Acts 24:1
in Acts 24Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, who presented to the governor their case against Paul.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with certain elders, and with an orator, one Tertullus; and they informed the governor against Paul.
KJV
And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.
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This verse in Acts 24
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And after five days - This time was occupied, doubtless, in their receiving the command to go to Caesarea, and in making the necessary arrangements. This was the twelfth day after Paul’s arrival at Jerusalem. See Act 24:11. Ananias, the high priest - See the notes on Act 23:2. Descended - Came down from Jerusalem. This was the usual language when a departure from Jerusalem was spoken of. See the notes on Act 15:1. With a certain orator named Tertullus - Appointed to accuse Paul. This is a Roman name, and this man was doubtless a Roman.
This site's exposition
a certain orator named Tertullus
on Acts 24:1-2
Ananias returns with the elders and a hired orator, Tertullus, a professional advocate the Jewish leadership brought in because Roman courts ran in the forms of Roman rhetoric, not Jewish law. Tertullus opens with the flattery ancient forensic handbooks called the exordium, praising Felix for the great quietness and worthy deeds done unto this nation by thy providence. Roman and Jewish histories alike record Felix as anything but a bringer of quietness, a governor whose harsh suppression of unrest Josephus and Tacitus both describe as provoking more disorder than it calmed.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And after five days the high priest Ananias came down," etc. After five days, the Jews came to the judge Felix against Paul, with the orator Tertullus […] Then, the parties having been presented, the orator Tertullus, overconfident in human eloquence, began maliciously to attack …
And after five days came down the high priest Ananias with the elders. See how for all this they do not desist; hindered as they were by obstacles without number, nevertheless they come, only to be put to shame here also. And with an orator, one Tertullus. And what need was there of an orator? Which persons also informed the governor against Paul.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Again, something is lacking in the words "they complained to the governor about Paul" for the completeness of the thought, which should be as follows: they presented a written accusation against Paul.
The Reformation1 voice
Therefore some other man was highest priest at that time; and Ananias being one of the chief priests, forasmuch as he was in great authority, and was withal a stout man, did take this embassage upon him. He bringeth with him a train, and that of the worshipful company of elders, that the governor might be moved with their very pomp to condemn Paul.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The opening of the indictment against him by Tertullus, who was of counsel for the prosecutors, and the aggravating of the charge, with abundance of compliments to the judge, and malice to the prisoner,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
After five days - These days are to be reckoned from the time in which Paul was apprehended at Jerusalem, and twelve days after he had arrived in that city; see Act 24:11. Calmet reckons the days thus: - St. Luke says that Paul was apprehended at Jerusalem when the seven days of his vow were nearly ended, Act 21:27; that is, at the end of the fifth day after his arrival. The next day, which was the sixth, he was presented before the Sanhedrin. The night following, he was taken to Antipatris. The next day, the seventh, he arrived at Caesarea. Five days afterwards, that is, the twelfth day after his arrival at Jerusalem, the high priest and the elders, with Tertullus, came down to accuse him before Felix. - But see the note on Act 23:32. A certain orator named Tertullus - This was probably a Roman proselyte to Judaism; yet he speaks every where as a Jew. Roman orators, advocates; etc., were found in different provinces of the Roman empire; and they, in general, spoke both the Greek and Latin languages; and, being well acquainted with the Roman laws and customs, were no doubt very useful. Luitprandus supposed that this Tertullus was the same with him who was colleague with Pliny the younger, in the consulate, in the year of Rome, 852; who is mentioned by Pliny, Epist. v. 15. Of this there is no satisfactory proof.
The words behind it
22 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Μετὰ | meta | After | G3326 → | 461 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| πέντε | pente | five | G4002 → | 38 times |
| ἡμέρας | hemeras | days | G2250 → | 389 times |
| κατέβη | katebe | came down | G2597 → | 81 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀρχιερεὺς | archiereus | high priest | G749 → | 122 times |
| Ἁνανίας | hananias | Ananias | G367 → | 11 times |
| μετὰ | meta | with | G3326 → | 461 times |
| πρεσβυτέρων | presbuteron | elders | G4245 → | 65 times |
| τινῶν | tinon | some | G5100 → | 528 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ῥήτορος | rhetoros | an orator | G4489 → | |
| Τερτύλλου | tertullou | Tertullus | G5061 → | |
| τινός, | tinos | certain, | G5100 → | 528 times |
| οἵτινες | oitines | who | G3748 → | 144 times |
| ἐνεφάνισαν | enephanisan | made a representation | G1718 → | 10 times |
| τῷ | to | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἡγεμόνι | hegemoni | governor | G2232 → | 20 times |
| κατὰ | kata | against | G2596 → | 468 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Παύλου. | paulou | Paul. | G3972 → | 158 times |
ΜετὰAfter
metaG3326 →461 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
πέντεfive
penteG4002 →38 times
ἡμέραςdays
hemerasG2250 →389 times
κατέβηcame down
katebeG2597 →81 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἀρχιερεὺςhigh priest
archiereusG749 →122 times
ἉνανίαςAnanias
hananiasG367 →11 times
μετὰwith
metaG3326 →461 times
πρεσβυτέρωνelders
presbuteronG4245 →65 times
τινῶνsome
tinonG5100 →528 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ῥήτοροςan orator
rhetorosG4489 →
ΤερτύλλουTertullus
tertullouG5061 →
τινός,certain,
tinosG5100 →528 times
οἵτινεςwho
oitinesG3748 →144 times
ἐνεφάνισανmade a representation
enephanisanG1718 →10 times
τῷto the
toG3588 →19766 times
ἡγεμόνιgovernor
hegemoniG2232 →20 times
κατὰagainst
kataG2596 →468 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
Παύλου.Paul.
paulouG3972 →158 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 23:35he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s Praetorium.
it leads to
- Acts 23:30
When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also instructed his accusers to present their case against him before you.
- Acts 25:16
I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.
- Matthew 27:27
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company around Him.
- Acts 23:30
Through
Acts 23:2At this, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
it leads to
- John 18:22
When Jesus had said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped Him in the face and said, “Is this how You answer the high priest?”
- John 18:22
Through
Acts 21:27When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,
it leads to
- Acts 26:21
For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.
- Acts 24:18
At the time they found me in the temple, I was ceremonially clean and was not inciting a crowd or an uproar. But there are some Jews from the province of Asia
- Acts 26:21
Through
Acts 25:2where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. They urged Festus
it leads to
- Acts 25:15
While I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews presented their case and requested a judgment against him.
- Romans 3:12–19
All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
- Acts 25:15
About Acts

This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Acts of the Apostles; Cassiodorus, Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 50; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.
