Acts 24:6
What does Acts 24:6 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 24:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 24:6 means
The orator adds that Paul attempted to profane the temple and that they apprehended him. This blends religious outrage with a claim of citizen’s arrest. The picture presented is that the leaders acted as guardians of holiness and order, stepping in to stop sacrilege. Yet the narrative in Acts has already shown the disturbance began with opponents misunderstanding Paul’s actions. Here, the prosecution frames events to maximize Roman sympathy for peace and Jewish sensitivity for sanctity. Paul will soon show he had undergone purification, brought offerings, and caused no tumult in the temple.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000who moreover assayed to profane the temple: on whom also we laid hold:
KJV
King James Version · 1611Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901who moreover assayed to profane the temple: on whom also we laid hold:
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Who, in addition, was attempting to make the Temple unclean: whom we took,
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862who also the temple did try to profane, whom also we took, and according to our law did wish to judge,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom, we having apprehended, would also have judged according to our law.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890who also attempted to profane the temple; whom we also had seized, [and would have judged according to our law;
Context
After accusing Paul of general sedition (verse 5), the charge narrows to a specific allegation about the temple. This would have strong resonance with both Jewish identity and Roman concerns about local unrest. In this translation, the text moves from verse 6 to verse 8 (verse 7 is not supplied), where Tertullus invites Felix to examine the matter personally. The flow prepares for a legal test: what can be proven, and by whom.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 18:31
Pilate therefore said unto them, Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
- Acts 19:37
For ye have brought hither these men, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.
- Acts 24:12
and neither in the temple did they find me disputing with any man or stirring up a crowd, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city.
- Acts 21:27
And when the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the multitude and laid hands on him,
- Acts 23:10
And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle.
- Acts 22:23
And as they cried out, and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air,
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