Acts 24:14

I confess (omologw). The only charge left was that of being a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. This Paul frankly confesses is true. He uses the word in its full sense. He is "guilty" of that. After the Way (kata thn odon). This word Paul had already applied to Christianity ( 2 Corinthians 22:4 ). He prefers it to "sect" (airesin which means a choosing, then a division). Paul claims Christianity to be the real (whole, catholic) Judaism, not a "sect" of it. But he will show that Christianity is not a deviation from Judaism, but the fulfilment of it (Page) as he has already shown in Galatians 3:1 ff.; Romans 9:1 ff. So serve I the God of our fathers (outw latreuw twi patrwiwi qewi). Paul has not stretched the truth at all. He has confirmed the claim made before the Sanhedrin that he is a spiritual Pharisee in the truest sense ( Romans 23:6 ). He reasserts his faith in all the law and the prophets, holding to the Messianic hope. A curious "heretic" surely! Which these themselves also look for (hn kai autoi outoi prosdecontai). Probably with a gesture towards his accusers. He does not treat them all as Sadducees. See Titus 2:13 for similar use of the verb (prosdecomenoi thn makarian elpida, looking for the happy hope).