Acts 24 6

Acts 24:6 kjv

Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.

Acts 24:6 nkjv

He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, and wanted to judge him according to our law.

Acts 24:6 niv

and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.

Acts 24:6 esv

He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him.

Acts 24:6 nlt

Furthermore, he was trying to desecrate the Temple when we arrested him.

Acts 24 verses

Acts 24 6 Meaning

Acts 24:6 states the specific, severe accusation laid against the Apostle Paul by the orator Tertullus before Governor Felix. It charges Paul with attempting to desecrate the Jewish Temple and implies that Jewish authorities sought to deal with him lawfully under their own religious code. In truth, this was a misleading and false claim, meant to justify their prior attempt to violently lynch Paul and to portray him as a dangerous threat to Jewish tradition.

Acts 24 6 Context

Acts chapter 24 details the trial of Paul before Governor Felix in Caesarea. Following his arrest in Jerusalem and rescue by the Roman tribune Lysias (Acts 21-23), Paul is brought to Caesarea, where the Jewish high priest Ananias and elders present their case through their chosen orator, Tertullus. The verse in question, Acts 24:6, is part of Tertullus's elaborate, highly rhetorical opening statement, where he attempts to incriminate Paul on three primary charges: causing sedition among Jews worldwide, being a ringleader of the Nazarene sect, and, as in this verse, attempting to profane the Temple. Historically, under Roman rule, Jewish authorities had limited autonomy, particularly in capital cases. Their attempt to present their prior mob violence against Paul as a legitimate attempt to enforce Jewish law was a calculated misrepresentation, as they knew their ability to impose the death penalty was constrained. Profanation of the Temple was an exceptionally serious charge in Jewish law, punishable by death, as the Temple was the epicenter of their religious and national identity.

Acts 24 6 Word analysis

• "Who also": Greek hos kai (ὃς καὶ). This connective immediately links Paul to the prior charges of sedition (v. 5), painting him as a consistent troublemaker.
• "hath gone about": Greek epecheirēsen (ἐπεχείρησεν). This verb means "he attempted" or "undertook" with the intention to accomplish something. Tertullus uses it to portray Paul's action as a deliberate, premeditated crime, not an accident or misunderstanding. It signifies an intentional design to cause harm.
• "to profane": Greek bebelōsai (βεβηλῶσαι). This means "to desecrate, pollute, render unholy." It's a very strong term for violating sacred space or things. The charge of profanation, particularly regarding the Temple, was one of the most grievous accusations in Judaism, often carrying a death penalty. This word conveys utter contempt for the holy.
• "the temple": Greek to hieron (τὸ ἱερόν). This refers to the entire Temple complex in Jerusalem, including the outer courts (such as the Court of the Gentiles), rather than specifically the inner sanctuary (naos). The accusation was that Paul brought a Gentile (Trophimus of Ephesus, Acts 21:29) beyond the "middle wall of partition" that separated the Court of the Gentiles from the areas reserved only for Jews, which was explicitly forbidden and advertised with signs warning of death.
• "whom we took": Greek hon kai ekratēsamen (ὃν καὶ ἐκρατήσαμεν). This word choice means "we seized" or "apprehended," presenting their action as a formal, judicial arrest. In reality, Acts 21:30-31 reveals it was a riotous mob seizing Paul with the intent to beat him to death, requiring Roman military intervention. This word significantly distorts the actual event.
• "and would have judged": Greek kai ēthelēsamen krinein (καὶ ἠθελήσαμεν κρίνειν). This phrase, meaning "we desired/wished to judge," attempts to legitimize the mob's actions as a desire for a lawful trial. It implies a procedural justice they intended to execute according to their laws. This contrasts starkly with the mob violence Paul experienced.
• "according to our law": Greek kata ton hēmeteron nomon (κατὰ τὸν ἡμέτερον νόμον). This emphasizes Jewish sovereignty over their internal legal system, presenting their intent to deal with Paul within the framework of their religious ordinances (Torah, Halakha). This subtly pushes for Roman acknowledgement of Jewish judicial rights while attempting to mask the illegality of their actual violent actions against Paul.

Word-groups analysis:

• "Who also hath gone about to profane the temple": This entire phrase presents Paul as an intentional, sacrilegious transgressor against the holiest site of Jewish worship. It's a calculated escalation of the charges, designed to elicit outrage and strong judgment, conflating perceived religious heresy with criminal desecration.
• "whom we took, and would have judged according to our law": This passage is a masterful piece of legal spin. It falsely portrays the riotous attempt to lynch Paul as a dignified and lawful "arrest" followed by a righteous intention to administer "justice" under Jewish law. This justification was critical for the Jewish authorities, as they were trying to legitimate their previous, highly illegal, actions and regain the moral high ground before the Roman governor.

Acts 24 6 Bonus section

The underlying polemic in Acts 24:6, beyond the immediate falsehoods, is the Jewish leadership's attempt to delegitimize the "sect of the Nazarenes" (i.e., Christianity, Acts 24:5) as an unlawful innovation and its leader, Paul, as a disruptor of both Jewish religious life and Roman peace. By accusing Paul of profaning the Temple, Tertullus sought to strip him of any standing as a faithful Jew and to brand his teachings as an anathema. This strategic accusation not only played on deeply held Jewish religious sentiments but also leveraged Roman sensitivity to maintaining order and respecting local cults, positioning Paul as an enemy of both. The trial ultimately reveals Paul's innocence from these trumped-up charges, affirmed later by Roman officials, solidifying the legal, not just theological, basis of the early Christian mission even in the face of intense opposition.

Acts 24 6 Commentary

Acts 24:6 is a pivotal verse in Paul's trial before Felix, demonstrating the deceptive rhetoric employed by his accusers. Tertullus craftily distorts the actual events, taking advantage of Roman ignorance regarding Jewish customs and legal nuances. The charge of profaning the Temple, while indeed a serious religious offense in Jewish law, was completely false in Paul's case; he was performing purification rites, demonstrating adherence to the Law, not breaking it. This accusation stemmed from the false rumor that he had brought a Gentile into a restricted area of the Temple (Acts 21:28-29), a misperception ignited by his travels with Trophimus.

Even more deceitful is the assertion that they "took" Paul and "would have judged according to our law." This completely re-writes the violent mob action, where the crowd sought to kill Paul summarily, into an orderly apprehension and a desire for due process. The Jewish authorities understood that under Roman rule, they did not have the authority to carry out capital punishment (John 18:31), thus their statement subtly appealed for Felix to ratify a judgment they were prevented from fully executing. Tertullus’s argument aimed to impress upon Felix that Paul was not just a religious disputant but a criminal who deserved punishment, potentially paving the way for Paul to be handed over to the Sanhedrin or to be convicted by the Roman court. The entire accusation highlights the profound hostility and theological misunderstanding (or intentional misrepresentation) between the established Jewish leadership and the burgeoning Christian movement, here personified by Paul.