He even tried to profane the temple, and we arrested him.
Parallel translations
- KJV Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.
- BSB and he even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.
- NKJV He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, and wanted to judge him according to our law.
- NASB And he even tried to desecrate the temple, so indeed we arrested him.
- NLT Furthermore, he was trying to desecrate the Temple when we arrested him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Tertullus claims Paul tried to desecrate the temple, which is why they seized him. This alleged temple offense is the religious heart of the charge.
Overview
The accusation revisits the false rumor that Paul brought a Gentile into the temple's restricted courts (Acts 21:28-29), a capital offense under Jewish law. In truth Paul had come to worship and was ceremonially pure. The charge twists Paul's reverence for God into sacrilege, illustrating how the gospel's messengers are slandered with the very crimes they did not commit.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Acts 24:12In the temple they didn’t find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the synagogues, or in the city.
- Acts 23:10–15When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.
- John 18:31Pilate therefore said to them, “Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,”
- Acts 21:27–32When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the multitude and laid hands on him,
- Acts 19:37For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess.
- John 19:7–8The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.”
- Acts 22:23As they cried out, and threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air,
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 24:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.