Acts 17:26 From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.

◄ Acts 17:26 ►

New International Version
From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.

New Living Translation
From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

English Standard Version
And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,

Berean Standard Bible
From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.

Berean Literal Bible
And He made from one man every nation of men, to dwell upon all the face of the earth, having determined the appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,

King James Bible
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

New King James Version
And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,

New American Standard Bible
and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,

NASB 1995
and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,

NASB 1977
and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation,

Legacy Standard Bible
and He made from one man every nation of mankind to inhabit all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,

Amplified Bible
And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands and territories.

Christian Standard Bible
From one man he has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
From one man He has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live.

American Standard Version
and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation;

Contemporary English Version
From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and he decided when and where every nation would be.

English Revised Version
and he made of one every nation of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
From one man he has made every nation of humanity to live all over the earth. He has given them the seasons of the year and the boundaries within which to live.

Good News Translation
From one human being he created all races of people and made them live throughout the whole earth. He himself fixed beforehand the exact times and the limits of the places where they would live.

International Standard Version
From one man he made every nation of humanity to live all over the earth, fixing the seasons of the year and the national boundaries within which they live,

Majority Standard Bible
From one blood He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.

NET Bible
From one man he made every nation of the human race to inhabit the entire earth, determining their set times and the fixed limits of the places where they would live,

New Heart English Bible
He made from one blood every nation of the human race to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings,

Webster's Bible Translation
And hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

Weymouth New Testament
He caused to spring from one forefather people of every race, for them to live on the whole surface of the earth, and marked out for them an appointed span of life and the boundaries of their homes;

World English Bible
He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons and the boundaries of their dwellings,

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
He also made every nation of man of one blood, to dwell on all the face of the earth—having ordained times before appointed, and the bounds of their dwellings—

Berean Literal Bible
And He made from one man every nation of men, to dwell upon all the face of the earth, having determined the appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,

Young's Literal Translation
He made also of one blood every nation of men, to dwell upon all the face of the earth -- having ordained times before appointed, and the bounds of their dwellings --

Smith's Literal Translation
And he made of one blood every nation of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth, having limited the times before arranged, and the bounds of their habitation;

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And hath made of one, all mankind, to dwell upon the whole face of the earth, determining appointed times, and the limits of their habitation.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he has made, out of one, every family of man: to live upon the face of the entire earth, determining the appointed seasons and the limits of their habitation,

New American Bible
He made from one the whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions,

New Revised Standard Version
From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live,

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And he has made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and he has appointed seasons by his command, and has set limits to the age of men;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“And from one blood he made the whole world of humanity to be dwelling on the whole surface of The Earth and he marked out the times in his decrees and set the coasts of the dwelling places of humanity,”

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
and he has made from one blood every nation of men, that they might dwell on all the face of the earth, having marked out their appointed times, and the bounds of their dwelling:

Godbey New Testament
and of (one) man he created every nation of men to dwell upon the whole face of the earth, having determined their predestinated times, and the boundaries of their habitation;

Haweis New Testament
And hath made from one man’s blood all the nations of mankind, to dwell upon the whole face of the earth, fixing the predetermined periods of their existence, and the boundaries of their several abodes;

Mace New Testament
he he has deduced all mankind from one parent, to inhabit the surface of the whole earth, having pre-establish'd the appointed periods, and the boundarys of their dominions:

Weymouth New Testament
He caused to spring from one forefather people of every race, for them to live on the whole surface of the earth, and marked out for them an appointed span of life and the boundaries of their homes;

Worrell New Testament
and He made of one every nation of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth, having marked out their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation;

Worsley New Testament
and hath made of one blood every nation of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth, having determined the seasons before-appointed them, and the bounds of their habitation;

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Paul Before the Areopagus
…25Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands. 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.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Genesis 1:27
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 3:20
And Adam named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all the living.

Genesis 10:32
All these are the clans of Noah’s sons, according to their generations and nations. From these the nations of the earth spread out after the flood.

Deuteronomy 32:8
When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when He divided the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.

Malachi 2:10
Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why then do we break faith with one another so as to profane the covenant of our fathers?

Job 12:23
He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them.

Psalm 74:17
You set all the boundaries of the earth; You made the summer and winter.

Psalm 115:16
The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth He has given to mankind.

Isaiah 45:12
It is I who made the earth and created man upon it. It was My hands that stretched out the heavens, and I ordained all their host.

Jeremiah 27:5
By My great power and outstretched arm, I made the earth and the men and beasts on the face of it, and I give it to whom I please.

Daniel 4:35
All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”

Matthew 28:19
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

John 17:21
that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Romans 5:12
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.

Romans 8:29
For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

Treasury of Scripture

And has made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

hath made.

Genesis 3:20
And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

Genesis 9:19
These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.

Malachi 2:10
Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?

hath determined.

Acts 15:18
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

Deuteronomy 32:7,8
Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee…

Job 14:5
Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

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Allotted Appointed Blood Boundaries Bounds Caused Determined Dwell Dwelling Dwellings Earth Exact Face Forefather Habitation Homes Inhabit Lands Live Marked Nation Nations Ordained Ordering Periods Race Seasons Span Spring Surface Times Whole

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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

From one man
This phrase emphasizes the unity and common origin of all humanity. The Greek word for "man" here is "ἑνός" (henos), meaning "one." This reflects the biblical teaching that all humans are descendants of Adam, as described in Genesis. This unity underscores the biblical principle of equality among all people, regardless of race or nationality, as all are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).

