Acts 24:15 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Paul declares his hope in God for a resurrection of all the dead, both the just and the unjust — a hope his accusers themselves hold.
What Does Acts 24:15 Mean?
Paul names the engine of his life: hope toward God for the resurrection. He notes that his accusers 'themselves also allow' it: the resurrection was the received hope of Israel, written in the Scriptures they shared — 'many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake' (Daniel 12:2). The hope he preaches stands squarely within the faith of his fathers.
The resurrection Paul announces is universal in scope — 'both of the just and unjust' — exactly as Jesus taught: all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth (John 5:28-29). For Paul this is no abstraction; the risen Christ is 'the firstfruits of them that slept' (1 Corinthians 15:20), God's pledge that the grave must give back its dead. Hope toward God is the believer's deepest posture: resting the whole weight of life on what God has promised to do.
Acts 24:15 in the Original Language
elpis (ἐλπίς), 'hope' -- not wishful thinking but confident expectation that rests on God's promise.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 24:15
What does Acts 24:15 mean?
Paul declares his hope in God for a resurrection of all the dead, both the just and the unjust — a hope his accusers themselves hold.