Actschapter 26
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A.Before Agrippa: My Manner of Life From My Youthvv. 1-11
1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: 2 “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 especially since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me patiently. 4 Surely all the Jews know how I have lived from the earliest days of my youth, among my own people and in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the strictest sect of our religion. 6 And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made to our fathers, 7 the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to realize as they earnestly serve God day and night. It is because of this hope, O king, that I am accused by the Jews. 8 Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? 9 So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 I frequently had them punished in the synagogues, and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.
B.The Heavenly Vision and the Commission He Receivedvv. 12-23
12 In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 ‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen from Me and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’ 19 So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. 20 First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22 But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen: 23 that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”
C.Almost Thou Persuadest Me to Be a Christianvv. 24-32
24 At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!” 25 But Paul answered, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety. 26 For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.” 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?” 29 “Short time or long,” Paul replied, “I wish to God that not only you but all who hear me this day may become what I am, except for these chains.” 30 Then the king and the governor rose, along with Bernice and those seated with them. 31 On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
Chapter summary
Paul's defense before Agrippa.
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Chapter summary
Paul's defense before Agrippa.
Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴
Paul's defense before Agrippa. The most extended retelling of the Damascus-road conversion; the heavenly vision; the Gentile mission. Agrippa's 'almost thou persuadest me.' 'This man doeth nothing worthy of death … he might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.'
Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.
Context
History · Luke — Acts overview
- A. 1–11 Before Agrippa: My Manner of Life From My Youth
- B. 12–23 The Heavenly Vision and the Commission He Received
- C. 24–32 Almost Thou Persuadest Me to Be a Christian
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
Acts 227 verses
- Acts 22:2When they heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more silent. Then Paul declared,
- Acts 22:3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I am just as zealous for God as any of you here today.
- Acts 22:5as the high priest and the whole Council can testify about me. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way to apprehend these people and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.
- Acts 22:6About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.
- Acts 22:8‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.
- Acts 22:14Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear His voice.
- Read Acts 22: 1 more there →
Acts 95 verses
- Acts 9:1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest
- Acts 9:7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone.
- Acts 9:13But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.
- Acts 9:15“Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel.
- Acts 9:21All who heard him were astounded and asked, “Isn’t this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem on those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”
- Read Acts 9 →
Acts 234 verses
- Acts 23:6Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”
- Acts 23:9A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
- Acts 23:26Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.
- Acts 23:29I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
- Read Acts 23 →
Acts 263 verses
- Acts 26:2“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews,
- Acts 26:10And that is what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them.
- Acts 26:26For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.
- Read Acts 26 →
4 more chapters this one speaks with
Acts 213 verses
- Acts 21:27When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,
- Acts 21:30The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.
- Acts 21:40Having received permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. A great hush came over the crowd, and he addressed them in Hebrew:
- Read Acts 21 →
Galatians 12 verses
- Galatians 1:13For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
- Galatians 1:16to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not rush to consult with flesh and blood,
- Read Galatians 1 →
Titus 22 verses
- Titus 2:7In everything, show yourself to be an example by doing good works. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,
- Titus 2:13as we await the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
- Read Titus 2 →
Acts 282 verses
- Acts 28:18They examined me and wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me.
- Acts 28:20So for this reason I have called to see you and speak with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”
- Read Acts 28 →
Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.