Acts 24:6

Gone about. Literally, “attempted.” Paul’s enemies now introduce the supposed crime that had led to his arrest (see ch. 21:21, 28).

Profane. Gr. bebelod, “to profane,” “to desecrate.” It is related to a word meaning “threshold.” The verb thus means “stepping over a threshold.” Paul was charged with taking Gentiles across the boundary in the Temple courtyard beyond which only Jews were permitted (see Vol. V, p. 67), and thus desecrating it. The charge here made against Paul was very serious under Roman as well as under Jewish law. See illustration facing p. 449.

We took. Gr. krated, “to take,” “to seize,” implying the use of force. They pictured Paul as a dangerous criminal taken by main force.

Would have judged. Textual evidence favors (cf. p. 10) the omission of these words and all that follows, down to and including the words “come unto thee” in v. 8. However, this passage recapitulates events, although from Tertullus’ standpoint, that Luke has already recorded as having happened (chs. 21:32 to 23:30). Verses 6-8 portray Tertullus as explaining why it had become necessary to trouble Felix with this case. His clients had intended to deal with Paul themselves; Lysias had interfered.

According to our law. Jewish law did not provide for executing a man for being a “pestilence,” that is, a public nuisance. The laws of the OT are fair, noble, explicit. But the best law, like the best doctrine, can become an installment of persecution in the hand of willful and intolerant men. However, in a case of Temple profanation Roman law permitted the Jews to execute the violator, even though he was a Roman (see Vol. V, p. 67).