What Does Acts 24:21 Mean in the King James?

Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.

Acts 24:21 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The Greek word for “resurrection” shares its root with the word for Paul “standing” before his accusers: both carry the idea of standing.

THE MEANING

The claim at the center of this verse is that the dead rise. The speaker stands before his accusers as he names a hope whose Greek word carries the sense of standing up again. The verse brings accusation and rising together, putting death’s finality in question.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

Death closes the story permanently; the dead do not stand again.

THE ROOT

ἀνάστασις

anastasis

GROWS FROM

ἵστημι

histēmi

To stand or set upright.

English gives “standing” and “resurrection” separate shapes, while Greek connects them through ⁨ἵστημι⁩ (histēmi, to stand). The dead’s “standing again” and the speaker’s standing among his accusers share that root beneath the English wording.

ALSO GROWS

hestōs: Having stood; standing.

ἑστώς

This is the Greek form behind “standing” in the verse, directly linking the speaker’s stance to the root of resurrection.

anistēmi: To stand up; to rise.

ἀνίστημι

This verb combines with ⁨ἀνά⁩ (ana, up or again) in the word for resurrection, making the image of rising explicit.

stasis: A standing; a position.

στάσις

This noun supplies the standing element in ⁨ἀνάστασις⁩ (anastasis, resurrection), showing the shared root within the word itself.

THE PATTERN

Across scripture, the dead are spoken of as awakening, rising, and coming forth from the grave.

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Daniel 12:2 · KJVThe dead awaken from the dust, expressing resurrection as a rising from death.

And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

John 5:29 · KJVThe dead come forth from their graves, and the verse names their rising as resurrection.

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

1 Corinthians 15:20 · KJVChrist’s rising is presented as the beginning of the rising promised to those who have died.

THE THREAD

And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

Acts 24:15 · KJV

Here Paul states the hope that he names as the single point of dispute in the current verse. Both verses use ⁨ἀνάστασις⁩ (anastasis, resurrection), so the same word threads through his defense.

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