The Meaning of Acts 24:15 Explained

Acts 24:15

KJV: 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.

YLT: having hope toward God, which they themselves also wait for, that there is about to be a rising again of the dead, both of righteous and unrighteous;

Darby: having hope towards God, which they themselves also receive, that there is to be a resurrection both of just and unjust.

ASV: having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Acts 24:15 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Ananias was a Sadducee, and the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection ( Acts 23:8). Therefore Felix would have seen that Paul and Ananias disagreed strongly on this theological point. The Jews who accompanied Ananias to Caesarea evidently included Pharisees who did believe in the resurrection. Belief in the resurrection was the theologically conservative position of the Jews as a whole.
This verse contains the only New Testament reference that Paul believed in the resurrection of the wicked as well as the resurrection of the righteous. Nevertheless the Scriptures speak elsewhere of God raising all people to face judgment (e.g, Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:31-33; Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29; Acts 10:42; Acts 17:31; Revelation 20:12-15).

Context Summary

Acts 24:1-16 - Truth Against Slander
Paul was always on the lookout for the one ray of light in murky skies. He found a reason for counting himself happy in this dark hour, Acts 24:10. He held himself with great dignity. He remembered that he was always God's ambassador, representing the court of heaven amid the perverse courts of human government. As for the charge of sedition, he challenged his adversaries to prove it. He pointed out that as the nation was already divided into Pharisees and Sadducees, they could hardly find fault with him for belonging to a third sect-that of the Nazarenes. After the way which they called a sect, Acts 24:14, r.v., he worshipped God, but he had never stirred up strife in temple or synagogue. He protested that it had been the aim of his life to keep a conscience void of offense toward God and man.
In Acts 23:1 he had made a similar statement. Well would it be for us if only we would devote a few minutes at the close of each day to discover whether our conscience accused us of failure in heart, thought, or behavior. The Holy Spirit pleads in the court of conscience. We would be kept from many a fall, if we would be more careful to watch against the little rifts. [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 24:15

That there shall be a resurrection [αναστασιν μελλειν εσεσται]
Indirect assertion with infinitive and accusative of general reference The future infinitive εσεσται — esesthai after μελλειν — mellein is also according to rule, μελλω — mellō being followed by either present, aorist, or future infinitive (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 870, 877, 878). [source]
Both of the just and the unjust [δικαιων τε και αδικων]
Apparently at the same time as in John 5:29 (cf. Acts 17:31.). Gardner thinks that Luke here misrepresents Paul who held to no resurrection save for those “in Christ,” a mistaken interpretation of Paul in my opinion. The Talmud teaches the resurrection of Israelites only, but Paul was more than a Pharisee. [source]
Allow [προσδέχονται]
Or, as Rev., look for. The word admits of either sense. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 24:15

