Acts 24:20
in Acts 24Otherwise, let these men state for themselves any crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Or else let these men themselves say what wrong-doing they found when I stood before the council,
KJV
Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,
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This verse in Acts 24
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Or else let these . . . here say--"Or, passing from all that preceded my trial, let those of the Sanhedrim here present say if I was guilty of aught there." No doubt his hasty speech to the high priest might occur to them, but the provocation to it on his own part was more than they would be willing to recall.
This site's exposition
if they have found any evil doing in me
on Acts 24:20-21
Paul narrows the entire case to a single sentence, the one cry he raised before the council, touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day, and challenges anyone present to name any other evil doing. If that is the whole offense, Paul's defense stands on the same ground his gospel always stands on, that Jesus rose bodily from the dead, the doctrine the Sadducees rejected and the Pharisees, on this point, still shared with him. The narrowing move leaves Felix with a genuinely religious dispute rather than a criminal one to judge.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me while I stood before the council, except it be for this one voice, that I cried, standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day. For this is justification in superabundance, not to flee from his accusers, but to be ready to give account to all. Of the resurrection of the dead, says he, am I this day called in question. And not a word said he of what he had to say, how they had conspired against him, had violently kept him, had laid wait for him - for these matters are of course spoken of by the tribune - but by Paul, though there was danger, not so: no, he is silent, and only defends himself, though he had very much to say. In which alms, says he, they found me in course of purifying in the Temple. Then how did he profane it? For it was not the part of the same man both to purify himself and worship and come for this purpose, and then to profane it.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"Let these same men say what wrong they found in me." They found wrong at the assembly, when an inquiry was made. And that I speak the truth, my very accusers themselves testify to this. Not to avoid one's accusers, but to be ready to …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
When I was there, they could not take offence at any thing I said; for all I said was, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Or else let these same here say,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
found me purified in the temple--not polluting it, therefore, by my own presence, and neither gathering a crowd nor raising a stir: If then these Asiatic Jews have any charge to bring against me in justification of their arrest of me, why are they not here to substantiate it?
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Any evil doing in me while I stood before the council - The Jews of Asia, the most competent witnesses, though my declared enemies, and they who stirred up the persecution against me, should have been here: why are they kept back? Because they could prove nothing against me. Let these, therefore, who are here, depose, if they have found any evil in me, or proved against me, by my most virulent adversaries, when examined before them in their council at Jerusalem.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Or else - Since they are not here to witness against me in regard to what occurred in the temple, let these here present bear witness against me, if they can, in regard to any other part of my conduct. This was a bold appeal, and it showed his full consciousness of innocence. Let these same here say - The Jews who are here present. Any evil doing - Any improper conduct, or any violation of the Law. While I stood before the council - The Sanhedrin, Act 23:1-10. As they were present there, Paul admits that they were competent to bear witness to his conduct on that occasion, and calls upon them to testify, if they could, to any impropriety in his conduct.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἢ | e | Otherwise | G2228 → | 342 times |
| αὐτοὶ | autoi | themselves | G846 → | 5565 times |
| οὗτοι | houtoi | it | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| εἰπάτωσαν | eipatosan | they should say | G2036 → | 925 times |
| τί | ti | any | G5101 → | 563 times |
| εὗρον | heuron | they found | G2147 → | 175 times |
| ἀδίκημα | adikema | unrighteousness | G92 → | |
| στάντος | stantos | when was standing | G2476 → | 153 times |
| μου | mou | I | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | before | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| συνεδρίου, | sunedriou | Council, | G4892 → | 22 times |
ἢOtherwise
eG2228 →342 times
αὐτοὶthemselves
autoiG846 →5565 times
οὗτοιit
houtoiG3778 →1381 times
εἰπάτωσανthey should say
eipatosanG2036 →925 times
τίany
tiG5101 →563 times
εὗρονthey found
heuronG2147 →175 times
ἀδίκημαunrighteousness
adikemaG92 →
στάντοςwhen was standing
stantosG2476 →153 times
μουI
mouG3165 →1936 times
ἐπὶbefore
epiG1909 →883 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
συνεδρίου,Council,
sunedriouG4892 →22 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
About Acts
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 50; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.