Acts 24:12
in Acts 24Yet my accusers did not find me debating with anyone in the temple or riling up a crowd in the synagogues or in the city.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and neither in the temple did they find me disputing with any man or stirring up a crowd, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city.
KJV
And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:
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This verse in Acts 24
Commentary
4 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And they neither found me ... - The first charge of Tertullus against Paul was Act 24:5 that he was “a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition.” The charge of his being a Test was so general that Paul did not think it necessary to attempt to refute it. To the specification that he was a mover of sedition, he replies by a firm denial, and by a solemn declaration that they had not found him in any synagogue, or in the city, or in the temple, either disputing or exciting a tumult.
This site's exposition
did not find me debating
on Acts 24:12-13
Paul denies that his accusers found him debating in the temple or riling up a crowd in the synagogues or in the city. A charge of sedition needs evidence of some act of insurrection, which the accusers never name.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
And they neither found me in the Temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city; which in fact was the truth. And the accusers indeed use the term ringleader, as if it were a case of fighting and insurrection; but see how mildly Paul here answers.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man,....
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οὔτε | oute | neither | G3777 → | 87 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἱερῷ | hi'ero | temple | G2411 → | 70 times |
| εὗρόν | heuron | did they find | G2147 → | 175 times |
| με | me | me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| πρός | pros | with | G4314 → | 700 times |
| τινα | tina | anyone | G5100 → | 528 times |
| διαλεγόμενον | dialegomenon | reasoning | G1256 → | 13 times |
| ἢ | e | or | G2228 → | 342 times |
| ἐπίστασιν | epistasin | obstruction | ||
| ποιοῦντα | poiounta | making | G4160 → | 569 times |
| ὄχλου | ochlou | of a crowd | G3793 → | 175 times |
| οὔτε | oute | nor | G3777 → | 87 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ταῖς | tais | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| συναγωγαῖς | sunagogais | synagogues | G4864 → | 56 times |
| οὔτε | oute | nor | G3777 → | 87 times |
| κατὰ | kata | in | G2596 → | 468 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πόλιν· | polin | city; | G4172 → | 163 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οὔτεneither
outeG3777 →87 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
ἱερῷtemple
hi'eroG2411 →70 times
εὗρόνdid they find
heuronG2147 →175 times
μεme
meG3165 →1936 times
πρόςwith
prosG4314 →700 times
τιναanyone
tinaG5100 →528 times
διαλεγόμενονreasoning
dialegomenonG1256 →13 times
ἢor
eG2228 →342 times
ἐπίστασινobstruction
epistasin
ποιοῦνταmaking
poiountaG4160 →569 times
ὄχλουof a crowd
ochlouG3793 →175 times
οὔτεnor
outeG3777 →87 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ταῖςthe
taisG3588 →19766 times
συναγωγαῖςsynagogues
sunagogaisG4864 →56 times
οὔτεnor
outeG3777 →87 times
κατὰin
kataG2596 →468 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
πόλιν·city;
polinG4172 →163 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 24:5We have found this man to be a pestilence, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
it leads to
- Acts 28:22
But we consider your views worth hearing, because we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”
- Acts 24:14
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 26:5
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 21:28
crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and…
- Acts 28:22
Through
Acts 28:17After three days, he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers,…
it leads to
Through
Acts 25:8Then Paul made his defense: “I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”
it leads to
- Acts 28:17
After three days, he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers,…
- Acts 28:17
Through
Acts 24:18At 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
it leads to
- Acts 26:21
For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.
- Acts 26:21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Acts

This page draws on 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; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 50; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
