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Acts 24:16

King James Version (KJV)

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

Translations

Acts 24:16 - Amplified Bible

Therefore I always exercise {and} discipline myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily appetites, and worldly desires, endeavoring in all respects] to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offense toward God and toward men.

Acts 24:16 - American Standard Version

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

Acts 24:16 - Bible in Basic English

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

Acts 24:16 - Darby Bible

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

Acts 24:16 - English Standard Version

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

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.

Acts 24:16 - La Biblia de las Americas

Por esto, yo también me esfuerzo por conservar siempre una conciencia irreprensible delante de Dios y delante de los hombres.

Acts 24:16 - 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.

Acts 24:16 - New American Standard Bible

~"In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience {both} before God and before men.

Acts 24:16 - Nueva Biblia Latinoamericana de Hoy

~"Por esto, yo también me esfuerzo por conservar siempre una conciencia irreprensible delante de Dios y delante de los hombres.

Acts 24:16 - World English Bible

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

Acts 24:16 - Young's Living Translation

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

Acts 24:16 - Additional Comments

Paul reiterates what he had told the Jewish council before, that he has made an effort to keep a clean conscience (Acts 23:1). When he did that, Ananias had him struck in the mouth. He could not do that here, but he may have been feeling it.
We all have consciences that tell us right from wrong, that shows us God's morality, no matter how much they want to deny it (Romans 2:14-15). Anyone who lives in sin has had to suppress their conscience telling them it is wrong. They have had to justify it. Eventually their heart becomes hardened and no longer listens to it. What has God told you through your conscience that you have continually suppressed and can no longer hear His voice?
When God tells you not to go somewhere or do something, how do you react? It makes sense to you, and you justify it, despite what God is telling you in your conscience?
Can you say like Paul says, "For I know nothing against myself" (1 Cor 4:4). "I serve God with a pure conscience" (2 Tim 1:3).
1 Tim 1:5 says "the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith." How often when you are dealing with people do you have an ulterior motive? Are you motives pure? When you show affection, is there some personal reasons, or just to give to them?
Remember, "To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled." - Titus 1:15.
But as for our sin, "how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" - Heb 9:14

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