SEV Biblia, Chapter 24:16
Y por esto, procuro yo tener siempre conciencia sin remordimiento acerca de Dios y acerca de los hombres.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 24:16
Verse 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 offense 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.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 16. And herein do I exercise myself , etc.] 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.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 10-21 - Paul gives a just account of himself, which clears him from crime, an likewise shows the true reason of the violence against him. Let u never be driven from any good way by its having an ill name. It is very comfortable, in worshipping God, to look to him as the God of ou fathers, and to set up no other rule of faith or practice but the Scriptures. This shows there will be a resurrection to a fina judgment. Prophets and their doctrines were to be tried by their fruits. Paul's aim was to have a conscience void of offence. His car and endeavour was to abstain from many things, and to abound in the exercises of religion at all times; both towards God. and towards man If blamed for being more earnest in the things of God than ou neighbours, what is our reply? Do we shrink from the accusation? Ho many in the world would rather be accused of any weakness, nay, even of wickedness, than of an earnest, fervent feeling of love to the Lor Jesus Christ, and of devotedness to his service! Can such think that He will confess them when he comes in his glory, and before the angels of God? If there is any sight pleasing to the God of our salvation, and sight at which the angels rejoice, it is, to behold a devoted followe of the Lord, here upon earth, acknowledging that he is guilty, if it be a crime, of loving the Lord who died for him, with all his heart, an soul, and mind, and strength. And that he will not in silence see God' word despised, or hear his name profaned; he will rather risk the ridicule and the hatred of the world, than one frown from that graciou Being whose love is better than life.
Greek Textus Receptus
εν 1722 PREP τουτω 5129 D-DSN δε 1161 CONJ αυτος 846 P-NSM ασκω 778 5719 V-PAI-1S-C απροσκοπον 677 A-ASF συνειδησιν 4893 N-ASF εχειν 2192 5721 V-PAN προς 4314 PREP τον 3588 T-ASM θεον 2316 N-ASM και 2532 CONJ τους 3588 T-APM ανθρωπους 444 N-APM διαπαντος 1275 ADV
Vincent's NT Word Studies
16. Exercise myself (askw). Originally, to work raw material, to form: hence, to practice, exercise, discipline; and so, in ecclesiastical language, to mortify the body. Of the kindred adjective ajskhtikov, our word ascetic is a transcript.Void of offense (aposkopon). Lit., without stumbling; unshaken. The word is used thus in a passive sense here, as in Philip. i. 10. In 1 Corinthians x. 32, it occurs in the active sense of giving offense to others, causing them to stumble.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
24:16 {Herein} (en toutwi). His whole confession of belief in verses #14,15. {Do I also exercise myself} (kai autos askw). "Do I also myself take exercise," take pains, labor, strive. Old word in Homer to work as raw materials, to adorn by art, qen to drill. Our word ascetic comes from this root, one who seeks to gain piety by rules and severe hardship. Paul claims to be equal to his accusers in efforts to please God. {Void of offence} (aproskopon). this word belongs to the papyri and N.T. (only in Paul), not in the ancient writers. The papyri examples (Moulton Milligan, _Vocabulary_) use the word to mean "free from hurt or harm." It is a privative and proskoptw (to cut or stumble against). Page likes "void of offence" since that can be either active "not stumbling" as in #Php 1:10 or passive "not stumbled against" as in #1Co 10:32 (the first toward God and the second toward men), the only other N.T. examples. Hence the word here appears in both senses (the first towards God, the second towards men). Paul adds "alway" (dia pantos), a bold claim for a consistent aim in life. "Certainly his conscience acquitted him of having caused any offence to his countrymen" (Rackham). Furneaux thinks that it must have been wormwood and gall to Ananias to hear Paul repeat here the same words because of which he had ordered Paul to be smitten on the mouth (#23:1f.).
