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Monday, July 28th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

Acts 26:4

All the Jews have known me since I was a child. They know what kind of life I have lived in my own country and in Jerusalem. And if they were willing, they could tell you that I was a Pharisee, a member of a group that is stricter than any other.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Court;   Defense;   Obedience;   Paul;   Zeal, Religious;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Heresy;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Paul the Apostle;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Ordination;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Pharisees;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Paul;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Oration, Orator;   Paul;   Preaching in the Bible;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Caesarea;   Damascus;   Nero;   Paul the Apostle;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Damascus, Damascenes;   Herod;   Nation;   Paul;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Herod, Family of;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Festus;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Heresy;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Life;   Manner;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for December 15;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem.
King James Version (1611)
My maner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine owne nation at Hierusalem, know all the Iewes,
King James Version
My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
English Standard Version
"My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews.
New American Standard Bible
"So then, all Jews know my way of life since my youth, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and in Jerusalem,
New Century Version
"All my people know about my whole life, how I lived from the beginning in my own country and later in Jerusalem.
Amplified Bible
"So then, all the Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation [the Jewish people], and in Jerusalem.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"So then, all Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem;
Legacy Standard Bible
"So then, all Jews know my manner of life from my youth, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem;
Berean Standard Bible
Surely all the Jews know how I have lived from the earliest days of my youth, among my own people and in Jerusalem.
Complete Jewish Bible
"So then! All Jews know how I lived my life from my youth on, both in my own country and in Yerushalayim.
Darby Translation
My manner of life then from my youth, which from its commencement was passed among my nation in Jerusalem, know all the Jews,
Easy-to-Read Version
"All the Jews know about my whole life. They know the way I lived from the beginning in my own country and later in Jerusalem.
Geneva Bible (1587)
As touching my life from my childhood, and what it was from the beginning among mine owne nation at Hierusalem, know all the Iewes,
George Lamsa Translation
Even the Jews themselves, if they would be willing to testify, know well my manner of life from my childhood which started first among mine own people at Jerusalem.
Good News Translation
"All the Jews know how I have lived ever since I was young. They know how I have spent my whole life, at first in my own country and then in Jerusalem.
Lexham English Bible
"Now all the Jews know my manner of life from my youth, that had taken place from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem,
Literal Translation
Truly, then, all the Jews know my way of life from youth, which from the beginning had been in my nation in Jerusalem,
American Standard Version
My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
Bible in Basic English
All the Jews have knowledge of my way of life from my early years, as it was from the start among my nation, and at Jerusalem;
Hebrew Names Version
"Indeed, all the Yehudim know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Yerushalayim;
International Standard Version
All the Jews know how I lived from the earliest days of my youth with my own people and in Jerusalem.
Etheridge Translation
For the Jihudoyee themselves-if they would testify-know my manners from my youth, which were mine from the beginning among my people at Urishlem;
Murdock Translation
The Jews themselves, if they would testify, know well my course of life from my childhood, which from the beginning was among my nation and in Jerusalem.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
My lyfe, that I haue led of a chylde, which was at the first among myne owne nation at Hierusalem, knowe all the Iewes,
English Revised Version
My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation, and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
World English Bible
"Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem;
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
The manner of my life from my youth which was from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem,
Weymouth's New Testament
"The kind of life I have lived from my youth upwards, as exemplified in my early days among my nation and in Jerusalem, is known to all the Jews.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For alle Jewis that bifor knewen me fro the bigynnyng, knewen my lijf fro yongthe; that fro the bigynnyng was in my folc in Jerusalem,
Update Bible Version
My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem, all the Jews know;
Webster's Bible Translation
My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among my own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews,
New English Translation
Now all the Jews know the way I lived from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem.
New King James Version
"My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know.
New Living Translation
"As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem.
New Life Bible
"All the Jews know about my life from the time I was a boy until now. I lived among my own people in Jerusalem.
New Revised Standard
"All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
My manner of life, then, from my youth, which, from its commencement, was formed among my nation, even in Jerusalem, know all Jews,
Douay-Rheims Bible
And my life indeed from my youth, which was from the beginning among my own nation in Jerusalem, all the Jews do know:
Revised Standard Version
"My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
My lyvynge of a chylde which was at the fyrst amoge myne awne nacion at Ierusalem knowe all the Iewes
Young's Literal Translation
`The manner of my life then, indeed, from youth -- which from the beginning was among my nation, in Jerusalem -- know do all the Jews,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
My lyuynge truly from youth vp (how it was led from the begynnynge amonge this people at Ierusale) knowe all the Iewes
Mace New Testament (1729)
what course of life I led at Jerusalem, where I was brought up from my youth among those of my own nation, is known to all the Jews.
THE MESSAGE
"From the time of my youth, my life has been lived among my own people in Jerusalem. Practically every Jew in town who watched me grow up—and if they were willing to stick their necks out they'd tell you in person—knows that I lived as a strict Pharisee, the most demanding branch of our religion. It's because I believed it and took it seriously, committed myself heart and soul to what God promised my ancestors—the identical hope, mind you, that the twelve tribes have lived for night and day all these centuries—it's because I have held on to this tested and tried hope that I'm being called on the carpet by the Jews. They should be the ones standing trial here, not me! For the life of me, I can't see why it's a criminal offense to believe that God raises the dead.
Simplified Cowboy Version
"It is no secret the way I have lived my life. From the time I was just a speck of a boy in my own country until the time I became a man in Jerusalem.

