The introductory expression he did this refers back to God’s creation of all the races of men. It may be necessary to specify this—for example, “he created them so that….”

In this clause perhaps find him as they felt around for him, both verbs are understood to express either an obtainable possibility (Good News Translation, An American Translation*, Moffatt, New English Bible) or an obtainable wish (Revised Standard Version, Phillips, Barclay). An expression for felt around for him may come from the activity of blind persons feeling around in order to identify some object or so as to determine where they are.

Yet God is actually not far from any one of us translates a participial clause which in Greek denotes concession: “although (or, even though) God is not far.” The particle yet is extremely important at this point, and it may be necessary to employ some such expression as “on the other hand” or “but in contrast with this.”

The first person plural expressions in verses 27, 28, and 29 are, of course, inclusive.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .