Acts 26:27

KJV

King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

KJV (with Strong's)

King {G935} Agrippa {G67}, believest thou {G4100} the prophets {G4396}? I know {G1492} that {G3754} thou believest {G4100}.

Complete Jewish Bible

King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe!”

Berean Standard Bible

King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

American Standard Version

King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
In Acts 26:27, the Apostle Paul delivers a poignant and rhetorically brilliant challenge to King Agrippa II during his defense in Caesarea. Having meticulously recounted his conversion and divine commission, Paul pivots from personal testimony to a direct, probing question about Agrippa's belief in the Old Testament prophets, immediately following it with a confident assertion of Agrippa's faith, thereby cornering the king into acknowledging the prophetic foundations of Paul's message concerning the resurrected Christ.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is the climactic moment in Paul's defense before King Agrippa, Governor Festus, and other dignitaries, as recorded in [Acts 26](/acts/26 "Paul's Defense Before Agrippa"). Paul, having been unjustly imprisoned and appealing to Caesar, was granted this audience to present his case. He masterfully recounts his radical conversion on the road to Damascus [Acts 26:12-18](/acts/26-12-18 "Paul's Conversion and Commission") and his divine commission to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. His argument is not merely a legal defense but a theological one, asserting that his message is not subversive or new, but rather the very fulfillment of God's ancient promises. The question posed in [Acts 26:27](/acts/26-27 "Paul's Challenge to King Agrippa") serves as the culmination of his appeal, designed to bridge the gap between Agrippa's accepted Jewish faith and the Christian message.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** King Agrippa II, along with his sister Bernice, ruled over a territory in the Galilee and Perea regions under Roman oversight. As a descendant of Herod the Great, he was well-versed in Jewish law, customs, and prophetic traditions, making him an ideal audience for Paul's argument, which was deeply rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures. The setting is Caesarea Maritima, the Roman provincial capital, a cosmopolitan city where Roman and Jewish cultures intersected. Paul's trial was a public spectacle, and his direct address to a monarch in such a setting was a bold move, highlighting his confidence in the truth of his message. For a Jew like Agrippa, belief in the prophets was fundamental; to deny them would be to deny his own religious identity. Paul's strategy leverages this cultural and religious common ground to press his case.

* **Key Themes:** Paul's interaction with Agrippa in [Acts 26](/acts/26 "Paul's Defense Before Agrippa") highlights several key themes. Firstly, **The Fulfillment of Prophecy** is central; Paul consistently argues that the resurrection of Jesus and the spread of the Gospel are precisely what the Old Testament prophets foretold, making Christianity the logical culmination of Jewish faith. Secondly, **Paul's Apologetic Strategy** is on full display; he demonstrates remarkable wisdom and skill in appealing to the conscience and existing beliefs of his audience, seeking common ground before presenting the radical claims of the Gospel. Thirdly, the theme of **Personal Conviction vs. Public Acknowledgment** is evident. Paul's question forces Agrippa to confront his private convictions about the prophets in a public setting, challenging him to consider the implications of those beliefs for his understanding of Jesus and Paul's mission.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **King (Greek, _basileús'_):** A sovereign (abstractly, relatively, or figuratively). Paul's direct address to Agrippa as "King" is both respectful and strategic, acknowledging Agrippa's authority while simultaneously challenging him on a matter of spiritual truth that transcends earthly power.
* **believest (Greek, _pisteúō'_):** To have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e., credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one's spiritual well-being to Christ). Paul's use of this word challenges Agrippa not just to intellectual assent to the prophets' words but to a deeper trust in the divine origin of the prophetic word and its implications for the present.
* **prophets (Greek, _prophḗtēs'_):** A foreteller ("prophet"); by analogy, an inspired speaker. This refers to the Old Testament prophets whose writings formed the bedrock of Jewish faith. Paul's entire argument hinges on the idea that the events of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, and the subsequent spread of the Gospel, are the direct fulfillment of these ancient prophecies.
* **know (Greek, _eídō'_):** To see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know. Paul's assertion "I know that thou believest" indicates a deep, intuitive understanding or certainty, not merely an assumption. It suggests Paul perceived Agrippa's internal conviction regarding the prophets, putting the king in an immediate position of having to affirm or deny his own acknowledged faith.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?"**: Paul initiates a direct, personal, and profoundly rhetorical question to King Agrippa. By invoking the "prophets," Paul immediately establishes a common ground with Agrippa, who, as a Jew, would undoubtedly affirm belief in the inspired writings of the Old Testament prophets. This question is not seeking information but rather aiming to elicit an affirmation that would then serve as a premise for Paul's subsequent argument.
* **"I know that thou believest."**: Without waiting for Agrippa's reply, Paul immediately answers his own question with a confident assertion. This bold statement is a masterstroke of rhetoric. It anticipates Agrippa's inevitable affirmative response, simultaneously complimenting his religious understanding and subtly pressuring him to acknowledge the logical implications of that belief. Paul's "knowledge" here is not mere conjecture but a profound understanding of Jewish identity and the king's presumed adherence to its core tenets, setting the stage for the dramatic exchange that follows.

#### Literary Devices
Acts 26:27 is rich in rhetorical strategy. The most prominent device is the **Rhetorical Question**, "King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?" Paul asks a question not to gain information, but to make a point and prompt a specific response from his audience. This is immediately followed by **Anticipation** and **Assertion**, as Paul answers his own question with a confident "I know that thou believest." This move disarms Agrippa, making it difficult for him to deny Paul's premise without denying his own well-known religious convictions. The verse also employs **Direct Address**, as Paul pointedly speaks to "King Agrippa," personalizing the challenge and elevating the stakes of the interaction. This combination of devices makes Paul's appeal incredibly potent and memorable, highlighting his skill as an orator and apologist.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Acts 26:27 underscores the profound theological truth that the Christian message is not a novel invention but the culmination of God's redemptive plan, meticulously foretold through the Old Testament prophets. Paul consistently presents Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of these ancient prophecies, demonstrating continuity between the Old Covenant and the New. This challenges any notion that Christianity is a departure from divine revelation; rather, it is its ultimate expression. Paul's confidence in Agrippa's belief in the prophets highlights the shared foundation of divine revelation, even as it presses Agrippa to consider the logical implications of that revelation for his understanding of Jesus. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that God's word, spoken through His prophets, is trustworthy and finds its ultimate "yes" and "amen" in Christ.

* [Luke 24:44](/luke/24-44 "Jesus Explains the Scriptures")
* [John 5:39](/john/5-39 "Search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me")
* [Romans 1:2](/romans/1-2 "The Gospel Promised Through His Prophets")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Paul's interaction with King Agrippa in [Acts 26:27](/acts/26-27 "Paul's Challenge to King Agrippa") offers profound lessons for contemporary believers. It models a strategic and respectful approach to sharing the Gospel, one that seeks common ground and appeals to existing beliefs rather than immediately confronting differences. Paul's confidence in the truth of his message, rooted in the fulfillment of ancient prophecies, inspires us to be equally confident in the enduring power and authority of God's Word. This verse encourages us to understand the biblical narrative as a cohesive story, where the Old Testament prophecies find their ultimate meaning and fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Furthermore, it challenges us to consider whether our intellectual assent to biblical truths translates into genuine, life-transforming faith and public acknowledgment of Christ, much as Agrippa was challenged to move beyond mere belief in the prophets to embrace the One whom they foretold.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How can I identify common ground with others when discussing matters of faith, as Paul did with Agrippa?**
* **In what ways does my understanding of Old Testament prophecy deepen my appreciation for Jesus Christ?**
* **Am I willing to publicly acknowledge and live out the implications of my faith, even when it might be uncomfortable or challenging?**
* **How does Paul's confidence in the truth of the Gospel encourage my own witness?**

### FAQ
**What was Paul's purpose in asking King Agrippa if he believed the prophets?**

Answer: Paul's question was a brilliant rhetorical strategy. His purpose was not to ascertain Agrippa's belief, which he already knew, but to establish a common ground and premise for his argument. By asking if Agrippa believed the prophets, Paul was appealing to Agrippa's Jewish heritage and his presumed adherence to the Old Testament Scriptures. Paul's entire defense, as detailed in [Acts 26](/acts/26 "Paul's Defense Before Agrippa"), was built on the premise that Jesus Christ, His death, and His resurrection were the fulfillment of what the prophets had foretold. By eliciting an affirmative (or presumed affirmative) response from Agrippa, Paul was setting the stage to argue that his message about Jesus was not a new, subversive teaching, but the very culmination of the prophecies Agrippa already believed. It was a strategic move to show that Christianity was not a deviation from Judaism but its divinely intended fulfillment.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Acts 26:27, though centered on Paul's rhetorical challenge concerning the Old Testament prophets, finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The very prophets whom Agrippa believed were the voices through whom God revealed His redemptive plan, culminating in the Messiah. Jesus himself affirmed that the Scriptures testified about Him, as seen in [John 5:39](/john/5-39 "Search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me"), and after His resurrection, He expounded to His disciples how "all things which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me must be fulfilled" [Luke 24:44](/luke/24-44 "Jesus Explains the Scriptures"). Paul's message, which Agrippa struggled to accept, was precisely that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Son of God, whose suffering, death, and resurrection were not random events but the precise fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies [Isaiah 53](/isaiah/53 "The Suffering Servant"). Thus, Paul's confident assertion that Agrippa believed the prophets was an implicit declaration that Agrippa, by extension, should believe in Jesus, for Jesus is the living embodiment and ultimate fulfillment of every prophetic word concerning salvation and God's kingdom. The entire testimony of the prophets points to Christ, making Him the central figure of God's redemptive history.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Acts 26:22

Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

Acts 26:23

That Christ should suffer, [and] that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.