Acts26

Paul defends himself before King Agrippa, recounting his past as a zealous Pharisee who persecuted Christians. He then describes his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, where he received a divine commission from Jesus to preach to both Jews and Gentiles. Paul asserts that his current imprisonment stems from his obedience to this heavenly vision, proclaiming nothing but what Moses and the prophets foretold.

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Paul Addresses King Agrippa

And Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defence:

I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am to make my defence before thee this day touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews:

especially because thou art expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

Paul’s Life as a Pharisee

My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify, that after the straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

And now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers;

unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king!

Why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?

The Persecutor’s Zeal

I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

And this I also did in Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.

And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.

The Damascus Road Vision

Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that journeyed with me.

And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the goad.

And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

But arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee;

delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee,

to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.

Obedience to the Heavenly Call

Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

but declared both to them of Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judæa, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and assayed to kill me.

Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand unto this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come;

how that the Christ must suffer, and how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.

Festus and Agrippa Respond

And as he thus made his defence, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning is turning thee mad.

But Paul saith, I am not mad, most excellent Festus; but speak forth words of truth and soberness.

For the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hath not been done in a corner.

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

And Agrippa said unto Paul, With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a Christian.

And Paul said, I would to God, that whether with little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except these bonds.

The Hearing Concludes

And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

and when they had withdrawn, they spake one to another, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

And Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cæsar.

Study Notes for Acts 26

Verse 1

Paul begins his formal defense (apologia) by stretching forth his hand, a common gesture used by ancient orators to command attention and emphasize sincerity.

Verse 2

Paul expresses happiness because Agrippa is uniquely qualified to judge the case, being deeply familiar with Jewish customs and theological disputes.

Verse 3

Agrippa II, the last of the Herodian line, was an expert in Jewish affairs, including the management of the Temple and the appointment of the High Priest. Paul leverages this knowledge immediately.

Verse 4

Paul establishes his impeccable Jewish credentials and history, demonstrating that his current actions are not a departure from the Law, but a fulfillment of it.

Verse 5

Paul stresses that he belonged to the 'most straitest sect' (the strictest), the Pharisees, underscoring his rigorous commitment to traditional Jewish piety before his conversion.

Verse 6

Paul reframes the accusation: he is not on trial for treason or heresy, but for holding the hope of the promise made to the patriarchs—namely, the resurrection of the dead.

Verse 7

The 'twelve tribes' refers to the unified Israel, whose ultimate hope was the final resurrection and the establishment of the Messianic kingdom. Paul argues his faith is the culmination of this national hope.

Verse 8

This rhetorical question challenges the audience's skepticism regarding the resurrection, the key event validating Jesus as the Messiah and the foundation of the Christian message.

Verse 9

Paul openly admits his former zealous opposition to Jesus, confirming that his change of allegiance could only be explained by a powerful, external intervention.

Verse 10

The phrase 'I gave my voice against them' likely means Paul supported the executions, either by voting as a member of the Sanhedrin or by acting as an official witness in a capital case.

Verse 11

Paul’s attempt to compel Christians to 'blaspheme' (renounce Christ) demonstrates the intensity of his persecution and the pressure placed upon early believers.

Verse 12

Paul begins the detailed account of his conversion, emphasizing that he was acting under official religious authority when the divine intervention occurred.

Verse 13

The timing ('at midday') and intensity ('above the brightness of the sun') emphasize the objective, undeniable nature of the revelation, ruling out hallucination.

Verse 14

The phrase 'kick against the pricks' is a Greek proverb meaning it is painful and pointless to resist a superior force (like an ox resisting the goad). This detail is unique to this account of the conversion.

Verse 16

Paul receives his commission directly from the resurrected Christ to be a 'minister' (servant) and a 'witness' (testifier) of these divine truths.

Verse 17

Paul’s mission would be dangerous, requiring divine protection from both his own people (the Jews) and the Gentiles.

Verse 18

This verse provides a concise summary of the gospel's transformative power: spiritual illumination, conversion from the domain of Satan to God, forgiveness, and eternal inheritance through faith.

Verse 19

Paul asserts that his subsequent ministry, which led to his current imprisonment, was simply an act of obedience to the clear, divine command he received.

Verse 20

The message Paul preached was consistent everywhere: repentance (a change of mind), turning to God, and demonstrating that conversion through 'works meet for repentance' (Acts 20:21).

Verse 21

Paul concludes his defense by showing the logical connection: his current situation is a direct result of preaching the resurrection and the inclusion of the Gentiles, not any legal crime.

Verse 22

Paul emphasizes the continuity of his message, asserting that he teaches nothing new, but only that which Moses and the Prophets foretold concerning the Messiah.

Verse 23

Paul summarizes the three essential prophetic points: the Messiah must suffer (death), rise first from the dead (as pioneer of the resurrection), and bring spiritual light to both Israel and the Gentiles.

Verse 24

Festus, a pragmatic Roman administrator, views Paul’s emphasis on resurrection and prophecy as evidence of mental instability caused by excessive philosophical or theological study.

Verse 25

Paul defends his sanity by appealing to the objective nature of his message, characterized by 'truth and soberness' (sound judgment).

Verse 26

Paul appeals to Agrippa's knowledge, noting that the events surrounding Jesus' life and the rise of Christianity were not obscure cult activities but publicly known history ('this thing was not done in a corner').

Verse 27

Paul turns from defense to direct evangelism, forcing Agrippa to acknowledge the authority of the Hebrew Scriptures, which Paul has demonstrated are fulfilled in Christ.

Verse 28

Agrippa’s reply is a famed moment of tension; it may be an admission of conviction, or a sarcastic dismissal: 'Are you trying to convince me to become a Christian so quickly?'

Verse 29

Paul’s response is a profound expression of apostolic desire, wishing salvation upon all listeners, contrasting his spiritual liberty with his physical imprisonment (except these bonds).

Verse 31

The private consultation confirms Paul’s innocence of any crime worthy of death or imprisonment, reinforcing Luke’s theme of Paul’s unjust detention.

Verse 32

Agrippa acknowledges that Paul could have been immediately released, but his appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:11) has transferred jurisdiction, necessitating his journey to Rome.

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Acts26

Paul Addresses King Agrippa

Paul’s Life as a Pharisee

The Persecutor’s Zeal

The Damascus Road Vision

Obedience to the Heavenly Call

Festus and Agrippa Respond

The Hearing Concludes

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