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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_24:10-21
10When the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded: "Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense, 11since you can take note of the fact that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12Neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing a riot. 13Nor can they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me. 14But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets; 15having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men. 17Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings; 18in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been purified, without any crowd or uproar. But there were some Jews from Asia—19who ought to have been present before you and to make accusation, if they should have anything against me. 20Or else let these men themselves tell what misdeed they found when I stood before the Council, 21other than for this one statement which I shouted out while standing among them, 'For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.'"
Act_24:10 As the attorney for the Sanhedrin used a formal introduction (probably culturally expected), so too, does Paul.
▣ "defense" We get the English term "apology" or "apologetics" from this Greek term. It originally meant a legal oral defense in court.
Act_24:11-12 Paul asserts that his public activities in Jerusalem were anything but abnormal and contentious. He was accused of desecrating the temple, but in reality, he was performing an acceptable ritual.
Act_24:14 "The Way" This was the early title for Christians which emphasized that Jesus is the way to God (Joh_14:6) and a lifestyle fellowship (cf. Act_9:2; Act_19:9; Act_19:23; Act_22:4; Act_24:22 and possibly Act_18:25-26).
▣ "I do serve the God of our fathers" Paul clearly asserts in this verse that what he preaches about Jesus in no way violates the OT. Jesus is the fulfillment of Israel's hopes and promises. He does not see Christianity as something new and different but a fulfillment (cf. Jesus in Mat_5:17-19).
▣ "the Law. . .the Prophets" These are two of the threefold divisions of the OT canon:
1. The Torah (Law) — Genesis - Deuteronomy
2. The Prophets
a. former prophets — Joshua - Kings (except Ruth)
b. latter prophets — Isaiah - Malachi (except Lamentations and Daniel)
3. The Writings
a. megiloth — Ruth, Esther, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Lamentations
b. wisdom literature — Job, Psalms, Proverbs
c. post-exilic history — I & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah
Act_24:15 "having a hope in God which these men cherish themselves" Paul is asserting that his religious orientation is the same as these accusers (cf. Act_24:16), except in his view of the resurrection. Paul is trying to defend himself by showing that the conflict is over theological issues within Judaism, which Rome did not want to become involved with.
For "hope" see hyperlink at Act_2:25.
▣ "there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked" This refers to the theology of the Pharisees, not the Sadducean leadership of the temple. Josephus, Antiq. 18.1.3, even asserts that some Pharisees denied the resurrection of the wicked (for a modern view of annihilation see Edward Fudge, The Fire That Consumes). The Bible is replete with this concept of a general resurrection (cf. Isa_25:8; Dan_12:2; Mat_25:46; Joh_5:29; Rom_2:6-11; Rev_20:11-15). Paul saw Christianity as the natural fulfillment of the OT (cf. Mat_5:17-19). It was not something new!
Act_24:16 "I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience" This same phrase is what angered the High Priest so much in Act_23:1-2. Paul repeats it again in his presence. It is similar to his discussion of personal effort in 1Co_9:24-27. The self-control he preached to Felix (cf. Act_24:25) was not an easy thing to accomplish and maintain. Self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit in Gal_5:22 and possibly the capstone of the list of fruits!
Act_24:17 "I came to bring alms to my nation" For "alms" see Special Topic at Act_3:2. This probably refers to the contribution from the Gentile churches to the church in Jerusalem (cf. Rom_15:25-27; 1Co_16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8-9). It is surprising it is not mentioned in Act_21:15 ff. This may show that it was not received well by all of the church in Jerusalem (see James D. G. Dunn, Unity and Diversity in the New Testament). Intrenched racism is hard to deal with even for believers.
▣ "and to present offerings" This refers to
1. the conclusion of Paul's limited Nazarite vow (cf. Act_21:24)
2. his paying for others' limited Nazarite vows (cf. Act_21:24)
Because this phrase seems to be linked grammatically to "bring alms," it is possible that they both refer to Jewish rituals, not the offerings from the churches.
Act_24:18 "they found me occupied in the temple, having been purified" This Jewish ritual procedure was at the instigation of James and the elders of the church (cf. Act_21:17-26). It was meant to placate the legalistic Jewish believers in the church, but in reality, it inflamed the Greek-speaking Jews from Asia.
Act_24:18-19 "Jews from Asia who ought to have been" This was an important legal point in Paul's defense (cf. Act_24:19). The eyewitnesses' accusers were not present! Those who were accusing Paul of world-wide mischief had no experiential evidence (cf. Act_24:20)!
Asia is a geographical reference to Jewish people from southern and western Turkey, then called Asia Minor.
Act_24:19 b "if" This is a fourth class conditional, a way to express a contingency which is the farthest removed from possibility. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, p. 420, calls it a mixed condition with a second class conclusion (i.e., but they are not present, Act_24:19 a). His Grammar (p. 1022) lists other mixed conditional sentences in Luke's writings (cf. Luk_17:6 and Act_8:31).