He made every nation of men
The Greek word for "nation" is "ἔθνος" (ethnos), which can also mean "people" or "ethnic group." This indicates that God is the sovereign creator of all ethnicities and cultures. Historically, this affirms the biblical narrative that God is actively involved in the formation and destiny of nations, as seen throughout the Old Testament with the rise and fall of empires.

to inhabit the whole earth
This phrase highlights God's intention for humanity to spread across the globe. The Greek word "κατοικεῖν" (katoikein) means "to dwell" or "to settle." This reflects the command given to Adam and Eve to "fill the earth" (Genesis 1:28). It suggests a divine purpose in the distribution of people across the earth, emphasizing God's sovereignty over creation.

and He determined their appointed times
The Greek word "ὁροθεσίαις" (horothesiais) refers to "fixed times" or "appointed seasons." This indicates that God has a sovereign plan for the history and duration of nations. It aligns with the biblical theme that God is in control of history, as seen in Daniel 2:21, where God "changes times and seasons."

and the boundaries of their lands
The Greek word "ὁροθεσίαις" (horothesiais) also refers to "boundaries" or "limits." This suggests that God has set geographical limits for nations. This is consistent with the Old Testament, where God delineates the land for Israel and other nations (Deuteronomy 32:8). It underscores the belief that God is the ultimate authority over the earth's geography and political boundaries.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) And hath made of one blood all nations of men.--Literally, every nation. The previous verses had given what we may venture to call St. Paul's Philosophy of Religion. This gives his Philosophy of History. And the position was one which no Greek, above all, no Athenian, was likely to accept. For him the distinction between the Greek and the barbarian was radical and essential. The one was by nature meant to be the slave of the other. (Aristot. Pol. i. 2, 6.) In rising above his own prejudices of fancied superiority of race, the Apostle felt that he could attack, as from a vantage-ground, the prejudices of others. He naturally accepted the truth as it was presented to him in the Mosaic history of the Creation; but the truth itself, stated in its fullest form, would remain, even if we were to accept other theories of the origin of species and the history of man. There is a oneness of physical structure, of conditions and modes of life, of possible or actual development, which forbids any one race or nation, Hebrew, Hellenic, Latin, or Teutonic, to assume for itself that it is the cream and flower of humanity.

Hath determined the times before appointed.--The better MSS. give simply, "the appointed seasons." Few words, even in St. Paul's teaching, are more pregnant with significance. They justify all that the wise of heart have said as to the "manifold wisdom of God," as seen in history and in the education of mankind. The special gifts of character of each race--Hebrew thought of God, Greek sense of beauty, Roman sense of law, Teutonic truthfulness, Keltic impulsiveness, docility--have all their work to do. All local circumstances of soil and climate that influence character come under the head of the "bounds of men's habitation." All conditions of time--the period at which each race has been called to play its part in the drama of the world's history--come under the head of the "appointed seasons."

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 26. - He made for hath made, A.V.; of one for of one blood, A.V. and T.R.; every nation for all nations, A.V.; having determined their appointed seasons for and hath determined the times before appointed, A.V. From the unity of God Paul deduces the unity of the human race, all created by God, all sprung from one ancestor, or one blood (whichever reading we take), and so not to have their several national gods, but all to be united in the worship of the one true and living God, the Father of them all. It may be remarked by the way that the languages of the earth, differing like the skins and the features of the different races, and corresponding to those various bounds assigned by God to their habitations, yet bear distinct and emphatic testimony to this unity. They are variations, more or less extended, of the speech of man. Bounds of their habitation; τὰς ὀροθεσίας κ.τ.λ.: the word only occurs here; elsewhere, though rarely, τὰ ὀροθέσια.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

From
ἐξ (ex)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

one [man]
ἑνὸς (henos)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 1520: One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.

He made
ἐποίησέν (epoiēsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

every
πᾶν (pan)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

nation
ἔθνος (ethnos)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1484: Probably from etho; a race, i.e. A tribe; specially, a foreign one.

of men,
ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

to inhabit
κατοικεῖν (katoikein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 2730: To dwell in, settle in, be established in (permanently), inhabit. From kata and oikeo; to house permanently, i.e. Reside.

the whole
παντὸς (pantos)
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

earth;
γῆς (gēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1093: Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe.

and He determined
ὁρίσας (horisas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3724: From horion; to mark out or bound, i.e. to appoint, decree, specify.

[their] appointed
προστεταγμένους (prostetagmenous)
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4367: (a) I instruct, command, (b) I appoint, assign. From pros and tasso; to arrange towards, i.e. enjoin.

times
καιροὺς (kairous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2540: Fitting season, season, opportunity, occasion, time. Of uncertain affinity; an occasion, i.e. Set or proper time.

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

the
τὰς (tas)
Article - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

boundaries
ὁροθεσίας (horothesias)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3734: From a compound of the base of horion and a derivative of tithemi; a limit-placing, i.e. boundary-line.

of their
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
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.

lands.
κατοικίας (katoikias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2733: A dwelling, habitation, settlement. Residence.

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NT Apostles: Acts 17:26 He made from one blood every nation (Acts of the Apostles Ac)