Paragraph 17:29–31
17:29a
Therefore, being offspring of God: Here Paul restated what he said in 17:28b (“we are His offspring”) and used it as a basis for the conclusion he gave in 17:29b–c. The word Therefore introduces that conclusion. Other ways to translate this clause are:
Being then God’s offspring, (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Indeed we are God’s offspring, therefore
-or-
Since we are God’s children (Good News Translation)
17:29b–c
we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone: The gold, silver, or stone statues may be beautiful, or even awesome in an earthly, natural way. But God is not like that. He is an all-knowing, all-powerful spirit. He does not share the characteristics of gold, silver, or stone. Other ways to translate this clause are:
we ought not to imagine God in terms of gold or silver or stone (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
we should not suppose that his nature is anything like an image of gold or silver or stone (Good News Translation)
-or-
you must not think that God is like something that people imagine or make from gold, silver, or rock (New Century Version)
17:29b
the Divine Being: This phrase refers to the characteristics of being God. It refers to the kind of being he is and what he does. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
his nature (Good News Translation)
-or-
his being God
-or-
the kind of being that he/God is
17:29c
gold: Gold is a rare metal of a somewhat yellow color. It was the most expensive metal at that time. It is naturally shiny and beautiful. Below is a picture of a gold coin made in the Roman era of Caesar Augustus.
Some languages do not have a word for gold. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Use the common language word. If people in your language are not familiar with gold, you may want to explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Gold is a rare metal of a somewhat yellow color. It was the most expensive metal at that time. It is naturally shiny and beautiful.
• Use the word for something in your language that is valuable and beautiful. You may then want to explain the literal word in a footnote, using the common language word. An example footnote is:
Literally “gold.” Gold is a rare metal of a somewhat yellow color. It was the most expensive metal at that time. It is naturally shiny and beautiful.
silver: Silver is a somewhat rare metal of a gray color. It was less expensive than gold but more expensive than other metals at that time. It is shiny when polished.
Some languages do not have a word for silver. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Use the common language word. If people in your language are not familiar with silver, you may want to explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Silver is a somewhat rare metal of a gray color. It was less expensive than gold but more expensive than other metals at that time. It is shiny when polished.
• Use the word for something in your language that is somewhat valuable and beautiful. You may then want to explain the literal word in a footnote, using the common language word. An example footnote is:
Literally “silver.” Silver is a somewhat rare metal of a gray color. It was less expensive than gold but more expensive than other metals at that time. It is shiny when polished.
an image formed by man’s skill and imagination: This is the fourth thing that people should not think that the divine being is like. It also tells the reader more about the “gold or silver or stone” of 17:29c. Altogether the verse refers to images made of gold, silver, or stone. For example:
27b–cwe should not suppose that his nature is anything like an image of gold or silver or stone (Good News Translation)
image: This word refers to something that represents something else in appearance. Since people did not know what the gods looked like, they made statues, carvings, or pictures of men and women. Then they said that the images (the statues, carvings, or paintings) represented the gods. Other ways to translate this word are:
representation (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
statue
-or-
idol (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
looks like anything in gold, silver or stone that has been carved and designed by a man (New Jerusalem Bible)
formed by man’s skill and imagination: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:
that people designed and skillfully formed
imagination: This word refers to people thinking and planning how to make something. Other ways to translate this word are:
design (New International Version)
-or-
thought (New American Standard Bible)
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