What Does Acts 24:6 Mean in the King James?
Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.
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 accusation of profaning what is set apart is followed immediately by a forceful taking, placing sacredness and power side by side.
THE MEANING
The charge names a violation of what is set apart, then names the seizure and the judgment intended to follow. The verse holds the accusation, the forceful taking, and the appeal to law in one sequence, showing how the defense of the sacred can become entangled with power over another person.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
A charge about profaning the sacred, even when paired with an appeal to law, does not by itself prove that the one taking hold is just.
THE ROOT
βεβηλῶσαι
bebēlōsai
GROWS FROM
βεβηλ-
bebēl-
Treat as profane or common; make what is set apart common.
The Greek word-family holds “profane” and “common” together. The charge is specifically that what is set apart has been treated as ordinary, and the verse places that claim beside the seizure that follows.
ALSO GROWS
bebēlos: Profane; common.
βέβηλος
Hebrews 12:16 uses this adjective for someone who treats a birthright as common, showing the same word-family applied to what is set apart.
bebēloō: To profane; to treat as common.
βεβηλόω
This is the verb in the verse: it presents the alleged profanation as an action against the temple.
ἐκρατήσαμεν
ekratēsamen
GROWS FROM
κρατ-
krat-
Hold with force; strength or power.
“took” in this verse is ekratēsamen. The verb belongs to a word-family of holding fast and strength. Set directly after the charge, it gives the accusation a forceful consequence: the claim is followed by taking hold of a person.
ALSO GROWS
krateō: Hold fast; seize; take hold.
κρατέω
This is the verb form behind “took,” so the verse’s seizure carries the sense of a forceful hold.
kratos: Strength; might; power.
κράτος
The related noun makes the force within the act of taking visible.
THE PATTERN
A claim that someone has violated what is sacred can quickly become a warrant for force against that person.
And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:THE THREAD
Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.Acts uses βεβηλόω (bebēloō), “to profane or treat as common”; Hebrews uses βέβηλος (bebēlos), “profane or common.” The shared word-family links the accusation about the temple with treating a birthright as common, showing how the same language marks what is no longer regarded as set apart.
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