What Does Acts 24:20 Mean in the King James?
Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse makes an accusation answer to a specific act: what wrong was actually found?
THE MEANING
A charge against you has to become concrete: what wrong was found, and who found it? The verse brings a broad accusation down to an act that can be named and examined. A claim without that account remains unproved.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that an accusation becomes proof through repetition or authority; the charge still has to identify a wrongful act and those who claim to have found it.
THE ROOT
ἀδίκημα
adíkēma
GROWS FROM
ἀδικ- (adīk-, built from ἀ- + δίκη, dikē)
Injustice: what is done against δίκη (dikē), meaning justice or what is right.
The Greek noun points to an actual wrong or injustice, while its word family names doing wrong and injustice itself. “Evil doing” can sound broad; the Greek presses toward a wrongful act that can be identified, which is exactly what the speakers are asked to say they found.
ALSO GROWS
adikeō: To do wrong or act unjustly.
ἀδικέω
The verb names the act behind the accusation: wrongdoing must be something someone did.
adikia: Injustice or wrongdoing.
ἀδικία
This related noun shows that the word family holds both the wrongful act and the condition of injustice.
THE PATTERN
An accusation has to answer to a named act and testimony that can be examined.
One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?THE THREAD
And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:Acts 18:14 uses the same Greek noun, ἀδίκημα, for a matter of wrong. In both scenes, the word turns accusation from a general cloud into a claim about an actual injustice someone must identify.
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