Acts 24:18 kjv
Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
Acts 24:18 nkjv
in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult.
Acts 24:18 niv
I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance.
Acts 24:18 esv
While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia ?
Acts 24:18 nlt
My accusers saw me in the Temple as I was completing a purification ceremony. There was no crowd around me and no rioting.
Acts 24 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Purification/Temple | ||
| Acts 21:24 | Take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Then all will know... | Paul takes a vow and undertakes purification rites in the temple. |
| Num 6:13 | Now this is the law for the Nazirite when the days of his separation are completed: He shall be brought to the entrance of the tent... | Details of Nazirite vow purification. |
| Lev 14:2 | “This shall be the law of the leper for the day of his cleansing: he shall be brought to the priest, | Examples of Mosaic purification laws for various conditions. |
| Exo 19:10 | The LORD also said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments... | Divine instruction for purification before approaching God/sacred space. |
| Neh 12:30 | The priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the people, the gates, and the wall. | Examples of purification for dedicated service or sacred entry. |
| Heb 9:13-14 | For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer sanctify...how much more will the blood | Contrasts ceremonial purification with Christ's ultimate cleansing. |
| Heb 10:1-4 | For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never... | Further highlights the inadequacy of ceremonial law for true cleansing. |
| 1 Cor 3:16-17 | Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? | Believers as the new, spiritual temple. |
| False Accusation/Mob/Disturbance | ||
| Acts 24:5-6 | For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, an instigator of riots among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader... | The charges made by Tertullus that Paul is refuting. |
| Acts 21:27-31 | When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up all the crowd and laid hands... | The actual event of the mob and disturbance initiated by the Jews. |
| Acts 17:5 | But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked fellows of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar... | Other instances where Jews stirred up mobs against Paul. |
| Mk 15:7 | And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. | Shows how a mob can be incited and lead to unjust outcomes. |
| Matt 27:24 | So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd... | A leader giving in to mob pressure. |
| Ps 35:11 | Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know. | A prayer against false witnesses. |
| Jews from Asia/Opponents | ||
| Acts 21:27 | When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up all the crowd and laid hands... | Identifies "Jews from Asia" as the instigators of the previous uproar. |
| Acts 19:8-9 | And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. | Paul’s ministry in Asia (Ephesus), often encountering opposition. |
| 2 Tim 4:14 | Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. | Paul faces individual opposition in Asia, like Alexander. |
| Rev 2:9 | “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not... | Illustrates the severity of some Jewish opposition to Christians. |
| Phil 1:28 | ...in no way alarmed by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation... | Believers standing firm against opposition. |
| Rom 1:30 | ...slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish... | Descriptions that can apply to those making false accusations. |
| Isa 59:4 | No one enters suit justly; no one pleads with integrity; they rely on empty pleas and speak lies; they conceive mischief... | Critique of those who deal in false accusations and deceit. |
Acts 24 verses
Acts 24 18 Meaning
Acts 24:18 forms part of Paul's defense before Governor Felix in Caesarea. Here, Paul directly refutes the primary charges of sedition and temple desecration brought against him by Tertullus on behalf of the Jewish elders (Acts 24:5-6). He asserts that when his accusers encountered him in the Jerusalem Temple, he was peacefully undergoing a ritual purification, not instigating a riot or causing any disorder. By this statement, Paul distinguishes his lawful conduct from the actual tumult that occurred, implicitly shifting the blame for the disturbance onto "certain Jews from Asia," who were his real antagonists and had brought the false charges in the first place (Acts 21:27).
Acts 24 18 Context
Acts chapter 24 details Paul's trial before Governor Felix in Caesarea. This verse occurs during Paul's defense (Acts 24:10-21) against the accusations laid out by the high priest Ananias and the orator Tertullus (Acts 24:1-9). The main charges against Paul were threefold: being a "pestilent fellow" who stirred up sedition among Jews globally, a "ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes," and an attempt to desecrate the Jerusalem Temple. Paul directly addresses the temple profanation and sedition charges in verse 18 by explaining his actual conduct there. Historically, profaning the Temple was a capital offense under Jewish law and taken seriously by Roman authorities to maintain peace in a volatile region. Paul emphasizes his peaceful intentions and compliance with Jewish purification rites, directly contradicting the portrayal of him as a disruptive figure.
