Acts 24:21
in Acts 24unless it was this one thing I called out as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question before you this day.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Acts 24
Commentary
10 notes on this verseExcept it be for this one voice,.... Sentence or expression following, which declares his faith about the resurrection; not that he thought or owned that this was an evil in him, but that it was the only one, that any of them, the Jews, a part among them, namely, the Sadducees, could condemn, or judge to be evil in him: that I cried, standing among them; whereby they were thrown into confusion and division among themselves: and it was this, touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day; see Act 23:6.
This site's exposition
any crime they found in me
on Acts 24:20-21
Paul narrows the case to one cry before the Sanhedrin, concerning the resurrection of the dead. That was the doctrine the Sadducees rejected and the Pharisees shared with him, so Felix is left with a religious dispute to judge.
This site's exposition
the resurrection of the dead
Paul names only his confession of faith. John Chrysostom notes that he passes over the plot and the violence against him, leaving those to the commander's report. Theophylact of Ohrid explains that the resurrection offended because from it the step to Christ risen was an easy one.
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
At first they were even offended that I preached the resurrection, because after this preaching it was easy to add also what pertains to Christ — that He rose from the dead.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
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
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Felix . . . with his wife Drusilla . . . a Jewess--This beautiful but infamous woman was the third daughter of Herod Agrippa I, who was eaten of worms (see on Ac 12:1), and a sister of Agrippa II, before whom Paul pleaded, Ac 26:1, &c. She was "given in marriage to Azizus, king of the Emesenes, who had consented to be circumcised for the sake of the alliance.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Except it be for this one voice - The Sadducees who belong to that council, and who deny the resurrection of the dead, may indeed blame me for professing my faith in this doctrine; but as this is a doctrine credited by the nation in general, and as there can be nothing criminal in such a belief, and there can bring no accusation against me relative to any thing else, this, of course, is the sum of all the charges to which I am called to answer before you this day.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Except it be for this one voice - For this one expression or declaration. This was what Paul had said before the council - the main thing on which he had insisted, and he calls on them to testify to this, and to show, if they could, that in this declaration he had been wrong.
The words behind it
19 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 | [other] than | G2228 → | 342 times |
| περὶ | peri | concerning | G4012 → | 332 times |
| μιᾶς | mias | one | G1520 → | 343 times |
| ταύτης | tautes | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| φωνῆς | phones | voice | G5456 → | 139 times |
| ἧς | hes | which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐκέκραξα | ekekraxa | I cried out | G2896 → | 55 times |
| ἐν | en | among | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| αὐτοῖς | autois | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἑστὼς | hestos | standing | G2476 → | 153 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| περὶ | peri | Concerning | G4012 → | 332 times |
| ἀναστάσεως | anastaseos | [the] resurrection | G386 → | 42 times |
| νεκρῶν | nekron | of [the] dead | G3498 → | 128 times |
| ἐγὼ | ego | I myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| κρίνομαι | krinomai | am judged | G2919 → | 114 times |
| σήμερον | semeron | this day | G4594 → | 41 times |
| ἐφ᾽ | eph᾽ | by | G1909 → | 883 times |
| ὑμῶν.¶ | humon | you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ἢ[other] than
eG2228 →342 times
περὶconcerning
periG4012 →332 times
μιᾶςone
miasG1520 →343 times
ταύτηςthis
tautesG3778 →1381 times
φωνῆςvoice
phonesG5456 →139 times
ἧςwhich
hesG3739 →1405 times
ἐκέκραξαI cried out
ekekraxaG2896 →55 times
ἐνamong
enG1722 →2738 times
αὐτοῖςthem
autoisG846 →5565 times
ἑστὼςstanding
hestosG2476 →153 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
περὶConcerning
periG4012 →332 times
ἀναστάσεως[the] resurrection
anastaseosG386 →42 times
νεκρῶνof [the] dead
nekronG3498 →128 times
ἐγὼI myself
egoG1473 →839 times
κρίνομαιam judged
krinomaiG2919 →114 times
σήμερονthis day
semeronG4594 →41 times
ἐφ᾽by
eph᾽G1909 →883 times
ὑμῶν.¶you.
humonG4771 →2973 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 4:2greatly disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
it leads to
- Acts 17:18
Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this…
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13–14
Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope.
- Acts 24:14–15
I do confess to you, however, that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is laid down by the Law and…
- Acts 17:18
Through
Acts 23:6Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in…
it leads to
- Acts 24:15
and I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
- Acts 26:5–8
They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the strictest sect of our religion.
- Acts 24:15
Through
Acts 28:20So for this reason I have called to see you and speak with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 2:9
for which I suffer to the extent of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained!
- Acts 26:6–7
And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made to our fathers,
- Ephesians 6:20
for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should.
- 2 Timothy 2:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
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.