Acts 24:16

16 {For this reason} also [I] myself {always} do my best to have a clear conscience toward God and people.

Acts 24:16 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 24:16

And herein do I exercise myself
Or because of this; on account of this doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, which is a doctrine according to godliness, and promotes and engages to a holy life and conversation, as the contrary tends to encourage a dissolute and sinful manner of living; see ( 1 Corinthians 15:32 ) The apostle studied, and laboured, and bent himself, and employed his thought, care, and time,

to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward
man;
that is, to discharge every duty which God requires, and to give to every man what is due to him; so as to please God, and not offend men, neither Jew nor Gentile, nor the church of God; and so as that conscience may be clear of guilt, and may not be defiled with sin, being purged and purified by the blood of Christ. By a "conscience void of offence", is meant a good conversation; which as it respects God, lies in a carefulness not to offend him, but to do his will; and as it respects men, a shunning what may give offence, or be a stumbling to them; and though this cannot be perfectly attained to in each of its branches, yet there is in every good man a concern to have such a conscience; and the consideration of the resurrection of the dead, the general judgment, and a future state, induce him to it.

Acts 24:16 In-Context

14 But I do confess this to you, that according to the Way (which they call a sect), so I worship the God of our fathers, believing all things [that are] in accordance with the law and that are written in the prophets,

15 having a hope in God which these [men] also themselves await: [that] there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.

16 {For this reason} also [I] myself {always} do my best to have a clear conscience toward God and people.

17 So after many years, I came to practice charitable giving and offerings to my people,

18 in which they found me purified in the temple [courts], not with a crowd or with a disturbance.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "by this"
• [b] Literally "through everything"