Acts 24 18 Word analysis
- when they found me: Refers to Paul's Jewish accusers from Asia, particularly as they noticed him in the temple (Acts 21:27). This phrase sets the stage for Paul to clarify what he was actually doing. "They" is the critical link between the instigators and the location of the event.
- purified: Greek: hagnismenon (ἁγνισμένον), from hagnizō (ἁγνίζω), meaning "to consecrate," "to cleanse," or "to purify ceremonially." Paul was observing Jewish ritual purification, likely related to a vow (such as a Nazirite vow or an offering, Acts 21:23-26). This act demonstrates his adherence to Mosaic Law and Jewish custom, not a rejection of it. This directly refutes the charge that he was disregarding or defiling Jewish tradition.
- in the temple: The holy sanctuary in Jerusalem. Being found here purified emphasized his respect for Jewish traditions and contradicted the charge of profaning this sacred space. The Temple was the spiritual and cultural heart of Judaism, and any perceived offense there was severely inflammatory.
- not with a mob: Greek: ou meta ochlou (οὐ μετὰ ὄχλου). "Mob" (ochlos) denotes an unorganized, unruly crowd, often implying violent or riotous behavior. Paul emphatically denies engaging in activities that would attract or create such a group. This directly challenges the accusation of him being an instigator of riots (Acts 24:5).
- or with any disturbance: Greek: oude meta thorubou (οὐδὲ μετὰ θορύβου). Thorubos refers to uproar, tumult, or public disorder. This word complements ochlos, further clarifying that his presence was peaceful and orderly, entirely devoid of the commotion his accusers falsely claimed. Paul was abiding by the expected decorum of the temple precincts.
- but some Jews from Asia: These individuals (Acts 21:27) are explicitly identified as the true source of the "disturbance" and the instigators of the false charges against Paul. Their origin in Asia (modern-day Turkey) suggests they might have been familiar with Paul's ministry there, which often met with severe opposition. This statement serves as Paul's counter-accusation, subtly shifting the blame and highlighting the bias of his accusers. This detail provides crucial insight into the personal animosity and pre-existing grievances that fueled the accusations.
Acts 24 18 Bonus section
The legal significance of Paul identifying "some Jews from Asia" lies in the fact that, under Roman law, an accuser needed to be present to face the accused. Paul uses this point more explicitly in Acts 24:19-20, challenging why these critical witnesses/accusers were not currently before Felix. This implied lack of crucial direct witnesses for the prosecution weakened their case and demonstrated that the charges were hearsay or politically motivated, rather than based on concrete evidence directly observable by his current accusers. Paul's actions were aligned with Jewish legal practice concerning purification, a strategic move to affirm his connection to his heritage and show he was not anti-Jewish, while maintaining his commitment to Christ. This defense before a Roman governor showcases Paul's intellectual rigor and spiritual courage.
Acts 24 18 Commentary
In Acts 24:18, Paul skillfully dismantles two key accusations against him: profaning the Temple and inciting sedition. His defense centers on presenting a truthful account of his presence in the Temple, which was in fact for a ceremony of purification—an act of Jewish piety. This stands in stark contrast to the claims that he was causing a mob or disturbance. By highlighting his pure intentions and adherence to tradition, Paul exposed the baselessness of the charges. Furthermore, he shrewdly identified "Jews from Asia" as the actual perpetrators of the previous commotion (Acts 21:27) and the orchestrators of the current trial, thereby placing the onus of proof and the responsibility for unrest squarely on his accusers, effectively turning the tables on them and revealing their malicious intent. His concise denial, coupled with the identification of the true instigators, is a testament to his clear conscience and factual integrity before a Roman court.