Luke 7:2 Dear to him [αρχης]
Held in honour, prized, precious, dear (Luke 14:8; 1 Peter 2:4; Philemon 2:29), common Greek word. Even though a slave he was dear to him.Was sick (αυτωι εντιμος — kakōs echōn). Having it bad. Common idiom. See note on Matthew 4:24; Matthew 8:16; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:31, etc. Matthew 8:6 notes that the slave was a paralytic.And at the point of death Imperfect active of ημελλεν τελευταιν — mellō (note double augment μελλω — ē) which is used either with the present infinitive as here, the aorist (Revelation 3:16), or even the future because of the future idea in η — mellō (Acts 11:28; Acts 24:15). He was about to die. [source]
Luke 7:2 And at the point of death [κακως εχων]
Imperfect active of ημελλεν τελευταιν — mellō (note double augment μελλω — ē) which is used either with the present infinitive as here, the aorist (Revelation 3:16), or even the future because of the future idea in η — mellō (Acts 11:28; Acts 24:15). He was about to die. [source]
John 5:28 In the tombs [εν τοις μνημειοις]
Ταπος — Taphos (grave) presents the notion of burial Jesus claims not only the power of life (spiritual) and of judgment, but of power to quicken the actual dead at the Last Day. They will hear his voice and come out A general judgment and a general bodily resurrection we have here for both good and bad as in Matthew 25:46; Acts 24:15; 2 Corinthians 5:10 and as often implied in the words of Jesus (Matthew 5:29.; Matthew 10:28; Luke 11:32). In John 6:39 Jesus asserts that he will raise up the righteous. [source]
Acts 11:28 Should be [μελλειν εσεσται]
Μελλω — Mellō occurs either with the present infinitive (Acts 16:27), the aorist infinitive (Acts 12:6), or the future as here and Acts 24:15; Acts 27:10. Over all the world (επ ολην την οικουμενην — eph' holēn tēn oikoumenēn). Over all the inhabited earth (γην — gēn understood). Probably a common hyperbole for the Roman empire as in Luke 2:1. Josephus (Ant. VIII. 13, 4) appears to restrict it to Palestine. In the days of Claudius He was Roman Emperor a.d. 41-44. The Roman writers (Suetonius, Dio Cassius, Tacitus) all tell of dearths (assiduae sterilitates) during the brief reign of Claudius who was preceded by Caligula and followed by Nero. [source]
Acts 24:16 Herein [εν τουτωι]
His whole confession of belief in Acts 24:14, Acts 24:15. [source]
Hebrews 6:2  []
The other four items are qualitative genitives withδιδαχην — didachēn(βαπτισμων επιτεσεως χειρων αναστασεως νεκρων κριματος αιωνιου — baptismōnclass="normal greek">βαπτισμων—epitheseōs cheirōn class="translit"> anastaseōs nekrōn class="translit"> krimatos aiōniou ). The plural baptismōn “by itself does not mean specifically Christian baptism either in this epistle ( Hebrews 9:10 ) or elsewhere ( Mark 7:4 ), but ablutions or immersions such as the mystery religions and the Jewish cultus required for initiates, proselytes, and worshippers in general” (Moffatt). The disciples of the Baptist had disputes with the Jews over purification ( John 3:25 ). See also Acts 19:2 . “The laying on of hands” seems to us out of place in a list of elementary principles, but it was common as a sign of blessing ( Matthew 19:13 ), of healing ( Mark 7:32 ), in the choice of the Seven ( Acts 6:6 ), in the bestowal of the Holy Spirit ( Acts 8:17 .; Acts 19:6 ), in separation for a special task ( Acts 13:3 ), in ordination ( 1 Timothy 4:14 ; 1 Timothy 5:22 ; 2 Timothy 1:6 ). Prayer accompanied this laying on of the hands as a symbol. The resurrection of the dead (both just and unjust, John 5:29 ; Acts 24:15 ) is easily seen to be basal (cf. 1Cor 15) as well as eternal judgment (timeless and endless). [source]
1 John 3:3 Set on him [επ αυτωι]
Resting upon (επι — epi) with locative rather than εις — eis looking to, Acts 24:15. That is upon Christ (Brooke), upon God (D. Smith), upon God in Christ (Westcott). [source]
Revelation 20:5 Lived not until the thousand years should be finished [ουκ εζησαν αχρι τελεστηι τα χιλια ετη]
See Revelation 20:4 for the items here. “To infer from this statement, as many expositors have done, that the εζησαν — ezēsan of Revelation 20:4 must be understood of bodily resuscitation, is to interpret apocalyptic prophecy by methods of exegesis which are proper to ordinary narrative” (Swete). I sympathize wholly with that comment and confess my own ignorance therefore as to the meaning of the symbolism without any predilections for post-millennialism or premillennialism.This is the first resurrection (αυτη η αναστασις η πρωτη — hautē hē anastasis hē prōtē). Scholars differ as to the genuineness of this phrase. Accepting it as genuine, Swete applies it to “the return of the martyrs and confessors to life at the beginning of the Thousand Years.” According to this view the first resurrection is a special incident in the present life before the Parousia. It has no parallel with 1 Thessalonians 4:16, where the dead in Christ are raised before those living are changed. Some think that John here pictures the “Regeneration” (παλινγενεσια — palingenesia) of Matthew 19:28 and the “Restoration” (αποκαταστασις — apokatastasis) of Acts 3:21. No effort is here made to solve this problem, save to call attention to the general judgment out of the books in Revelation 20:12 and to the general resurrection in John 5:29; Acts 24:15. [source]
Revelation 20:15  []
If any was not found written in the book of life(ει τις ουχ ευρετη εν τηι βιβλωι της ζωης — ei tis ouch heurethē en tēi biblōi tēs zōēs). Condition of first class withει — eiand the first aorist passive indicative ofευρισκω — heuriskōIn this short sentence the doom is told of all who are out of Christ, for they too follow the devil and the two beasts into the lake of fire (the counterpart of the Gehenna of fire,Matthew 5:22). There is no room here for soul sleeping, for an intermediate state, for a second chance, or for annihilation of the wicked. InDaniel 12:2there is a resurrection to death as well as to life and so inJohn 5:29;Acts 24:15. [source]
Revelation 20:5 This is the first resurrection [αυτη η αναστασις η πρωτη]
Scholars differ as to the genuineness of this phrase. Accepting it as genuine, Swete applies it to “the return of the martyrs and confessors to life at the beginning of the Thousand Years.” According to this view the first resurrection is a special incident in the present life before the Parousia. It has no parallel with 1 Thessalonians 4:16, where the dead in Christ are raised before those living are changed. Some think that John here pictures the “Regeneration” (παλινγενεσια — palingenesia) of Matthew 19:28 and the “Restoration” (αποκαταστασις — apokatastasis) of Acts 3:21. No effort is here made to solve this problem, save to call attention to the general judgment out of the books in Revelation 20:12 and to the general resurrection in John 5:29; Acts 24:15. [source]
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy [μακαριος και αγιος]
A fifth beatitude (Revelation 1:3; Revelation 14:13; Revelation 16:15; Revelation 19:9) already and two more to come (Revelation 22:7, Revelation 22:14, seven in all). Here αγιος — hagios is added to the usual μακαριος — makarios The second death The spiritual death of Revelation 2:11; Revelation 20:14; Revelation 21:8 in contrast to the first or physical death. This language raises a question about the interpretation of the first and the second resurrections, whether both are of the body or one of the spirit. There seems no way to reach a solid conception about it. In 1 Corinthians 15:23 there is no mention of the resurrection of any save “those of Christ” However, Paul elsewhere (Acts 24:15) speaks of the resurrection of the just and of the unjust as if one event. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 24:15 mean?

a hope having in - God which also they themselves await [that] a resurrection there is about to be of [the] just both and of [the] unjust
ἐλπίδα ἔχων εἰς τὸν Θεόν ἣν καὶ αὐτοὶ οὗτοι προσδέχονται ἀνάστασιν μέλλειν ἔσεσθαι δικαίων τε καὶ ἀδίκων

ἐλπίδα  a  hope 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐλπίς  
Sense: expectation of evil, fear.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεόν  God 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
οὗτοι  themselves 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
προσδέχονται  await 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: προσδέχομαι  
Sense: to receive to one’s self, to admit, to give access to one’s self.
ἀνάστασιν  [that]  a  resurrection 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀνάστασις  
Sense: a raising up, rising (e.
μέλλειν  there  is  about 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: μέλλω  
Sense: to be about.
ἔσεσθαι  to  be 
Parse: Verb, Future Infinitive Middle
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
δικαίων  of  [the]  just 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: δίκαιος  
Sense: righteous, observing divine laws.
τε  both 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: τέ  
Sense: not only … but also.
ἀδίκων  of  [the]  unjust 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἄδικος 
Sense: descriptive of one who violates or has violated justice.