Acts 24:24
in Acts 24After several days, Felix returned with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But after certain days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Acts 24
Commentary
9 notes on this verse"And after some days, Drusilla, Felix's wife, who was a Jew." After some days, Felix, at the request of his wife Drusilla, had Paul brought before her. As Paul discussed much about faith in the Lord and about justice, and chastity, and about the judgement …
This site's exposition
wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess
Drusilla, Felix's third wife, was the youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa the First. Josephus records that Felix persuaded her to leave her first husband to marry him. The setting frames the confrontation of verse 25.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
And his wife also hears, together with the governor. This seems to me to show great honor. For he would not have brought his wife to be present with him at the hearing, but that he thought great things of him. It seems to me that she also longed for this. And observe how Paul immediately discourses not only about faith, nor about remission of sins, but also about practical points of duty.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Being a Jewess, Drusilla, contrary to the law, married a Greek; or, perhaps, although she was a Jewess, upon marrying she became a Greek. Therefore, wishing to convert her husband, she communicated her faith to him.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Felix persuaded her to forsake her husband, Azizus, king of Emessa, and to be married to himself, though a heathen. She was afterward, with a son she had by Felix, consumed in an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Concerning the faith in Christ - That is, the doctrine of Christ.
And after certain days,....
With what design Felix sent for Paul. He had a mind to have some talk with him concerning the faith in Christ, the Chri
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
His wife Drusilla - We have already seen that Felix was thrice married: two of his wives were named Drusilla; one was a Roman, the niece or grand-daughter of Antony and Cleopatra, mentioned by Tacitus, lib. v. cap. 9. The other, the person in the text, was a Jewess, daughter to Herod Agrippa the Great.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Felix came with his wife Drusilla - Drusilla was the daughter of Herod Agrippa the elder, and was engaged to be married to Epiphanes, the son of King Antiochus, on condition that he would embrace the Jewish religion; but as he afterward refused to do that, the contract was broken off. Afterward she was given in marriage, by her brother Agrippa the younger, to Azizus, king of Emesa, upon his consent to be circumcised. When Felix was governor of Judea, he saw Drusilla and fell in love with her, and sent to her Simon, one of his friends, a Jew, by birth a Cyprian, who pretended to be a magician, to endearour to persuade her to forsake her husband and to marry Felix. Accordingly, in order to avoid the envy of her sister Bernice, who treated her ill on account of her beauty, “she was prevailed on,” says Josephus, “to transgress the laws of her forefathers, and to marry Felix” (Josephus, Antiq., book 20, chapter 7, sections 1 and 2). She was, therefore, living in adultery with him, and this was probably the reason why Paul dwelt in his discourse before Felix particularly on “temperance,” or chastity. See the notes on Act 24:25. He sent for Paul, and heard him - Perhaps he did this in order to be more fully acquainted with the case which was submitted to him. It is possible, also, that it might have been to gratify his wife, who was a Jewess, and who doubtless had a desire to be acquainted with the principles of this new sect. It is certain, also, that one object which Felix had in this was to let Paul see how dependent he was on him, and to induce him to purchase his liberty. Concerning the faith in Christ - Concerning the Christian religion. Faith in Christ is often used to denote the whole of Christianity, as it is the leading and characteristic feature of the religion of the gospel.
The words behind it
26 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 |
| ἡμέρας | hemeras | days | G2250 → | 389 times |
| τινὰς | tinas | some | G5100 → | 528 times |
| παραγενόμενος | paragenomenos | having arrived | G3854 → | 36 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Φῆλιξ | phelix | Felix | G5344 → | 9 times |
| σὺν | sun | with | G4862 → | 128 times |
| Δρουσίλλῃ | drousille | Drusilla | G1409 → | |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἰδίᾳ | idia | own | G2398 → | 114 times |
| γυναικὶ | gunaiki | wife | G1135 → | 211 times |
| οὔσῃ | ouse | being | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| Ἰουδαίᾳ | ioudaia | a Jewess | G2453 → | 192 times |
| μετεπέμψατο | metepempsato | he sent for | G3343 → | 9 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Παῦλον | paulon | Paul | G3972 → | 158 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἤκουσεν | ekousen | heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| περὶ | peri | concerning | G4012 → | 332 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εἰς | eis | in | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| Χριστὸν | christon | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| Ἰησοῦν | iesoun | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| πίστεως. | pisteos | faith. | G4102 → | 242 times |
ΜετὰAfter
metaG3326 →461 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ἡμέραςdays
hemerasG2250 →389 times
τινὰςsome
tinasG5100 →528 times
παραγενόμενοςhaving arrived
paragenomenosG3854 →36 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ΦῆλιξFelix
phelixG5344 →9 times
σὺνwith
sunG4862 →128 times
ΔρουσίλλῃDrusilla
drousilleG1409 →
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
ἰδίᾳown
idiaG2398 →114 times
γυναικὶwife
gunaikiG1135 →211 times
οὔσῃbeing
ouseG1510 →2333 times
Ἰουδαίᾳa Jewess
ioudaiaG2453 →192 times
μετεπέμψατοhe sent for
metepempsatoG3343 →9 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ΠαῦλονPaul
paulonG3972 →158 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἤκουσενheard
ekousenG191 →425 times
αὐτοῦhim
autouG846 →5565 times
περὶconcerning
periG4012 →332 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
εἰςin
eisG1519 →1755 times
ΧριστὸνChrist
christonG5547 →523 times
ἸησοῦνJesus
iesounG2424 →908 times
πίστεως.faith.
pisteosG4102 →242 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
Galatians 2:16know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in…
it leads to
- Philippians 3:9
and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
- Psalms 143:2
Do not bring Your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous before You.
- Romans 3:19–28
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
- 1 Peter 1:18–21
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers,
- Romans 9:30
What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;
- Philippians 3:9
Through
Acts 20:21testifying to Jews and Greeks alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
it leads to
- Acts 2:38
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- 1 John 5:11–13
And this is that testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
- Acts 11:18
When they heard this, their objections were put to rest, and they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”
- Acts 2:38
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
What the record shows
1 entry- Drusilla — attested outside the Biblewell-supported
Josephus Ant. 20.7.1-2
Biblical figure (Wife of Felix, 1st c. AD) identified in extra-biblical epigraphy.
Counterpoint: No inscription naming Drusilla has been found — the evidence for her is literary, from Josephus (Antiquities 20.7.1-2). Tacitus adds a complication: in Histories 5.9 he calls Felix's wife Drusilla a granddaughter of Antony and Cleopatra, a different woman entirely, and Suetonius says Felix married three queens. Historians therefore have to sort out which Drusilla belongs where.
About Acts

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 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); Cassiodorus, Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 51; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.
