
• Ps 106:20 : 20 And change their Honour Into the form of an ox eating herbs.
• Ps 115:4-8 : 4 Their idols `are' silver and gold, work of man's hands, 5 A mouth they have, and they speak not, Eyes they have, and they see not, 6 Ears they have, and they hear not, A nose they have, and they smell not, 7 Their hands, but they handle not, Their feet, and they walk not; 8 Nor do they mutter through their throat, Like them are their makers, Every one who is trusting in them.
• Isa 40:12-20 : 12 Who hath measured in the hollow of his hand the waters? And the heavens by a span hath meted out, And comprehended in a measure the dust of the earth, And hath weighed in scales the mountains, And the hills in a balance? 13 Who hath meted out the Spirit of Jehovah, And, `being' His counsellor, doth teach Him! 14 With whom consulted He, That he causeth Him to understand? And teacheth Him in the path of judgment, And teacheth Him knowledge? And the way of understanding causeth Him to know? 15 Lo, nations as a drop from a bucket, And as small dust of the balance, have been reckoned, Lo, isles as a small thing He taketh up. 16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt-offering. 17 All the nations `are' as nothing before Him, Less than nothing and emptiness, They have been reckoned to Him. 18 And unto whom do ye liken God, And what likeness do ye compare to Him? 19 The graven image poured out hath a artizan, And a refiner with gold spreadeth it over, And chains of silver he is refining. 20 He who is poor `by' heave-offerings, A tree not rotten doth choose, A skilful artizan he seeketh for it, To establish a graven image -- not moved.
• Isa 44:9-9 : 9 Framers of a graven image `are' all of them emptiness, And their desirable things do not profit, And their own witnesses they `are', They see not, nor know, that they may be ashamed. 10 Who hath formed a god, And a molten image poured out -- not profitable? 11 Lo, all his companions are ashamed, As to artizans -- they `are' of men, All of them gather together, they stand up, They fear, they are ashamed together. 12 He hath wrought iron `with' an axe, And hath wrought with coals, And with hammers doth form it, And doth work it by his powerful arm, Yea, he is hungry, and there is no power, He doth not drink water, and he is wearied. 13 He hath wrought `with' wood, He hath stretched out a rule, He doth mark it out with a line, He maketh it with carving tools, And with a compass he marketh it out, And maketh it according to the form of a man, According to the beauty of a man, To remain in the house. 14 Cutting down to himself cedars, He taketh also a cypress, and an oak, And he strengtheneth `it' for himself Among the trees of a forest, He hath planted an ash, and the shower doth nourish `it'. 15 And it hath been for man to burn, And he taketh of them, and becometh warm, Yea, he kindleth `it', and hath baked bread, Yea, he maketh a god, and boweth himself, He hath made it a graven image, And he falleth down to it. 16 Half of it he hath burnt in the fire, By `this' half of it he eateth flesh, He roasteth a roasting, and is satisfied, Yea, he is warm, and saith: `Aha, I have become warm, I have enjoyed the light. 17 And its remnant for a god he hath made -- For his graven image, He falleth down to it, and worshippeth, And prayeth unto it, and he saith, `Deliver me, for my god thou `art'.' 18 They have not known, nor do they understand, For He hath daubed their eyes from seeing, Their heart from acting wisely. 19 And none doth turn `it' back unto his heart, Nor hath knowledge nor understanding to say, `Half of it I have burned in the fire, Yea, also, I have baked bread over its coals, I roast flesh and I eat, And its remnant for an abomination I make, To the stock of a tree I fall down.' 20 Feeding on ashes, the heart is deceived, It hath turned him aside, And he delivereth not his soul, nor saith: `Is there not a lie in my right hand?'
• Isa 46:5-6 : 5 To whom do ye liken Me, and make equal? And compare Me, that we may be like? 6 -- They are pouring out gold from a bag, And silver on the beam they weigh, They hire a refiner, and he maketh it a god, They fall down, yea, they bow themselves.
• Hab 2:19-20 : 19 Wo `to' him who is saying to wood, `Awake,' `Stir up,' to a dumb stone, It a teacher! lo, it is overlaid -- gold and silver, And there is no spirit in its midst. 20 And Jehovah `is' in His holy temple, Be silent before Him, all the earth!
• Rom 1:20-23 : 20 for the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world, by the things made being understood, are plainly seen, both His eternal power and Godhead -- to their being inexcusable; 21 because, having known God they did not glorify `Him' as God, nor gave thanks, but were made vain in their reasonings, and their unintelligent heart was darkened, 22 professing to be wise, they were made fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of fowls, and of quadrupeds, and of reptiles.
• Jer 10:4-9 : 4 With silver and with gold they beautify it, With nails and with hammers they fix it, And it doth not stumble. 5 As a palm they `are' stiff, and they speak not, They are surely borne, for they step not, Be not afraid of them, for they do no evil, Yea, also to do good is not in them. 6 Because there is none like Thee, O Jehovah, Great `art' Thou, and great Thy name in might. 7 Who doth not fear Thee, king of the nations? For to Thee it is becoming, For among all the wise of the nations, And in all their kingdom there is none like Thee. 8 And in one they are brutish and foolish, An instruction of vanities `is' the tree itself. 9 Spread-out silver from Tarshish is brought, And gold from Uphaz, Work of an artizan, and of the hands of a refiner, Blue and purple `is' their clothing, Work of the skilful -- all of them. 10 And Jehovah `is' a God of truth, He `is' a living God, and a king age-during, From His wrath shake doth the earth, And nations endure not His indignation.
• Isa 40:25 : 25 And unto whom do ye liken Me, And `am' I equal? saith the Holy One.