Acts 26:1
in Acts 26Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defence:
KJV
Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
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This verse in Acts 26
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThen Agrippa said unto Paul,.... After Festus had made the above speech to him, and to all present, and had introduced the affair of Paul, who now stood before them: thou art permitted to speak for thyself; which a prisoner might not do, until he had leave; and this leave was granted by Festus the Roman governor, who was properly the judge, and not Agrippa, though the permission might be by both; and so the Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, "we have ordered", or "permitted thee", &c.
This site's exposition
You have permission to speak
on Acts 26:1-3
The word fortunate names a real advantage, since Agrippa the Second was acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Festus the Roman lacked that knowledge entirely.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"Agrippa said to Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself." From his great desire to hear, the king permits him to speak. But Paul speaks out forthwith with boldness, not flattering, but for this reason saying that he is happy, namely, because Agrippa knew all.
"Then Agrippa said to Paul." Then Agrippa gave Paul permission to speak for himself. Paul first praised the judge, then gave a truthful summary of all that had happened to him from the beginning, relating how he had persecuted the Christian people, what he had …
The Reformation1 voice
My life which I have led from my youth, which was at the first in mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; Who knew me before since the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most strait sect of our religion 1 lived a Pharisee. And now I stand subject to judgment for the hope of the promise which God made to our fathers: 7.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:82%@v4-6
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Paul was silent till he had this liberty allowed him; for those are not the most forward to speak that are best prepared to speak and speak best. This was a favour which the Jews would not allow him, or not without difficulty; but Agrippa freely gives it to him.
His account of his origin, and education, his profession as a Pharisee, and his adherence still to that which was then the main article of his creed, in distinction from the Sadducees, the "resurrection of the dead," however in rituals he had since departed from it,
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Then Paul stretched forth the hand - See the notes on Act 21:40. This was the usual posture of orators or public speakers. The ancient statues are commonly made in this way, with the right hand extended. The dress of the ancients favored this. The long and loose robe, or outer garment, was fastened usually with a hook or clasp on the right shoulder, and thus left the arm at full liberty.
Then Paul stretched forth the hand - This act, as we have already seen on Act 21:40, was merely to gain attention; it was no rhetorical flourish, nor designed for one. From knowing, partly by descriptions, and partly by ancient statues, how orators and others who address a concourse of people stood, we can easily conceive the attitude of St. Paul. When the right hand was stretched out, the left remained under the cloak, which being thrown off the right shoulder, to give the arm the fuller liberty, it then rested on the left: under these circumstances, the hand could be stretched out gracefully, but was confined to no one attitude, though the third and fourth fingers were generally clenched.
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἀγρίππας | agrippas | Agrippa | G67 → | 11 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Παῦλον | paulon | Paul | G3972 → | 158 times |
| ἔφη· | ephe | was saying; | G5346 → | 66 times |
| ἐπιτρέπεταί | epitrepetai | It is permitted | G2010 → | 18 times |
| σοι | soi | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| περὶ | peri | for | G4012 → | 332 times |
| σεαυτοῦ | seautou | yourself | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| λέγειν. | legein | to speak. | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| τότε | tote | Then | G5119 → | 160 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Παῦλος | paulos | Paul | G3972 → | 158 times |
| ἐκτείνας | ekteinas | having stretched out | G1614 → | 16 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χεῖρα | cheira | hand | G5495 → | 175 times |
| ἀπελογεῖτο· | apelogeito | was presenting a defense: | G626 → | 10 times |
ἈγρίππαςAgrippa
agrippasG67 →11 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ΠαῦλονPaul
paulonG3972 →158 times
ἔφη·was saying;
epheG5346 →66 times
ἐπιτρέπεταίIt is permitted
epitrepetaiG2010 →18 times
σοιyou
soiG4771 →2973 times
περὶfor
periG4012 →332 times
σεαυτοῦyourself
seautouG4771 →2973 times
λέγειν.to speak.
legeinG3004 →1325 times
τότεThen
toteG5119 →160 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ΠαῦλοςPaul
paulosG3972 →158 times
ἐκτείναςhaving stretched out
ekteinasG1614 →16 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
χεῖραhand
cheiraG5495 →175 times
ἀπελογεῖτο·was presenting a defense:
apelogeitoG626 →10 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
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.
it leads to
- Galatians 1:15–16
But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased
- Ephesians 3:7–8
I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power.
- 2 Timothy 4:16–17
At my first defense, no one stood with me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be charged against them.
- Romans 11:13
I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry
- Acts 26:17–20
I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them
- Galatians 1:15–16
Through
John 7:51“Does our law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?”
it leads to
- Proverbs 18:13
He who answers a matter before he hears it—this is folly and disgrace to him.
- Proverbs 18:13
Through
Proverbs 1:24Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
it leads to
- Isaiah 65:12
I will destine you for the sword, and you will all kneel down to be slaughtered, because I called and you did not answer, I spoke and you did not listen; you did evil…
- Romans 10:21
But as for Israel he says: “All day long I have held out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
- Isaiah 65:12
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cassiodorus, Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 52; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.