Acts 17:28 For in Him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are His offspring.'

◄ Acts 17:28 ►

New International Version
For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

New Living Translation
For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

English Standard Version
for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

Berean Standard Bible
‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’

Berean Literal Bible
For in Him we live and move and are.' As also some of the poets among you have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

New American Standard Bible
for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’

NASB 1995
for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’

NASB 1977
for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring.’

Legacy Standard Bible
for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring.’

Amplified Bible
For in Him we live and move and exist [that is, in Him we actually have our being], as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’

Christian Standard Bible
For in him we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

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

Contemporary English Version
and he gives us the power to live, to move, and to be who we are. "We are his children," just as some of your poets have said.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Certainly, we live, move, and exist because of him. As some of your poets have said, 'We are God's children.'

Good News Translation
as someone has said, 'In him we live and move and exist.' It is as some of your poets have said, 'We too are his children.'

International Standard Version
For we live, move, and exist because of him, as some of your own poets have said: '…Since we are his children, too.'

Majority Standard Bible
?For in Him we live and move and have our being.? As some of your own poets have said, ?We are His offspring.?

NET Bible
For in him we live and move about and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we too are his offspring.'

New Heart English Bible
'For in him we live, and move, and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also his offspring.'

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

Weymouth New Testament
For it is in closest union with Him that we live and move and have our being; as in fact some of the poets in repute among yourselves have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

World English Bible
‘For in him we live, move, and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
for in Him we live, and move, and are; as certain of your poets have also said: For we are also His offspring.

Berean Literal Bible
For in Him we live and move and are.' As also some of the poets among you have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

Young's Literal Translation
for in Him we live, and move, and are; as also certain of your poets have said: For of Him also we are offspring.

Smith's Literal Translation
For in him we live, and move, and are; as certain of the composers among you have said, For we also are his race.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
For in him we live, and move, and are; as some also of your own poets said: For we are also his offspring.

Catholic Public Domain Version
‘For in him we live, and move, and exist.’ Just as some of your own poets have said. ‘For we are also of his family.’

New American Bible
For ‘In him we live and move and have our being,’ as even some of your poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’

New Revised Standard Version
For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as some of your own wise men have said, For we are his kindred.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“For it is by him that we have life and we move and exist; so also some of the wise men among you have said: “Our lineage is from him.”

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
For in him we live, and move, and have our being: as also some of your own poets have said: For we his offspring are.

Godbey New Testament
For in him we live and move and have our being, as indeed certain ones of your own poets have said, For we are truly his offspring.

Haweis New Testament
for from him we derive life, and power of motion, and existence; as also some of your own poets have said, ?For we are even his offspring.?

Mace New Testament
are moved, and do exist: even as some of your own poets have said, WE ARE EVEN HIS OFFSPRING.

Weymouth New Testament
For it is in closest union with Him that we live and move and have our being; as in fact some of the poets in repute among yourselves have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

Worrell New Testament
for in Him we live, and move, and are; as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His offspring.'

Worsley New Testament
For in Him we live and move, and exist; as some also of your own poets have said, "For we his offspring are."

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Paul Before the Areopagus
…27God 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. 28‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘ We are His offspring.’ 29Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

John 1:3
Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.

Colossians 1:16-17
For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. / He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Romans 11:36
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

1 Corinthians 8:6
yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.

Ephesians 4:6
one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Job 12:10
The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.

Psalm 36:9
For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.

Isaiah 42:5
This is what God the LORD says—He who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives breath to the people on it and life to those who walk in it:

Isaiah 45:18
For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens—He is God; He formed the earth and fashioned it; He established it; He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited: “I am the LORD, and there is no other.

Jeremiah 10:10
But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and eternal King. The earth quakes at His wrath, and the nations cannot endure His indignation.

Daniel 5:23
Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.

Genesis 2:7
Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.

Deuteronomy 30:20
and that you may love the LORD your God, obey Him, and hold fast to Him. For He is your life, and He will prolong your life in the land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Psalm 104:29-30
When You hide Your face, they are terrified; when You take away their breath, they die and return to dust. / When You send Your Spirit, they are created, and You renew the face of the earth.

Treasury of Scripture

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.

in him.

1 Samuel 25:29
Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.

Job 12:10
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

Psalm 36:9
For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

as.

Titus 1:12
One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

we are.

Luke 3:38
Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

Hebrews 12:9
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

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Acts 17

1. Paul preaches at Thessalonica, where some believe,
5. and others persecute him.
10. He is sent to Berea, and preaches there.
13. Being persecuted by Jews from Thessalonica,
16. he comes to Athens, and disputes and preaches the living God, to them unknown;
32. whereby, though some mock, many are converted unto Christ.

