The Meaning of Acts 24:26 Explained

Acts 24:26

KJV: He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.

YLT: and at the same time also hoping that money shall be given to him by Paul, that he may release him, therefore, also sending for him the oftener, he was conversing with him;

Darby: hoping at the same time that money would be given him by Paul: wherefore also he sent for him the oftener and communed with him.

ASV: He hoped withal that money would be given him of Paul: wherefore also he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He hoped  also  that  money  should have been given  him  of  Paul,  that  he might loose  him:  wherefore  he sent for  him  the oftener,  and  communed with  him. 

What does Acts 24:26 Mean?

Verse Meaning

We do not know for sure where Paul got the money Felix hoped he would give him or if he had it. Perhaps the Christians who heard of his imprisonment contributed to his support (cf. Acts 24:23; Acts 27:3). [1]
". . . although provincial governors were prohibited by law from taking bribes from prisoners, the practice was common and, in the case of Felix, quite in character." [2]

Context Summary

Acts 24:17-27 - A Trembling But Venal Judge
The case had broken down. Paul's statement of faith and the absence of confirmatory evidence directly contradicted the only charge against him. Felix dared not hand over Paul as guilty, and he was equally unwilling to offend the high priest's party; so he postponed his decision. In the meantime Paul's custody was not to be severe. His friends might freely see him, and the long hours were doubtless lightened by visits from Luke and Aristarchus, Philip the evangelist, and other members of the local Christian community.
At first the governor was prepossessed in Paul's favor. He had some intimate knowledge concerning the tenets of the early Church, Acts 24:22. He had studied it as an intellectual system, and was interested to have opportunity for conversation with its foremost exponent. But his illicit union with Drusilla, whose husband was living, and his hope to receive a bribe from Paul's friends, made him obtuse and dead to the claims of Christ. Paul, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to any thought of himself or of his dependence on the governor's whim, and used his one opportunity in seeking the salvation of this weak and sordid soul. It was in vain. Felix was anchored to a mudbank and would not avail himself of the rising tides of life about him. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 24

1  Paul being accused by Tertullus the orator,
10  answers for his life and doctrine
24  He preaches Christ to the governor and his wife
26  The governor hopes for a bribe, but in vain
27  Felix, succeeded by Festus, leaves Paul in prison

Greek Commentary for Acts 24:26

He hoped withal [αμα και ελπιζων]
“At the same time also hoping.” Paul had mentioned the “alms” (Acts 24:17) and that excited the avarice of Felix for “money” Roman law demanded exile and confiscation for a magistrate who accepted bribes, but it was lax in the provinces. Felix had doubtless received them before. Josephus (Ant. XX. 8, 9) represents Felix as greedy for money. [source]
The oftener [πυκνοτερον]
Comparative adverb of πυκνος — puknos old word, in N.T. only here and Luke 5:33 which see and 1 Timothy 5:23. Kin to πυγμη — pugmē (Mark 7:3) which see from πυκω — pukō thick, dense, compact. Paul kept on not offering a bribe, but Felix continued to have hopes (present tense ελπιζων — elpizōn), kept on sending for him (present tense μεταπεμπομενος — metapempomenos), and kept on communing (imperfect active ωμιλει — hōmilei from ομιλεω — homileō old word as in Acts 20:11; Luke 24:14, which see, only N.T. examples of this word). But he was doomed to disappointment. He was never terrified again. [source]
He hoped also [ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἐλπίζων]
A comma should be placed after thee (Acts 24:25), and the participle ἐλπίζων , hoping, joined with answered: “Felix answered, 'Go thy way, etc.,' hoping withal that money would be given him.” [source]
Communed [ὡμίλει]
See on talked, Acts 20:11. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 24:26

