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

14But I’ll admit to you that I’m a follower of the way ⌞of Christ⌟, which they call a sect. This means that I serve our ancestors’ God and believe everything written in Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets. 15I hope for the same thing my accusers do, that people with God’s approval and those without it will come back to life. With this belief I always do my best to have a clear conscience in the sight of God and people. 17After many years I have come back to my people and brought gifts for the poor and offerings ⌞for God⌟. 18My accusers found me in the temple courtyard doing these things after I had gone through the purification ceremony. No crowd or noisy mob was present.

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 stared at the Jewish council and said, “Brothers, my relationship with God has always given me a perfectly clear conscience.”
• Romans 2:15They show that some requirements found in Moses’ Teachings are written in their hearts. Their consciences speak to them. Their thoughts accuse them on one occasion and defend them on another.
• Romans 9:1As a Christian, I’m telling you the truth. I’m not lying. The Holy Spirit, along with my own thoughts, supports me in this.
• 1 Corinthians 4:4I have a clear conscience, but that doesn’t mean I have God’s approval. It is the Lord who cross-examines me.
• 2 Corinthians 1:12We are proud that our conscience is clear. We are proud of the way that we have lived in this world. We have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity, especially toward you. It was not by human wisdom that we have lived but by God’s kindness.
• 2 Corinthians 4:2Instead, we have refused to use secret and shameful ways. We don’t use tricks, and we don’t distort God’s word. As God watches, we clearly reveal the truth to everyone. This is our ⌞letter of⌟ recommendation.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:10You and God are witnesses of how pure, honest, and blameless we were in our dealings with you believers.
• 1 Timothy 1:5My goal in giving you this order is for love to flow from a pure heart, from a clear conscience, and from a sincere faith.
• 1 Timothy 3:9They must have clear consciences about possessing the mystery of the Christian faith.
• 2 Timothy 1:3I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day when I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as my ancestors did.
• Hebrews 9:14The blood of Christ, who had no defect, does even more. Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself to God and cleansed our consciences from the useless things we had done. Now we can serve the living God.
• Hebrews 10:22We have been sprinkled ⌞with his blood⌟ to free us from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with clean water. So we must continue to come ⌞to him⌟ with a sincere heart and strong faith.
• Hebrews 13:18Pray for us. We are sure that our consciences are clear because we want to live honorably in every way.
• 1 Peter 2:19God is pleased if a person is aware of him while enduring the pains of unjust suffering.
• 1 Peter 3:16Keep your conscience clear. Then those who treat the good Christian life you live with contempt will feel ashamed that they have ridiculed you.

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