Acts 24:19 kjv
Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought against me.
Acts 24:19 nkjv
They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me.
Acts 24:19 niv
But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me.
Acts 24:19 esv
they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me.
Acts 24:19 nlt
But some Jews from the province of Asia were there ? and they ought to be here to bring charges if they have anything against me!
Acts 24 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 23:30 | advised to send him to you | Command to send Paul to Felix |
| Acts 24:1 | After five days Ananias the high priest came down... | Jewish leaders accuse Paul |
| Acts 24:2 | he introduced him by name | Accusation by Tertullus |
| Acts 24:3 | acknowledging it with all contentment | Tertullus' flattery |
| Acts 24:4 | wanting to indulge you with a more precise hearing | Desire for conciliation |
| Acts 24:5 | we found this man a real pest and a disturber of the peace | Accusation of sedition |
| Acts 24:6 | he attempted to defile the temple | Accusation of temple defilement |
| Acts 24:10 | gave me leave to speak in defence | Paul requests to speak |
| Acts 24:13 | nor can they prove the things they now bring against me. | Paul denies charges |
| Acts 24:14 | I worship the God of our fathers in accordance with the Way | Paul's religious allegiance |
| Acts 24:17 | now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation | Paul's reason for returning |
| Acts 24:18 | certain Jews from Asia were the ones who ought to have been here | Presence of accusers from Asia |
| Acts 25:7 | When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem | Accusation before Festus |
| Acts 25:18 | they brought no accusation that was of the kind that I expected | Festus' report to Agrippa |
| Acts 28:21 | they said to him, “We have not received letters from Judea | Jews express lack of accusation |
| Matthew 12:37 | For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. | Words as evidence |
| Luke 12:11-12 | "And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say," | God's provision for defense |
| John 8:46 | "Which of you convicts me of sin?" | Jesus' sinless testimony |
| Romans 8:33 | Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? | No charge against believers |
| 2 Corinthians 13:1 | This is the third time I am coming to you. By the testimony of two or three witnesses shall every matter be confirmed. | Need for witness |
| Hebrews 6:11-12 | so that by faith and patience you may inherit the promises. | Patience in suffering |
Acts 24 verses
Acts 24 19 Meaning
The verse speaks to those who brought accusations against Paul before the Roman governor Felix. It states that these accusers, the Jewish authorities, had brought specific charges against Paul, which they were unable to prove. This implies a failure in their case against him.
Acts 24 19 Context
This verse occurs within Paul's trial before Felix, the Roman governor of Judea, in Caesarea. Paul had been arrested in Jerusalem by Jewish leaders who accused him of various offenses, including inciting riots, desecrating the temple, and leading the sect of the Nazarenes. The high priest Ananias and a professional orator named Tertullus presented these charges formally. Paul, in his defense, countered these accusations, highlighting his faithful adherence to Judaism and the erroneous claims of his accusers. This verse specifically addresses the Jewish leaders' inability to substantiate their allegations before Felix.
Acts 24 19 Word Analysis
And (καί - kai): A conjunction used to connect clauses or sentences, indicating continuation or addition.
they (αὐτοί - autoi): Refers back to the Jewish accusers mentioned previously.
which (α - ha): A relative pronoun introducing the clause that specifies the accusations.
they (αὐτοί - autoi): Again, referring to the accusers.
then (τότε - tote): Indicates a consequence or a time when something occurred or was expected.
could (οὐκ ἐδύναντο - ouk edunanto): From the verb δύναμαι (dynamai), meaning "to be able," "can," or "have power." Here it denotes inability or failure.
not (οὐκ - ouk): A negative particle.
prove (ἀποδεικνύειν - apodeiknunai): Meaning "to show clearly," "demonstrate," "prove," or "establish." It signifies the failure to present convincing evidence.
which (ἅ - ha): Another relative pronoun, introducing the specific accusations that were meant to be proven.
they (αὐτοί - autoi): The accusers.
now (νῦν - nun): Referring to the present time of the trial.
brought (ἐπιφέρω - epipherō): Meaning "to bring upon," "to impose," or "to accuse of." Here, it implies the act of leveling the accusations.
against (κατ’ - kat'): A preposition indicating opposition or against.
me (ἐμοῦ - emou): Refers to Paul.
and they then could not prove which they now brought against me: This phrase is a statement of the prosecution's failure. Despite their accusations, they were unable to provide valid proof or substantiation for the charges they had presented to Felix. This highlights the weakness of their case and potentially the unreasonableness of their pursuit of Paul.
Acts 24 19 Bonus Section
The inability of the accusers to prove their case foreshadows the general difficulty many Jewish leaders had in providing consistent and valid testimony against Paul throughout his trials. Their lack of irrefutable evidence suggests a spiritual blindness or resistance to the truth that Paul proclaimed. The repeated attempts to bring charges, coupled with the eventual failure to prove them, underscore Paul's own integrity and God's protection over him during his various legal entanglements. This highlights the divine mandate Paul had, which ultimately transcended human opposition and legal maneuvering.
Acts 24 19 Commentary
This verse serves as a crucial point in Paul's defense before Felix, indicating a significant legal failure on the part of his Jewish accusers. Their inability to prove the serious charges they had leveled—sedition, desecration of the temple, and leading a disruptive sect—undermines their credibility and suggests their pursuit of Paul was rooted more in theological opposition and perhaps personal animosity than in substantive evidence of wrongdoing under Roman law. The text implicitly praises Paul for presenting a defense that effectively exposed the accusers' lack of proof. This emphasizes the importance of truth and evidence in judicial proceedings, even within a context often influenced by political and religious pressures.