Acts 24:17

Now after some years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings: amidst which they found me purified in the temple, with no crowd, nor yet with tumult.

Now after some years ... "If Paul went up to Jerusalem (Acts 18:22), which it seems that he did, this was some five years ago."[18]

Alms to my nation ... This shows that Paul's journey to Jerusalem was for the purpose of bringing alms to the poor of that city, and that "Thus it was no part of his purpose to interfere with or profane the worship of the temple."[19] "Here is the one clear reference in Acts to the purpose of Paul's visit to Jerusalem, which occupies so large a place in his epistles."[20] He had canvassed the Gentile churches extensively, collecting money to be distributed to the poor Christians in Jerusalem; and as they were of Jewish background, it was not an error to state that the alms had been brought to Paul's "nation."

They found me purified in the temple ... This was easily proved, and none of the opposition denied it; hence the conclusion was mandatory that Paul had in no way profaned the temple. Rather, THEY had profaned it by their mob action against Paul, and by their murderous conspiracy within the temple itself. In fact, the very existence of such a reprobate as Ananias on the seat of the high priest was a profanation.

[18] H. Leo Boles, op. cit., p. 383.

[19] Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1953), Acts, p. 334.

[20] Everett F. Harrison, Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 474.