Acts 24:14

But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

But {G1161} this {G5124} I confess {G3670} unto thee {G4671}, that {G3754} after {G2596} the way {G3598} which {G3739} they call {G3004} heresy {G139}, so {G3779} worship I {G3000} the God {G2316} of my fathers {G3971}, believing {G4100} all things {G3956} which {G3588} are written {G1125} in {G2596} the law {G3551} and {G2532} in {G1722} the prophets {G4396}:

“But this I do admit to you: I worship the God of our fathers in accordance with the Way (which they call a sect). I continue to believe everything that accords with the Torah and everything written in the Prophets.

I do confess to you, however, that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets,

But this I confess unto thee, that after the Way which they call a sect, so serve I the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets;

In Acts 24:14, the Apostle Paul stands before Governor Felix, presenting a powerful defense against the accusations brought against him by Jewish leaders. This verse is a cornerstone of his argument, asserting the true nature of his faith in Jesus Christ.

Context

Paul's trial in Caesarea followed his arrest in Jerusalem and transfer from the Sanhedrin. The Jewish high priest Ananias and an orator named Tertullus presented their case, painting Paul as a "pestilent fellow" and a "ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes" (Acts 24:5). In this specific verse, Paul directly addresses the charge of belonging to a "heresy," turning it into a declaration of his faithfulness to the God of Israel and the Jewish scriptures.

Key Themes

  • Continuity of Faith: Paul emphatically states that he worships "the God of my fathers," emphasizing that his faith in Christ is not a departure from the ancestral faith of Israel but its natural progression and fulfillment. He is not abandoning Judaism but embracing its true intent and ultimate revelation in Jesus. This counters the idea that he introduced a new, foreign deity.
  • Fulfillment of Scripture: His declaration of "believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets" is crucial. Paul asserts that his faith in Jesus is entirely consistent with, and indeed the culmination of, the Old Testament scriptures. He saw Christ as the fulfillment of messianic prophecies and the promises made to Israel, rather than a contradiction to them.
  • Redefining "Heresy": Paul acknowledges the term "heresy" (Greek: hairesis), which his accusers used to label the burgeoning Christian movement. While they intended it as a derogatory term for a divisive sect, Paul reframes it. He is indeed part of what they call a "sect," but it is "the Way" (an early term for Christianity) that truly adheres to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the entirety of the Law and the Prophets.

Linguistic Insight

The Greek word translated as "heresy" is hairesis (αἵρεσις). In its original context, it often simply meant a "choice," a "school of thought," or a "sect" (like the Sadducees or Pharisees). Over time, especially in later Christian theology, it evolved to mean a doctrine contrary to accepted truth. Here, Paul uses it in its earlier sense, confirming he belongs to the "sect" known as Christians, but immediately clarifies that this "sect" is deeply rooted in the worship of the God of his fathers and the Hebrew Scriptures.

Practical Application

Paul's defense offers valuable lessons for believers today. It encourages us to:

  • Understand the Roots of Our Faith: Christianity is not a new religion but the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan revealed throughout history, starting with the Old Testament.
  • Confidently Articulate Beliefs: Like Paul, we should be prepared to explain our faith, demonstrating its coherence with God's revealed truth and its transformative power, even when misunderstood or accused.
  • Embrace Truth Over Labels: What the world labels as peculiar or even "heresy" may, in fact, be a faithful adherence to God's word. Our ultimate allegiance is to God and His truth, not to popular opinion or external classifications.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Acts 9:2

    And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

  • Romans 3:21

    But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

  • Acts 3:13

    The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let [him] go.

  • Acts 28:23

    ¶ And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into [his] lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and [out of] the prophets, from morning till evening.

  • Acts 24:5

    For we have found this man [a] pestilent [fellow], and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:

  • Acts 26:22

    Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

  • 2 Timothy 1:3

    I thank God, whom I serve from [my] forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

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