Acts 24 · Verse 5

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 24:5, King James Version

Acts 24:5 in other translations

BSB	We have found this man to be a pestilence, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
WEB	For we have found this man to be a plague, an instigator of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.
ASV	For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
YLT	for having found this man a pestilence, and moving a dissension to all the Jews through the world--a ringleader also of the sect of the Nazarenes--
DARBY	For finding this man a pest, and moving sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a leader of the sect of the Nazaraeans;
BBE	For this man, in our opinion, is a cause of trouble, a maker of attacks on the government among Jews through all the empire, and a chief mover in the society of the Nazarenes:
Webster	For we have found this a pestilent man, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarenes:

What does Acts 24:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 24:5-8

5-8. a pestilent fellow--a plague, or pest. and a mover of sedition among all the Jews--by exciting disturbances among them. throughout the world--(See on Lu 2:1). This was the first charge; and true only in the sense explained on Ac 16:20. a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes--the second charge; and true enough.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 5. We have found this man a pestilent fellow. λοιμον. This word is commonly applied to a plague, or pestilence; and then to a man who corrupts the morals of others, or who is turbulent, and an exciter of sedition. Our translation somewhat weakens the force of the original expression. Tertullus did not say that he was a pestilent fellow, but that he was the very pestilence itself. In this he referred to their belief, that he had been the cause of extensive disturbances everywhere among the Jews.

And a mover of sedition. An exciter of tumult. This they pretended he did by preaching doctrines contrary to the laws and customs of Moses, and exciting the Jews to tumult and disorder.

Throughout the world. Throughout the Roman empire, and thus leading the Jews to violate the laws, and to produce tumults, riots, and disorder.

And a ringleader. πρωτοστατην. This word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It is properly a military word, and denotes one who stands first in an army, a standard-bearer, a leader, or commander. The meaning is, that Paul had been so active, and so prominent in preaching the gospel, that he had been a leader, or the principal person, in extending the sect of the Nazarenes.

Of the sect. The original word here αιρεσεως is the word from which we have derived the term heresy. It is, however, properly translated sect, or party, and should have been so translated in Acts 24:14. Acts 5:17.

Of the Nazarenes. This was the name usually given to Christians by way of contempt. They were so called because Jesus was of Nazareth.

(a) "fellow" Lk 23:2, Acts 6:13, 16:20, 17:6, 21:28, 1Pet 2:18,19 (*) "sedition" "insurrection"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 5 For we have found this man, etc. - Here the proposition of the orator commences. He accuses Paul, ant his accusation includes four particulars: - 1. He is a pest, λοιμος; an exceedingly bad and wicked man. 2. He excites disturbances and seditions against the Jews. 3. He is the chief of the sect of the Nazarenes, who are a very bad people, and should not be tolerated. 4. He has endeavored to pollute and profane the temple, and we took him in the fact. A pestilent fellow - The word λοιμος, pestis - the plague or pestilence, is used by both Greek and Roman authors to signify a very bad and profligate man; we have weakened the force of the word by translating the substantive adjectively. Tertullus did not say that Paul was a pestilent fellow, but he said that he was the very pestilence itself. As in that of Martial, xi. 92: - Non vitiosus homo es, Zoile, sed vitium. "Thou art not a vicious man, O Zoilus, but thou art vice itself." The words λοιμος, and pestis, are thus frequently used. - See Wetstein, Bp. Pearce, and Kypke. A mover of sedition - Instead of Ϛασιν, sedition, ABE, several others, with the Coptic, Vulgate, Chrysostom, Theophylact, and Oecumenius, read Ϛασεις, commotions, which is probably the true reading. Among all the Jews - Bp. Pearce contends that the words should be understood thus - one that stirreth up tumults Against all the Jews; for, if they be understood otherwise, Tertullus may be considered as accusing his countrymen, as if they, at Paul's instigation, were forward to make insurrections every where. On the contrary, he wishes to represent them as a persecuted and distressed people, by means of Paul and his Nazarenes. A ringleader - Πρωτοστατην. This is a military phrase, and signifies the officer who stands on the right of the first rank; the captain of the front rank of the sect of the Nazarenes; της των ναζωραιων αἱρεσεως, of the heresy of the Nazarenes. This word is used six times by St. Luke; viz. in this verse, and in Act 24:14, and in Act 5:17; Act 15:5; Act 26:5; Act 28:22; but in none of them does it appear necessarily to include that bad sense which we generally assign to the word heresy. - See the note on Act 5:17, where the subject is largely considered; and see farther on Act 24:14 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 24:1-9

See here the unhappiness of great men, and a great unhappiness it is, to have their services praised beyond measure, and never to be faithfully told of their faults; hereby they are hardened and encouraged in evil, like Felix. God's prophets were charged with being troublers of the land, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that he perverted the nation; the very same charges were brought against Paul. The selfish and evil…

Read the full comment on Acts 24:1-9 →

Acts 24:5 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

εὑρόντεςheurontesHaving foundG2147

γὰρgarforG1063

τὸνton<the>G3588

ἄνδραandramanG435

τοῦτονtoutonthisG3778

λοιμὸνloimona pestG3061

καὶkaiandG2532

κινοῦνταkinountastirringG2795

στάσειςstaseisinsurrectionsG4714

πᾶσινpasinamong allG3956

τοῖςtoistheG3588

ἸουδαίοιςIoudaioisJewsG2453

τοῖςtois<the>G3588

κατὰkatainG2596

τὴνtēntheG3588

οἰκουμένηνoikoumenēnworldG3625

πρωτοστάτηνprōtostatēna leaderG4414

τεtethenG5037

τῆςtēsof theG3588

τῶνtōnof theG3588

ΝαζωραίωνNazōraiōnNazarenesG3480

αἱρέσεως·haireseōssect;G139

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 24:5

Acts 28:22
But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.
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:
Acts 26:5
Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
Acts 21:28
Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.
Acts 15:5
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Acts 5:17
Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,
Acts 16:20-21
And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
Luke 23:2
And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.
Acts 17:6-7
And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
1 Corinthians 4:13
Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
Acts 6:13
And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
1 Kings 18:17-18
And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

we have.
6:13; 16:20,21; 17:6,7; 21:28; 22:22; 28:22; 1Ki 18:17,18; Jer 38:4
Am 7:10; Mt 5:11,12; 10:25; 1Co 4:13
and a mover.
1Sa 22:7-9; Ezr 4:12-19; Ne 6:5-8; Es 3:8; Lu 23:2,5,19,25
1Pe 2:12-15,19
the sect.
14; *Gr:
5:17; 15:5; 26:5; 28:22; 1Co 11:19; *Gr:
Nazarenes.
Mt 2:23

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Acts 24:4
Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.
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 24:6
Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.

Read all of Acts 24

Acts 24:5 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Porque hemos hallado que este hombre es pestilencial, y levantador de sediciones entre todos los Judíos por todo el mundo, y príncipe de la secta de los Nazarenos:
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	car nous avons trouvé que cet homme est une peste, et qu’il excite des séditions parmi tous les Juifs dans toute la terre habitée, et qu’il est un meneur de la secte des Nazaréens;
German Elberfelder 1871	Denn wir haben diesen Mann als eine Pest befunden und als einen, der unter allen Juden, die auf dem Erdkreis sind, Aufruhr erregt, und als einen Anführer der Sekte der Nazaräer;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Invenimus hunc hominem pestiferum, et concitantem seditiones omnibus Judæis in universo orbe, et auctorem seditionis sectæ Nazarenorum: