Acts 24:1-27

Acts 24:1-9:

^24:1But after five days the chief-priest Ananias descended with some elders and some speaker Tertullus, the-people-who manifested to the leader against Paul. ^.2And (after) his having been called, Tertullus began to accuse (Paul) saying,

"Attaining much peace by means of you and throughly-upright-things coming-to-pass for this nation because-of your fore-mindedness, ^.3both by every-way and everywhere, we accept, strongest Felix, with all thankfulness; ^.4but in order that I may not obstruct you on more (time), I encourage you to hear us concisely with your considerateness –

^.5for having found this adult-male pestilent and moving standings (of insurrection) to all the Judeans, the (Judeans) throughout the inhabited-area, and (he is the) first-standing-person of the sect of the Nazarenes, ^.6who also tempted to profane the temple, whom also we strongly-held, ^.8from whom you will be able yourself, having judged-up concerning all these-things, to fully-know of-which-things we accuse him."

^.9And also the Judeans put-on-together asserting these-things to have thus.

Five days after Paul’s arrest, the chief (high) priest named Ananias came to Caesarea from Jerusalem in company and association with some of the Jerusalem elders from the Sanhedrin, plus an orator named Tertullus (their spokesman during this judicial court-like meeting; his name is Roman and perhaps he was of the Judean religion). These were the people who manifested (evidenced, made it openly seen as shining light on the subject, showed forth) their case against Paul to Felix.

When Felix summoned all of them including Paul, Tertullus began to publicly speak against Paul by opening his oration with politeness and flattery towards Felix. Tertullus said:

"Attaining (obtaining, achieving the goal, hitting the target of) a lot of peace through you
and things which are fully straight (referring to restorations, corrections, improvements, amendments, reforms in the administration) happening to/for this nation (of Israel / Judah) on account of emphatically your fore-mindedness (foresight, your mind set on making provision beforehand, ahead of time),
both via all manners and in all places,
we accept (we fully welcome them with open arms, we willingly receive or take them to ourselves),
- strongest Felix (a title emphasizing his superiority in strength and exerted force),
in company and association with all/every thankfulness (expression of gratitude for the grace you have bestowed upon us);
but for the purpose and result that I would not obstruct you further (cut-in, impede, thwart, interrupt you, hold you back any longer),
I encourage (exhort) you to listen to us concisely (briefly) with/by emphatically your considerateness (your disposition of yielding appropriately with fitting suitableness considering the rights of others in a righteous/just manner) –
- in fact after we found this grown-man pestilent (as a plague, a pest) and setting in motion standings of insurrection (literally: erections, being in the standing position, but in this context it refers to standing firm against others) to/against all the Judeans, emphatically and specifically the Judeans throughout the inhabited-area (the populated area of the world),
- and he is the one standing first ahead of everyone else in the sect (faction, heresy, choice, opinion, chosen-way) of the Nazarenes,
- who also tempted (tried in the bad sense with ill-intent) to profane the temple,
whom also we strongly-held (we were strong with forceful strength to overcome him in this regard and held him),
from whom (Paul) you will be able (have the ability) yourself, after you have judged-up (investigated, carefully examined) concerning all these-things, to fully-know (to have full, clear and exact personal knowledge) of the things which emphatically we accuse him."

Following Tertullus' speech, all the Judeans who were present also put themselves in agreement with what he said. They supported the accusation joining in the attack asserting (affirming, saying repeatedly) that these things occurred in this manner.

It is interesting to note that in Tertullus' speech he says that Paul is in effect the leader of the 'sect of the Nazarenes' – they had not called Paul that before, but now they were using it disrespectfully and disparagingly because Paul had told them that the resurrected Christ Jesus had said that he was 'Jesus the Nazarene' (Acts 22:8).

The verb 'to profane' is the Greek word bebeloo which means: to desecrate, trample, pollute, violate, cross the threshold from what is holy and enter-into what is unholy, not sacred or initiated.

Also, verses 7 and part of verse 8, which are in some translations, are not in the original texts to the best of my knowledge.

[Reference: Matthew 2:23, 12:5, 26:71; Acts 2:22, 3:6, 4:10, 6:14, 10:38, 21:27-33, 22:8, 23:2.]

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Acts Chapter 25