Acts 21:24 Meaning and Explanation
“Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →They ask Paul to join the four in their purification and pay their expenses, so all will see that the rumors are false and that he himself observes the law.
What Does Acts 21:24 Mean?
The elders ask Paul to join the four men in their rite of purification and to bear the cost of their offerings, after which their heads will be shaved to complete the vow. By doing so, everyone will see that the reports about him are baseless and that Paul himself lives in orderly respect for the law.
This is the gospel's flexibility in love. Paul, who taught that righteousness does not come by the law, is willing to keep the law's observances for the sake of his brothers. He becomes, as he once wrote, a Jew to the Jews, that he might win some. Freedom in Christ is not the freedom to wound others but the freedom to serve them.
Acts 21:24 in the Original Language
hagnizo (ἁγνίζω), 'purify' -- to make ceremonially clean, to consecrate oneself for a sacred purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 21:24
What does Acts 21:24 mean?
They ask Paul to join the four in their purification and pay their expenses, so all will see that the rumors are false and that he himself observes the law.