The phrase "feel their way toward him" vividly captures how the Gentiles, without direct revelation, were like someone fumbling in the dark for a God they sensed but couldn't clearly see. This highlights that even this dim groping, though imperfect and uncertain, pointed to a real divine presence so close that true discovery was actually possible.
that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 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.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is addressing the Athenians at the Areopagus, a place where philosophical discussions were held. Having pointed out their ignorance by their altar to an "Unknown God," he now explains that creation itself reveals God's existence and providential care. This verse transitions into his explanation that despite their idolatry and ignorance, God is not truly distant, and they have the capacity to seek and find Him through the evidence around them and within them.
Imagine fumbling in complete darkness, trying to find a hidden object. That's the picture Paul paints of humanity's natural state before finding God.
Paul uses the vivid image of 'feeling after' God, a term that evokes groping in the dark. This isn't about a complete lack of seeking, but about an uncertain, often fumbling, search.
Even in our fumbling search, Paul offers an astonishing truth: God isn't distant or playing hard to get. He's intimately present with us.
The powerful conclusion of verse 27 is that God is 'actually not far from each one of us.' This isn't just a general statement about God's omnipresence, but a profound comfort and challenge:
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Understand the original words
zēteō · Greek Verb
To try to find or discover something by searching; often used in Scripture to describe a sincere, sometimes difficult pursuit of God.
genos · Greek Noun
Describes a state of being related by birth or descent; here used to denote human beings as created by God and bearing His image.
Paul's words in Athens weren't just abstract theology; they were a direct engagement with the intellectual world of his day. He met the philosophers where they were, using their own cultural references to point them toward the true God, who is intimately present and knowable, not distant or unknown.
c. 6th century BC
Rise of Greek Philosophy
Schools of thought like Stoicism and Epicureanism emerge in Athens, focusing on reason, ethics, and the nature of existence. These philosophies, while varied, grappled with questions about God and human purpose.
c. 3rd century BC
Aratus and Cleanthes
Poets like Aratus and Cleanthes write influential works, including hymns and poems that speak of a divine power or supreme being, sometimes acknowledging human dependence on this higher power.
c. 46 BC
Paul's Birth
Saul of Tarsus, later known as the Apostle Paul, is born. He would become a key figure in spreading Christianity throughout the Roman Empire.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
The central event of Christianity occurs in Jerusalem. The resurrection of Jesus marks the beginning of the early Christian movement.
c. AD 44-49
Paul's Missionary Journeys Begin
Paul embarks on his extensive missionary journeys, taking the Christian message to various cities and cultures within the Roman Empire, including Greece.
c. AD 50— this verse
Paul's Visit to Athens
Paul visits Athens and, in the Areopagus, engages with Stoic and Epicurean philosophers. He uses their philosophical ideas and poetic references to introduce them to the God of the Bible.
c. AD 57-59
Paul's Imprisonment
Paul is likely imprisoned in Rome. During this time, he writes letters, including Romans, where he further elaborates on themes of God's relationship with humanity and the knowledge of God through creation.
This passage echoes the idea that God's commands are not impossibly distant or hidden, but are readily accessible within the hearts and mouths of the people, much like Paul's assertion that God is not far from us.
Psalm 19:1-6This Psalm beautifully illustrates how the created order 'speaks' of God's glory and power, serving as a tangible 'feeling after' God that is not far from anyone who observes it.
Romans 1:19-20Here, Paul explicitly states that God's invisible attributes can be understood through what has been made, directly supporting the idea in Acts that people can seek and find God through His creation.
Romans 2:14-15This passage describes how even those without written law can intuitively know right from wrong through their conscience, suggesting an inner sense of God's presence and moral standard, aligning with God not being far from any of us.
John 1:9The concept of the 'true light that gives light to everyone' entering the world parallels Paul's message that God is accessible and actively making Himself known, even to those who might be 'feeling their way' toward Him.
ellicottActs 17:27: "That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:"
(27) Should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him. —The word for “feel after” expresses strictly the act of groping in the dark. From the Apostle’s point of view, anticipating in part the great Theodikæa —the vindication of the ways of God—in the Epistle to the Romans, the whole order of the world’s history was planned, as part of t…
pooleActs 17:27: "That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:"
That they should seek the Lord: the apostle tells these philosophers, to whom he spake, the true use of their philosophy, to improve their knowledge of natural things, to beget in them by it an admiration of the God of nature; for as from him, so for him are all things, Romans 11:36 . If haply they might feel after him, and find him; and although God himself…
The phrase "feel their way toward him" vividly captures how the Gentiles, without direct revelation, were like someone fumbling in the dark for a God they sensed but couldn't clearly see. This highlights that even this dim groping, though imperfect and uncertain, pointed to a real divine presence so close that true discovery was actually possible.
Paul is addressing the Athenians at the Areopagus, a place where philosophical discussions were held. Having pointed out their ignorance by their altar to an "Unknown God," he now explains that creation itself reveals God's existence and providential care. This verse transitions into his explanation that despite their idolatry and ignorance, God is not truly distant, and they have the capacity to seek and find Him through the evidence around them and within them.
Paul is addressing the Athenians at the Areopagus, a place where philosophical discussions were held. Having pointed out their ignorance by their altar to an "Unknown God," he now explains that creation itself reveals God's existence and providential care. This verse transitions into his explanation that despite their idolatry and ignorance, God is not truly distant, and they have the capacity to seek and find Him through the evidence around them and within them.
"that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said…" — The phrase "feel their way toward him" vividly captures how the Gentiles, without direct revelation, were like someone fumbling in the dark for a God they sensed but couldn't clearly see. This highli…
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Last reviewed October 2026