Acts 24:6

who also hath gone about[who moreover assayed R. V. to profane the temple The old English "gone about" was equivalent to "attempted." Cp. Shaks. Mids. Nt. D. iv. 1. 212: "Man is but an ass, if he go aboutto expound this dream." But the expression is somewhat obsolete now.

It is noteworthy that the Jews no longer adhere to their definite charge as made Acts 21:28, but only impute to St Paul the attempt at profanation.

whom we took i.e. by main force. They would represent their proceedings as an arrest of a grave offender.

and would, &c. These words, as well as Acts 24:7 and Acts 24:8 down to "come unto thee" are omitted in nearly all the oldest MSS., and by the Rev. Ver., while the Greek Text, in those MSS. where it is found, exhibits many variations. But in spite of this it is very difficult to see how the advocate could have avoided some allusion to the circumstances mentioned in these words. Of course he puts the matter in a light most favourable to the Jews. "We would have judged him according to our law" is very different language from that in which (Acts 23:27) Lysias describes Paul as in danger to be killed by the Jews. The action of Lysias too is described by Tertullus as one of great violence. Probably the Roman soldiers would not handle the mob tenderly. But Tertullus is trying to cast blame upon the chief captain and to represent his party as doing all things according to law.

according to our law Tertullus identifies himself, advocate-like, with the Jews whose mouthpiece he is.