Luke 5:33 Often [πυκνὰ]
Only here, Acts 24:26; 1 Timothy 5:23. The word literally means close-packed, as a thicket, or the plumage of a bird. [source]
Luke 24:14 They communed [ωμιλουν]
Imperfect active of ομιλεω — homileō old and common verb (from ομιλος — homilos in company with). In the N.T. only here (and Luke 24:15) and Acts 20:11; Acts 24:26. Our word homiletics is derived from this word for preaching was at first largely conversational in style and not declamatory. [source]
Acts 10:27 As he talked with him [sunomilōn autōi)]
Present active participle of sunomileō rare compound and here alone in the N.T., with associative instrumental case. The uncompounded verb is common enough though in the N.T. only in Luke 24:14 which see and Acts 20:11; Acts 24:26. [source]
Acts 25:3 That he would send for [οπως μεταπεμπσηται]
First aorist middle subjunctive of μεταπεμπω — metapempō (See note on Acts 24:24, and Acts 24:26) with final particle οπως — hopōs like ινα — hina Aorist tense for single case. Laying wait (ενεδραν ποιουντες — enedran poiountes). See note on Acts 23:16 for the word ενεδρα — enedra Old idiom (Thucydides) for laying a plot or ambush as here. Only these two uses of ενεδρα — enedra in N.T. Two years before the Sanhedrin had agreed to the plot of the forty conspirators. Now they propose one on their own initiative. On the way Down along, up and down along the way. Plenty of opportunity would occur between Caesarea and Jerusalem for ambush and surprise attacks. [source]
1 Timothy 5:23 Thine often infirmities [τὰς πυκνάς σου ἀσθενείας]
This use of often as an adjective appears in earlier English. So Chaucer: “Ofte sythes” or “tymes ofte,” many times. Shakespeare: “In which my often rumination wraps me in a most humorous sadness” (As you like it, IV. i. 19). And Ben Jonson:“The jolly wassal walks the often round.”The Forest, iii.Even Tennyson:“Wrench'd or broken limb - an often chanceIn those brain-stunning shocks and tourney-falls.”Gareth and Lynette. Πυκνός oftenvery common in Class. Originally, close, compact, comp. Lat. frequens. In this sense Luke href="/desk/?q=lu+5:33&sr=1">Luke 5:33; Acts 24:26. Ἁσθένεια weaknessinfirmity, only here in Pastorals. In the physical sense, as here, Luke 5:15; Luke 8:2; John 5:5; Galatians 4:13. In the ethic sense, Romans 6:19; Romans 8:26. [source]
1 Timothy 5:23 But use a little wine [χραομαι]
Present middle imperative of ολιγωι — chraomai with instrumental case. The emphasis is on δια τον στομαχον — oligōi (a little). For thy stomach‘s sake (στομα — dia ton stomachon). Old word from τας πυκνας σου αστενειας — stoma (mouth). In Homer throat, opening of the stomach (Aristotle), stomach in Plutarch. Here only in N.T. Our word “stomach.” Thine often infirmities Αστενειας — Puknos is old word, dense, frequent. In N.T. only here, Luke 5:33; Acts 24:26. Astheneias = weaknesses, lack of strength (Romans 8:26). Timothy was clearly a semi-invalid. [source]
1 Timothy 5:23 Thine often infirmities [Πυκνος]
Αστενειας — Puknos is old word, dense, frequent. In N.T. only here, Luke 5:33; Acts 24:26. Astheneias = weaknesses, lack of strength (Romans 8:26). Timothy was clearly a semi-invalid. [source]
Philemon 1:22 But withal [αμα δε]
Along with your kindly reception of Onesimus. On αμα — hama see note on Acts 24:26 and note on Acts 27:40. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 24:26 mean?

At the same time also he is hoping that riches will be given him by - Paul Therefore often him sending for he was talking with him
ἅμα καὶ ἐλπίζων ὅτι χρήματα δοθήσεται αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τοῦ Παύλου διὸ πυκνότερον αὐτὸν μεταπεμπόμενος ὡμίλει αὐτῷ

ἅμα  At  the  same  time 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἅμα  
Sense: at the same time, at once, together prep.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
ἐλπίζων  he  is  hoping 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐλπίζω  
Sense: to hope.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
χρήματα  riches 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: χρῆμα  
Sense: a thing, a matter, affair, event, business.
δοθήσεται  will  be  given 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Παύλου  Paul 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Παῦλος  
Sense: Paul was the most famous of the apostles and wrote a good part of the NT, the 4 Pauline epistles.
πυκνότερον  often 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular, Comparative
Root: πυκνός  
Sense: thick, dense, compact.
μεταπεμπόμενος  sending  for 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: μεταπέμπω  
Sense: to send one after another.
ὡμίλει  he  was  talking 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ὁμιλέω  
Sense: to be in company with.
αὐτῷ  with  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.