Contextual Overview

1 Agrippa told Paul, "You may now speak for yourself." Paul stretched out his hand and said: 2 King Agrippa, I am glad for this chance to defend myself before you today on all these charges that my own people have brought against me. 3 You know a lot about our religious customs and the beliefs that divide us. So I ask you to listen patiently to me. 4All the Jews have known me since I was a child. They know what kind of life I have lived in my own country and in Jerusalem. And if they were willing, they could tell you that I was a Pharisee, a member of a group that is stricter than any other. 6 Now I am on trial because I believe the promise God made to our people long ago. 7 Day and night our twelve tribes have earnestly served God, waiting for his promised blessings. King Agrippa, because of this hope, the Jewish leaders have brought charges against me. 8 Why should any of you doubt that God raises the dead to life? 9 I once thought that I should do everything I could to oppose Jesus from Nazareth. 10 I did this first in Jerusalem, and with the authority of the chief priests I put many of God's people in jail. I even voted for them to be killed. 11 I often had them punished in our meeting places, and I tried to make them give up their faith. In fact, I was so angry with them, that I went looking for them in foreign cities.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

manner: 2 Timothy 3:10

which: Acts 22:3

Reciprocal: Mark 5:19 - Go home Romans 11:1 - For I also Galatians 1:13 - ye Philippians 3:5 - Pharisee 2 Timothy 1:3 - whom

Cross-References

Genesis 13:16
I will give you more descendants than there are specks of dust on the earth, and someday it will be easier to count the specks of dust than to count your descendants.
Genesis 15:5
Then the Lord took Abram outside and said, "Look at the sky and see if you can count the stars. That's how many descendants you will have."
Genesis 15:18
At that time the Lord made an agreement with Abram and told him: I will give your descendants the land east of the Shihor River on the border of Egypt as far as the Euphrates River.
Genesis 18:18
since his family will become a great and powerful nation that will be a blessing to all other nations on earth.
Genesis 26:2
because the Lord had appeared to Isaac and said: Isaac, stay away from Egypt! I will show you where I want you to go.
Genesis 26:3
You will live there as a foreigner, but I will be with you and bless you. I will keep my promise to your father Abraham by giving this land to you and your descendants.
Genesis 26:4
I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky, and I will give your descendants all of this land. They will be a blessing to every nation on earth,
Genesis 26:8
After Isaac had been there a long time, King Abimelech looked out a window and saw Isaac hugging and kissing Rebekah.
Genesis 26:17
Isaac left and settled in Gerar Valley,
Genesis 26:18
where he cleaned out those wells that the Philistines had stopped up. Isaac also gave each of the wells the same name that Abraham had given to them.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

My manner of life, from my youth,.... That is, his conduct and deportment, his behaviour among men, from the time that he was capable of performing religious exercises, and of knowing the difference between one sect and another, and of being observed and taken notice of by men:

which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem; for though he was born in Tarsus in Cilicia, he was very early brought, or sent by his parents to Jerusalem, where he had his education under Gamaliel; so that the first part of his life was spent in Jerusalem, the metropolis of Judea, and among the Jews there; the more learned and knowing part of them, Gamaliel's pupils, and the wise men and their disciples: and his course of life must be well known to them, as he says,

this know all the Jews; that had any knowledge of him, and conversation with him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

My manner of life - My opinions, principles, and conduct.

From my youth - Paul was born in Tarsus; but at an early period he had been sent to Jerusalem for the purpose of education in the school of Gamaliel, Acts 22:3.

Which was at the first - Which was from the beginning; the early part of which; the time when the opinions and habits are formed.

Know all the Jews - It is not at all improbable that Paul was distinguished in the school of Gamaliel for zeal in the Jewish religion. The fact that he was early entrusted with a commission against the Christians Acts 9:0 shows that he was known. Compare Philippians 3:4-6. He might appeal to them, therefore, in regard to the early part of his life, and, doubtless, to the very men who had been his violent accusers.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 26:4. My manner of life, c.] The apostle means to state that, though born in Tarsus, he had a regular Jewish education, having been sent up to Jerusalem for that purpose but at what age does not appear; probably about twelve, for at this age the male children were probably brought to the annual solemnities. Luke 2:41; Luke 2:41.


 
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