Acts Chapter 26

From The Open Bible Project

26:1 Agrippa said to Paul, "You may speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.

26:2 "I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews,

• (1) To have a skilful judge is a great and singular gift of God.

26:3 especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.

26:4 "Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem;

• (2) Paul divides the history of his life into two times: for the first he calls his adversaries as witnesses: for the latter, the fathers and Prophets.

26:5 having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

• (a) That I was, and where, and how I lived.
• (b) That my parents were Pharisees.
• (c) The sect of the Pharisees was the most exquisite amongst all the sects of the Jews, for it was better than all the rest.

26:6 Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,

• (3) There are three chief and principal witnesses of true doctrine: God, the true fathers, and the consent of the true Church of God.

26:7 which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa!

26:8 Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?

• (4) He proves the resurrection of the dead, first by the power of God, then by the resurrection of Christ, of which he is a sufficient witness.

26:9 "I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

26:10 This I also did in Jerusalem. 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.

• (d) I consented to and allowed their actions: for he was not a judge.

26:11 Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

• (e) By extreme punishment.

26:12 "Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,

26:13 at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.

26:14 When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'

26:15 "I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' "He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

26:16 But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you;

26:17 delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,

26:18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

• (5) The end of the Gospel is to save those who are brought to the knowledge of Christ, and are justified and sanctified in him, being laid hold on by faith.

26:19 "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

• (6) Paul alleges God to be author of the office of his apostleship, and that God’s grace is a witness.

26:20 but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

26:21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me.

26:22 Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen,

• (7) Christ is the end of the Law and the Prophets.
• (f) To everyone.

26:23 how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles."

• (g) That Christ would not be such a king as the Jews dreamed of, but one appointed to bear our miseries, and the punishment of our sins.
• (h) The first of those who are raised from the dead.
• (i) Life, yea and that a most blessed life which will be endless: and this is set against darkness, which almost in all languages sometimes signifies death, and sometimes misery and calamity.

26:24 As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!"

• (8) The wisdom of God is madness to fools, yet nonetheless we must boldly confirm the truth.

26:25 But he said, "I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.

26:26 For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner.

• (k) Secretly and privately.

26:27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe."

• (9) Paul, as it were forgetting that he stood a prisoner to defend his cause, does not forget the office of his apostleship.

26:28 Agrippa said to Paul, "With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?"

26:29 Paul said, "I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these bonds."

• (l) I would to God that not only almost, but thoroughly and altogether, both you and all that hear me this day, might be made as I am, only except for my bonds.

26:30 The king rose up with the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them.

• (10) Paul is solemnly acquitted, and yet not dismissed.

26:31 When they had withdrawn, they spoke one to another, saying, "This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds."

26:32 Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."