Acts 24:16

Acts 24:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
• New International Version (NIV)So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.
• New King James Version (NKJV)This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

Context of Acts 24:16

14What I do agree is this: I worship the same God that our Jewish ancestors worshipped. But I do this in the Way that Jesus has taught us. These men say that this is not the right way. But I believe in all God's Law that Moses wrote for us. I also believe in the messages that God's prophets have written in the Bible. 15I also trust God like these men do. Like them, I believe that people will become alive again after death. God will do this for all people, both good people and bad people. Because of that, I always try to do what is right. I do not want to do anything bad against God or against other people. 17I had not been to Jerusalem for several years. Now I returned there with a gift of some money. I brought it to give to poor people who are Jews, like me. I also wanted to offer sacrifices to God. 18I was doing this in the yard of the temple when these men found me. I had obeyed all the rules to make myself clean in front of God. There was no crowd with me. Nobody was arguing or fighting because of me.

Acts 24:16 word by word

ἐν τούτῳ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀσκῶ ἀπρόσκοπον συνείδησιν ἔχειν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους διὰ παντός.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• hereinοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• do I exerciseἀσκέωaskeō · to striveG778
• myselfαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• to haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• alwaysδιαπαντόςdiapantos · alwaysG1275
• a conscienceσυνείδησιςsuneidēsis · conscienceG4893
• void of offenceἀπρόσκοποςaproskopos · not giving offenceG677
• towardπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444

Cross-references for Acts 24:16

• Acts 23:1Paul looked at the group of Jewish leaders and he said to them, ‘My Jewish friends, God knows that I have nothing to be ashamed about today. I have always respected God's Laws.’
• Romans 2:15Those people show that they know what is right. It is as if God has written his Law deep inside them. Their thoughts tell them the difference between what is right and what is wrong. Sometimes their thoughts say: ‘You did something that is wrong.’ And sometimes their thoughts say: ‘You did what is right.’
• Romans 9:1What I am telling you is true. I speak as someone who belongs to Christ. I am not telling lies. God's Holy Spirit rules my thoughts and I am sure that I am right.
• 1 Corinthians 4:4I am sure in my own mind that I have not done anything wrong. But that does not make me right. Only the Lord himself can judge me.
• 2 Corinthians 1:12We can be proud of how we have lived in this world. We have been careful to be honest and good with everyone. And we have been like that with you even more. We are sure in our own minds that this is true. We have not tried to be clever in a human way. But we have lived in the way that God has helped us to live.
• 2 Corinthians 4:2We refuse to do anything secretly that we might be ashamed of. We do not tell lies. We do not change God's message to deceive people. No. We tell God's true message clearly. God himself sees that we teach people in an honest way. Everyone should understand that we only do what is right.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:10You know that we lived in a good way when we were with you. God also knows that. We were completely honest with you believers. Nobody could say that we did anything wrong.
• 1 Timothy 1:5We need to teach people to love one another with pure thoughts. They need to be sure in their minds that they are living in a good way. They need to trust God completely.
• 1 Timothy 3:9They must completely believe the true message that God has shown us about Christ. They must be sure in their minds about it.
• 2 Timothy 1:3Like my ancestors, I serve God in a good way, that I know is right. When I pray to God, at night and during the day, I always remember to pray for you. And I thank God for you.
• Hebrews 9:14But the blood of Christ's sacrifice will do much more than that! Christ offered himself to God, in the power of his Spirit, who lives for ever. That sacrifice was completely good. There was no wrong thing in Christ. He offered his own blood to make us completely clean inside ourselves. We no longer have to do things that lead to death. Instead, we can serve the God who lives for ever.
• Hebrews 10:22So we should come near to God and we should not be afraid. But we must be honest and we must continue to trust him. He has made us clean from the dirt of our sins. Our thoughts no longer give us trouble about our sins. We have become clean. It is like he has washed our bodies with clean water.
• Hebrews 13:18Pray to God for us. We are sure in our minds that we have done nothing wrong. We always want to do only what is right.
• 1 Peter 2:19This makes God happy. Maybe your master will punish you when you have done nothing wrong. If you know that you are serving God, continue to be patient and brave.
• 1 Peter 3:16But when you tell them, be kind and polite. Do only what you know is right. Then those people will see that you live in a good way because you believe in Christ. When they say bad things against you they will become ashamed.

Commentaries on Acts 24:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16And herein do I exercise myself - And this very tenet is a pledge for my good behavior; for as I believe there will be a resurrection, both of the just and unjust, and that every man shall be judged for the deeds done in the body, so I exercise myself day and night, that I may have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men. Toward God - In entertaining no opinion contrary to his truth; and in offering no worship contrary to his dignity…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16And herein - In this, or for this purpose. Do I exercise myself - ̓͂ askōI accustom or employ myself; I make it my constant aim. Paul often appeals to his conscientiousness as the leading habit of his life. Even before his conversion he endeavored to act according to the dictates of conscience. See Acts 26:9; compare Philemon 3:5-6. To have always a conscience … - To do what is right, so that my conscience shall never reproach me. Void of offence - ̓́…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-21Verses 10-21 Paul gives a just account of himself, which clears him from crime, and likewise shows the true reason of the violence against him. Let us never be driven from any good way by its having an ill name. It is very comfortable, in worshipping God, to look to him as the God of our fathers, and to set up no other rule of faith or practice but the Scriptures. This shows there will be a resurrection to a final judgment. Prophets and their doctrines…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Paul emphasized that he had acted with a clear conscience (see 20:27, 33; 23:1; 1 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Corinthians 1:12; 4:2; see also 2 Timothy 1:3). He remained true to his Jewish heritage and did not fear God's judgment (Acts 24:14, 15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. And herein--On this account, accordingly; that is, looking forward to that awful day (compare 2Co 5:10). I exercise myself--The "I" here is emphatic; "Whatever they do, this is my study." to have always a conscience void of offence, &c.--See Ac 23:1; 2Co 1:12; 2:17, &c.; that is, "These are the great principles of my life and conduct--how different from turbulence and sectarianism!"Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 24:16

• Conscience
• Defense
• Heresy
• Holiness
• Honesty
• Integrity
• Obedience
• Readings, Select
• Self-Defense
• Sinlessness
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Assent
• Clemency
• Conscience
• Exercise
• Hear
• Inform
• James
• Jewess

Commentaries on Acts 24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings