Acts 26:24
in Acts 26At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And as he thus made his defence, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning is turning thee mad.
KJV
And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
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This verse in Acts 26
Commentary
9 notes on this verseFestus said in a loud voice: You are insane, Paul. He deemed it insanity that a man in chains, instead of just defending himself from external accusations, made a speech about the conscience by which he gloried inside and reviewed all the miracles of the …
This site's exposition
much learning doth make thee mad
on Acts 26:24-26
As he thus spake for himself, Festus interrupts with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself, much learning doth make thee mad, a Roman's honest reaction to resurrection talk he cannot follow. Paul's answer is calm and precise, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness, and he turns at once back to Agrippa, for the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely, appealing to public facts a Jewish ruler of Palestine could check for himself. This thing was not done in a corner is the apologetic center of the whole speech, the crucifixion and its aftermath claimed as public Jerusalem history rather than a private vision, open to verification by anyone willing to ask.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Festus saw the boldness, and what says he? For Paul was all along addressing himself to the king-he was in a manner annoyed, and says to him, "Thou art beside thyself, Paul:" for, "while he thus discoursed, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself: much learning doth make thee mad." What then says Paul? With gentleness, "I am not mad," says he, "most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness."
Since he was always conversing with the king, as if Festus had suffered something, and seeing the boldness, from anger and outrage, he says, "You are mad."
The Medieval Church1 voice
Since Paul constantly directed his speech to the king, Festus, being somewhat offended and seeing Paul's boldness, said out of vexation and anger: "You are out of your mind, Paul!" Paul then explains to him the reason why he directed his word to the king.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Nay, Festus, it is thou that art beside thyself. That strikest quite wide of the mark. And no wonder: he saw that nature did not act in Paul; but the grace that acted in him he did not see.
And as he thus spake for himself,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Paul, thou art beside thyself - “Thou art mad, Paul!” “Thy great learning hath turned thee into a madman.” As we sometimes say, thou art cracked, and thy brain is turned. By the τα πολλα γραμματα it is likely that Festus meant no more than this, that Paul had got such a vast variety of knowledge, that his brain was overcharged with it: for, in this speech, Paul makes no particular show of what we call learning; for he quotes none of their celebrated authors, as he did on other occasions; see Act 17:
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Festus said with a loud voice - Amazed at the zeal of Paul. Paul doubtless evinced deep interest in the subject, and great earnestness in the delivery of his defense. Thou art beside thyself - Thou art deranged; thou art insane. The reasons why Festus thought Paul mad were, probably: (1) His great earnestness and excitement on the subject. (2) His laying such stress on the gospel of the despised Jesus of Nazareth, as if it were a matter of infinite moment. Festus despised it; and he regarded it as proof of derangement that so much importance was attached to it. (3) Festus regarded, probably, the whole story of the vision that Paul said had appeared to him as the effect of an inflamed and excited imagination, and as a proof of delirium. This is not an uncommon charge against those who are Christians, and especially when they evince unusual zeal. Sinners regard them as under the influence of delirium and fanaticism; as terrified by imaginary and superstitious fears; or as misguided by fanatical leaders. Husbands often thus think their wives to be deranged, and parents perceive their children that, and wicked people assume the ministers of the gospel to be crazy. The frivolous think it proof of derangement that others are serious, anxious, and prayerful; the rich, that others are willing to part with their property to do good; the ambitious and worldly, that others are willing to leave their country and home to go among the Gentiles to spend their lives in making known the unsearchable riches of Christ. The really sober and rational part of the world they who fear God and keep his commandments; they who believe that eternity is before them, and who strive to live for it - are thus charged with insanity by those who are really deluded, and who are thus living lives of madness and folly. […]
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ταῦτα | tauta | These things | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | when he | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἀπολογουμένου | apologoumenou | is presenting a defense | G626 → | 10 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Φῆστος | phestos | Festus | G5347 → | 13 times |
| μεγάλῃ | megale | in a loud | G3173 → | 243 times |
| τῇ | tea | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φωνῇ | phonea | voice | G5456 → | 139 times |
| φησιν· | phesin | said; | G5346 → | 66 times |
| μαίνῃ | maine | You are insane | G3105 → | 5 times |
| Παῦλε· | paule | Paul! | G3972 → | 158 times |
| τὰ | ta | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πολλά | polla | great | G4183 → | 367 times |
| σε | se | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| γράμματα | grammata | learning | G1121 → | |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| μανίαν | manian | insanity | G3130 → | |
| περιτρέπει. | peritrepei | turns [you]! | G4062 → |
ΤαῦταThese things
tautaG3778 →1381 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
αὐτοῦwhen he
autouG846 →5565 times
ἀπολογουμένουis presenting a defense
apologoumenouG626 →10 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ΦῆστοςFestus
phestosG5347 →13 times
μεγάλῃin a loud
megaleG3173 →243 times
τῇ<the>
teaG3588 →19766 times
φωνῇvoice
phoneaG5456 →139 times
φησιν·said;
phesinG5346 →66 times
μαίνῃYou are insane
maineG3105 →5 times
Παῦλε·Paul!
pauleG3972 →158 times
τὰThe
taG3588 →19766 times
πολλάgreat
pollaG4183 →367 times
σεof you
seG4771 →2973 times
γράμματαlearning
grammataG1121 →
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
μανίανinsanity
manianG3130 →
περιτρέπει.turns [you]!
peritrepeiG4062 →
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
1 Corinthians 1:23but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 2:14
The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
- 1 Corinthians 2:2
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
- 1 Peter 2:8
and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.
- Galatians 5:11
Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
- Isaiah 8:14–15
And He will be a sanctuary—but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare.
- 1 Corinthians 2:14
Through
1 Corinthians 4:10We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 2:3
I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.
- 1 Corinthians 2:3
Through
Mark 3:21When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.”
it leads to
- John 10:20
Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?”
- John 10:20
Through
2 Corinthians 5:13If we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 11:16–17
I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.
- 2 Corinthians 11:16–17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Acts of the Apostles; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 52; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.