Acts 17:25

Authorized King James Version

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Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

Original Language Analysis

οὐδὲ Neither G3761
οὐδὲ Neither
Strong's: G3761
Word #: 1 of 15
not however, i.e., neither, nor, not even
ὑπὸ with G5259
ὑπὸ with
Strong's: G5259
Word #: 2 of 15
under, i.e., (with the genitive case) of place (beneath), or with verbs (the agency or means, through); (with the accusative case) of place (whither (
χειρῶν hands G5495
χειρῶν hands
Strong's: G5495
Word #: 3 of 15
the hand (literally or figuratively (power); especially (by hebraism) a means or instrument)
ἀνθρώπων men's G444
ἀνθρώπων men's
Strong's: G444
Word #: 4 of 15
man-faced, i.e., a human being
θεραπεύεται is worshipped G2323
θεραπεύεται is worshipped
Strong's: G2323
Word #: 5 of 15
to wait upon menially, i.e., (figuratively) to adore (god), or (specially) to relieve (of disease)
προσδεόμενός as though he needed G4326
προσδεόμενός as though he needed
Strong's: G4326
Word #: 6 of 15
to require additionally, i.e., want further
τινος any thing G5100
τινος any thing
Strong's: G5100
Word #: 7 of 15
some or any person or object
αὐτὸς seeing he G846
αὐτὸς seeing he
Strong's: G846
Word #: 8 of 15
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
διδοὺς giveth G1325
διδοὺς giveth
Strong's: G1325
Word #: 9 of 15
to give (used in a very wide application, properly, or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection)
πάντα· all things G3956
πάντα· all things
Strong's: G3956
Word #: 10 of 15
all, any, every, the whole
ζωὴν life G2222
ζωὴν life
Strong's: G2222
Word #: 11 of 15
life (literally or figuratively)
καὶ and G2532
καὶ and
Strong's: G2532
Word #: 12 of 15
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
πνοὴν breath G4157
πνοὴν breath
Strong's: G4157
Word #: 13 of 15
respiration, a breeze
κατὰ and G2596
κατὰ and
Strong's: G2596
Word #: 14 of 15
(prepositionally) down (in place or time), in varied relations (according to the case (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined)
πάντα· all things G3956
πάντα· all things
Strong's: G3956
Word #: 15 of 15
all, any, every, the whole

Analysis & Commentary

Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing—Paul dismantles pagan anthropomorphism at Mars Hill. The Greek therapeuō (θεραπεύω) means 'to serve' or 'attend to,' carrying connotations of nursing the sick. Pagan temples housed idols requiring daily food offerings, ritual washing, and maintenance, as if deity needed human care. Paul declares God's complete autarkeia (self-sufficiency)—a concept Stoic philosophers prized but failed to connect to the living Creator.

Seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things—The order is precise: zōē (ζωή, life), pnoē (πνοή, breath), and panta (πάντα, all things). God is not recipient but universal Giver. This echoes Genesis 2:7 and Isaiah 42:5, establishing that the Creator-creature distinction makes worship of handmade gods absurd. The Athenians 'served' deaf idols while the true God sustains every heartbeat and breath of His worshippers—a complete inversion of pagan cultic logic.

Historical Context

Paul delivered this address around AD 50-51 at the Areopagus in Athens, a philosophical center with temples to countless deities. Greek religion involved elaborate temple rituals where priests 'cared for' divine images. The Parthenon, visible from where Paul stood, housed a 40-foot gold and ivory statue of Athena requiring constant maintenance—the epitome of what Paul critiqued.

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