Berean Study Bible

For in Him
This phrase emphasizes the centrality of God in the existence of all creation. The Greek preposition "ἐν" (en) suggests a profound union and dependence. In a conservative Christian perspective, this underscores the belief that God is not distant but intimately involved in the life of every believer. The phrase invites reflection on the omnipresence and sustaining power of God, affirming that all aspects of life are encompassed by His divine presence.

we live
The Greek word "ζῶμεν" (zōmen) is derived from "ζάω" (zaō), meaning to live or to be alive. This indicates not just physical life but a spiritual vitality that comes from being in relationship with God. In a historical context, this would contrast with the pagan view of gods who were often seen as detached from human affairs. For Christians, this affirms that true life is found in Christ, who is the source of both physical and eternal life.

and move
The term "κινούμεθα" (kinoumetha) comes from "κινέω" (kineō), meaning to set in motion or to cause to move. This suggests that all actions and movements are under God's sovereign control. From a conservative viewpoint, this highlights the belief in God's providence, where every step and decision is guided by His will. It reassures believers that their paths are directed by a loving and purposeful God.

and have our being
The phrase "καὶ ἐσμέν" (kai esmen) translates to "and we are," indicating existence itself. The Greek root "εἰμί" (eimi) means to be or to exist. This speaks to the essence of human identity being rooted in God. Historically, this would challenge the Greek philosophical idea of self-sufficiency, asserting instead that all existence is contingent upon God. For Christians, it is a reminder that their identity and purpose are found in Him.

As some of your own poets have said
Paul references Greek poets to connect with his Athenian audience, showing that even their own cultural insights point to a truth about God. This approach demonstrates the apostle's skill in contextualizing the Gospel message. It serves as an example for believers to engage with culture thoughtfully, finding common ground to share the truth of Christ.

‘We are His offspring.’
The phrase "τοῦ γὰρ καὶ γένος ἐσμέν" (tou gar kai genos esmen) translates to "for we are also His offspring." The word "γένος" (genos) means race or kind, indicating a familial relationship with God. This concept is rooted in the biblical teaching that humans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). In a conservative Christian view, this affirms the inherent dignity and value of every person, as well as the call to live in a way that reflects our divine heritage. It is a powerful reminder of the intimate relationship God desires with His creation.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(28) For in him we live, and move, and have our being.--Better, we live, and are moved, and are. Each of the verbs used has a definite philosophical significance. The first points to our animal life; the second--from which is derived the Greek word used by ethical writers for passions, such as fear, love, hate, and the like--not, as the English verb suggests, to man's power of bodily motion in space, but to our emotional nature; the third, to that which constitutes our true essential being, the intellect and will of man. What the words express is not merely the Omnipresence of the Deity; they tell us that the power for every act and sensation and thought comes from Him. They set forth what we may venture to call the true element of Pantheism, the sense of a "presence interposed," as in nature, "in the light of setting suns," so yet more in man. As a Latin poet had sung, whose works may have been known to the speaker, the hearers, and the historian:--

"Deum namque ire per omnes

Terras que tractusque maris, ccelumque profundum,

Hinc pecudes, armenta, viros, genus omne ferarum,

Quemque sibi tenues nascentem arcessere vitas,

Scilicet hinc reddi deinde ac resoluta referri,

Omnia; nec morti esse locum sed viva volare

Sideris in numerum atque alto succedere caelo."

["God permeates all lands, all tracts of sea,

And the vast heaven. From Him all flocks and herds,

And men, and creatures wild, draw, each apart,

Their subtle life. To Him they all return, . . .

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 28. - Even for also, A.V. For in him, etc. This is the proof that we have not far to go to find God, Our very life and being, every movement we make as living persons, is a proof that God is near, nay, more than near, that he is with us and round about us, quickening us with his own life, upholding us by his own power, sustaining the being that we derive from him (comp. Psalm 139:7, etc.; Psalms 23:4). Certain even of your own poets; viz. Arstus of Tarsus (), who has the exact words quoted by St. Paul, and Cleanthes of Asses (), who has Ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ γένος ἐσμέν. As he had just defended himself from the imputation of introducing foreign gods by referring to an Athenian altar, so now, for the same purpose, he quotes one of their own Greek poets. (For the statement that man is the offspring of God, comp. Luke 3:38.)

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

‘For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

in
Ἐν (En)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

Him
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

we live
ζῶμεν (zōmen)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 2198: To live, be alive. A primary verb; to live.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

move
κινούμεθα (kinoumetha)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 2795: To set in motion, move, remove, excite, stir up. From kio; to stir, literally or figuratively.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

have our being.’
ἐσμέν (esmen)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

As
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

some
τινες (tines)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5100: Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.

of your
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

[own]
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

poets
ποιητῶν (poiētōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 4163: (a) a maker, poet, (b) a doer, carrier out, performer. From poieo; a performer; specially, a 'poet'.

have said,
εἰρήκασιν (eirēkasin)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2046: Probably a fuller form of rheo; an alternate for epo in certain tenses; to utter, i.e. Speak or say.

‘We are
ἐσμέν (esmen)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

[His]
Τοῦ (Tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

offspring.’
γένος (genos)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1085: Offspring, family, race, nation, kind. From ginomai; 'kin'.

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NT Apostles: Acts 17:28 For in him we live and move (Acts of the Apostles Ac)