Acts 24:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me.

NIV: And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me.

NASB: Nor can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me.

CSB: Neither can they prove the charges they are now making against me.

NLT: These men cannot prove the things they accuse me of doing.

KJV: Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.

NKJV: Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me.

Governor Felix is presiding over a trial, where members of Jewish leadership are accusing Paul. The high priest and some of the elders of the Sanhedrin have presented their case against him (Acts 24:1). They say Paul is "a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him" (Acts 24:5–6). They then, quite boldly, told Felix that he would see the truth if he questioned Paul (Acts 24:8).

Paul is more than happy to give his side of the story. His ministry has been a part of two riots, both of which were initiated by Gentiles whose demonic businesses were endangered by Paul's interference (Acts 16:16–23; 19:23–41). The only events even approaching the category of "riot" in Felix's jurisdiction were when Jews attacked Paul because they wrongly thought he had brought a Gentile into the temple and when the Sanhedrin members fought amongst themselves when Paul brought up the resurrection of the dead (Acts 21:27–30; 23:1–10). The Sanhedrin wasn't present for the first event—and the witnesses are not there (Acts 24:18–20)—and in the second, they were the rioters.

The reason the Sanhedrin disapproves of Paul, he says, is because he believes in the resurrection of the dead—which the Pharisees, minority members of the Sanhedrin, also did(Acts 24:21). It's not clear why Paul says his statement of this belief is the reason he is on trial. Paul did travel to foreign synagogues and tell the Jews and devout Gentiles about the resurrection Jesus offers, but it was typically the jealousy of the synagogue leaders that led to issues, not the message (Acts 13:45; 17:5). His belief and statement were the catalyst in the fight in the Sanhedrin (Acts 23:6–10) and the event works in Paul's favor; as he presents his case in front of Felix and, later, Festus and Agrippa II (Acts 26:6–8), they can see, like proconsul Gallio, this is "a matter of questions about words and names and [the Jews'] own law," not sedition against the Roman Empire (Acts 18:15).

Two years after this trial, when Caesar calls Felix to Rome to account for his cruelty, members of the Sanhedrin will return to Caesarea to again accuse Paul. They won't be able to make their case then, either (Acts 25:7).

Acts 24:10–21 is Paul's defense against the Sanhedrin's testimony before Governor Felix. The Sanhedrin's lawyer has accused Paul of starting riots and trying to profane the temple (Acts 24:5–6). Paul points out they have no proof and no witnesses. The issue is about the fact that he follows Jesus as the Jewish Messiah and believes in the resurrection of the dead. Felix, who knows quite a bit about Christianity, understands, but he doesn't want to upset the Jewish leaders, so he keeps Paul in custody for the remainder of his term (Acts 24:27).

Acts 24 is a transition period for Paul from freedom to captivity. For several years, he has traveled around Judea, Syria, modern-day Turkey, Macedonia, and Greece, spreading the good news about Jesus' offer of salvation. Through a series of misunderstandings and outright lies, he is now in custody in Caesarea Maritima. He will remain there for two years before demanding his case be sent to Caesar (Acts 25:11). Once he arrives in Rome, he will spend another two years in custody (Acts 28:30). Despite his confinement, his message will reach a king and the household of Nero.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.