Acts 24:17

17 "Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings,

Acts 24:17 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 24:17

Now after many years
Absence from Jerusalem; it was now about five and twenty years since his conversion, and most of this time he spent among the Gentiles; three years after it he went up to Jerusalem, and fourteen years after that, ( Galatians 1:18 ) ( 2:1 ) but it had now been some years since he had been there:

I came to bring alms to my nation;
the collections which were made among the Gentile churches, particularly in Macedonia, for the poor saints at Jerusalem, ( Romans 15:25-27 ) ( 2 Corinthians 8:1-4 ) .

and offerings;
either for the day of Pentecost, according to the usages of that feast, or the offerings on the account of the vow of the Nazarite, ( Acts 21:26 ) . The Vulgate Latin version adds, "and vows"; unless the spiritual and evangelical sacrifices of prayer and praise can be thought to be meant, since the ceremonial law was now abrogated; though it is manifest the apostle did at some times, and in some cases, comply with the Jews in the observance of it, in order to gain some.

Acts 24:17 In-Context

15 And I have hope in God, which they themselves also hold, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

16 And herein do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men.

17 "Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings,

18 whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, with neither crowd nor tumult.

19 These ought to have been here before thee to object if they had aught against me;