Acts 24:8

8 commanding his accusers to come unto thee; by examining of whom thou may take knowledge of all these things, of which we accuse him.

Acts 24:8 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 24:8

Commanding his accusers to come unto thee
But this was not done till after Paul had set forth his case before the people, upon the stairs leading to the castle: and after he had pleaded his own cause before the sanhedrim; and after the chief captain had had intelligence of the Jews lying in wait to kill him: Tertullus would insinuate that the captain was blameworthy, that he hindered a legal process against Paul; and that it was owing to him, that this trouble was given the governor, as well as the high priest and elders, who by his orders came down from Jerusalem to Caesarea; and that had it not been for him this affair might have been finished with more dispatch, and less trouble.

By examining of whom;
not the accusers, but either the chief captain, as some think, or rather Paul:

thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things whereof we accuse
him;
so impudent was Tertullus, and of such effrontery and assurance, that he feared not to say, that the governor, by examining Paul himself, would easily come to the knowledge of the things he was accused of, and plainly see that he was guilty of them; so that there would be no need of their attestations, or of producing witnesses against him.

Acts 24:8 In-Context

6 who also has gone about to profane the temple, whom we took and would have judged according to our law.

7 But the tribunal Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,

8 commanding his accusers to come unto thee; by examining of whom thou may take knowledge of all these things, of which we accuse him.

9 And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.

10 Then Paul, after the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself;