Acts 24:16

King James Version

And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men.

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
Because of this, I watch everything I say and do. My conscience is absolutely clear before God and man.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.

Legacy Standard Bible
In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a conscience without fault both before God and before men.

Bible in Basic English
And in this, I do my best at all times to have no reason for shame before God or men.

Darby Translation
For this cause I also exercise [myself] to have in everything a conscience without offence towards God and men.

New King James Version
This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

Christian Standard Bible®
I always do my best to have a clear conscience toward God and men.

World English Bible
Herein I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And for this cause do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man.

Weymouth's New Testament
This too is my own earnest endeavour--always to have a clear conscience in relation to God and man.

King James Version (1611)
And herein doe I exercise my selfe to haue alwayes a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

Literal Translation
And in this I exercise myself to have always a blameless conscience toward God and men.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Therfore studye I to haue allwaye a cleare conscience towarde God and towarde men.

Mace New Testament (1729)
and 'tis my endeavour to preserve a conscience free from reproach both with respect to God, and with respect to men.

THE MESSAGE
"Believe me, I do my level best to keep a clear conscience before God and my neighbors in everything I do. I've been out of the country for a number of years and now I'm back. While I was away, I took up a collection for the poor and brought that with me, along with offerings for the Temple. It was while making those offerings that they found me quietly at my prayers in the Temple. There was no crowd, there was no disturbance. It was some Jews from around Ephesus who started all this trouble. And you'll notice they're not here today. They're cowards, too cowardly to accuse me in front of you.

Amplified Bible
"In view of this, I also do my best and strive always to have a clear conscience before God and before men.

American Standard Version
Herein I also exercise myself to have a conscience void of offence toward God and men always.

Revised Standard Version
So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And therfore stody I to have a cleare consciece towarde God and toward man also.

Update Bible Version
In this I also exercise myself to have a conscience void of offense toward God and men always.

Webster's Bible Translation
And in this I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense towards God, and [towards] men.

Young's Literal Translation
and in this I do exercise myself, to have a conscience void of offence toward God and men always.

New Century Version
This is why I always try to do what I believe is right before God and people.

New English Translation
This is the reason I do my best to always have a clear conscience toward God and toward people.

Berean Standard Bible
In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man.

Contemporary English Version
And because I am sure, I try my best to have a clear conscience in whatever I do for God or for people.

Complete Jewish Bible
Indeed, it is because of this that I make a point of always having a clear conscience in the sight of both God and man.

English Standard Version
So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And herein I endeuour my selfe to haue alway a cleare conscience towarde God, and toward men.

George Lamsa Translation
For this reason, I labor to have always a clear conscience before God and before men.

Hebrew Names Version
Herein I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men.

International Standard Version
Therefore, I always do my best to have a clear conscience in the sight of God and people.Acts 23:1;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Because of this also I labour to have a good conscience before Aloha and before men, continually.

Murdock Translation
And for this reason, I also labor to have always a pure conscience before God, and before men.

New Living Translation
Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.

New Life Bible
I always try to live so my own heart tells me I am not guilty before God or man.

English Revised Version
Herein do I also exercise myself to have a conscience void of offence toward God and men alway.

New Revised Standard
Therefore I do my best always to have a clear conscience toward God and all people.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
herein, even I, myself, am studying to have, an unoffending conscience, towards God and men, continually.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And herein do I endeavour to have always a conscience without offence, towards God and towards men.

Lexham English Bible
For this reason also I myself always do my best to have a clear conscience toward God and people.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And herein studie I, to haue alway a cleare conscience toward God, and toward men.

Easy-to-Read Version
This is why I always try to do what I believe is right before God and before everyone.

New American Standard Bible
"In view of this I also do my best to maintain a blameless conscience both before God and before other people, always.

Good News Translation
And so I do my best always to have a clear conscience before God and people.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
In this thing Y studie with outen hirtyng, to haue concience to God, and to men euermore.

Contextual Overview

¹⁰ Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself: ¹¹ Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship. ¹² And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city: ¹³ Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. ¹⁴ But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men. ¹⁷ Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings. ¹⁸ Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult. ¹⁹ Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought against me.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Acts 23:1, Romans 2:15, Romans 9:1, 1 Corinthians 4:4, 2 Corinthians 1:12, 2 Corinthians 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 2:10, 1 Timothy 1:5, 1 Timothy 1:19, 1 Timothy 3:9, 2 Timothy 1:3, Titus 1:15, Titus 2:11-13, Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 10:22, Hebrews 13:18, 1 Peter 2:19, 1 Peter 3:16, 1 Peter 3:21

Reciprocal: Genesis 17:1 - walk Deuteronomy 26:13 - I have not 1 Samuel 12:5 - ye have 1 Chronicles 29:17 - in the uprightness 2 Chronicles 31:20 - wrought Job 22:3 - thou makest Job 27:6 - my heart Psalms 18:21 - For I Psalms 19:13 - upright Psalms 25:21 - General Psalms 103:18 - remember Psalms 106:3 - doeth Psalms 119:1 - undefiled Proverbs 16:17 - highway Jeremiah 37:18 - General Ezekiel 18:9 - walked Daniel 6:22 - forasmuch Luke 1:6 - walking Luke 2:25 - just Acts 11:24 - he was Romans 13:5 - conscience Romans 14:22 - Happy Philippians 1:10 - that ye may be 1 Timothy 2:2 - all godliness 1 Timothy 4:7 - exercise Titus 2:12 - live

Cross-References

Genesis 4:1
And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord .

Genesis 24:17
And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

Genesis 24:18
And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.

Genesis 26:7
And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.

Genesis 39:6
And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.

Song of Solomon 5:2
I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And herein do I exercise myself,.... Or because of this; on account of this doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, which is a doctrine according to godliness, and promotes and engages to a holy life and conversation, as the contrary tends to encourage a dissolute and sinful manner of living; see 1 Corinthians 15:32 The apostle studied, and laboured, and bent himself, and employed his thought, care, and time,

to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man; that is, to discharge every duty which God requires, and to give to every man what is due to him; so as to please God, and not offend men, neither Jew nor Gentile, nor the church of God; and so as that conscience may be clear of guilt, and may not be defiled with sin, being purged and purified by the blood of Christ. By a "conscience void of offence", is meant a good conversation; which as it respects God, lies in a carefulness not to offend him, but to do his will; and as it respects men, a shunning what may give offence, or be a stumbling to them; and though this cannot be perfectly attained to in each of its branches, yet there is in every good man a concern to have such a conscience; and the consideration of the resurrection of the dead, the general judgment, and a future state, induce him to it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And herein - In this, or for this purpose.

Do I exercise myself - ἀσκῶ askō. I accustom or employ myself; I make it my constant aim. Paul often appeals to his conscientiousness as the leading habit of his life. Even before his conversion he endeavored to act according to the dictates of conscience. See Acts 26:9; compare Philippians 3:5-6.

To have always a conscience ... - To do what is right, so that my conscience shall never reproach me.

Void of offence - ἀπρόσκοπον aproskopon. That which is inoffensive, or which does not cause one to stumble or fall. He means that he endeavored to keep his conscience so enlightened and pure in regard to duty, and that he acted according to its dictates in such a way that his conduct should not be displeasing to God or injurious to man. To have such a conscience implies two things:

1. That it be enlightened or properly informed in regard to truth and duty; and,
2. That what is made known to be right should be honestly and faithfully performed. Without these two things no man can have a conscience that will be inoffensive and harmless.

Toward God - In an honest endearour to discharge the duties of public and private worship, and to do constantly what he requires believing all that he has spoken; doing all that he requires; and offering to him the service which he approves.

Toward men - In endeavoring to meet all the demands of justice and mercy; to advance their knowledge, happiness, and salvation; living so that I may look back on my life with the reflection that I have done all that I ought to have done, and all that I could do to promote the welfare of the whole human family. What a noble principle of conduct was this! How elevated and how pure! How unlike the conduct of those who live to gratify debasing sensual appetites, or for gold or honor; of those who pass their lives in such a manner as to offer the grossest offence to God and to do the most injury to man. The great and noble aim of Paul was to be pure; and no slander of his enemies, no trials, persecutions, perils, or pains of dying could take away the approving voice of conscience. Alike in his travels and in his persecutions; among friends and foes; when preaching in the synal gogue, the city, or the desert; or when defending himself before governors and kings, he had this testimony of a self-approving mind. Happy they who thus frame their lives. And happy will be the end of a life where this has been the grand object of the journey through this world.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 24:16. And herein do I exercise myself — And this very tenet is a pledge for my good behaviour; for as I believe there will be a resurrection, both of the just and unjust, and that every man shall be judged for the deeds done in the body, so I exercise myself day and night, that I may have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men.

Toward God — In entertaining no opinion contrary to his truth; and in offering no worship contrary to his dignity, purity, and excellence.

Toward men. — In doing nothing to them that I would not, on a change of circumstances, they should do to me; and in withholding nothing by which I might comfort and serve them.