Paul's stopping people from worshiping idols is spoken of as though Paul were turning the people in a different direction. Alternate translation: "persuaded many people and caused them to stop worshiping the local gods" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
Here the word "hands" can refer to the whole person. Alternate translation: "He is saying that the idols that people make are not real gods" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]])