Acts 26:32
in Acts 26And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cæsar.
KJV
Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cesar.
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This verse in Acts 26
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThen said Agrippa, etc. - The king himself, who had participated in the strongest emotions on the occasion, feels himself prompted to wish the apostle’s immediate liberation; but this was now rendered impracticable, because he had appealed to Caesar; the appeal was no doubt registered, and the business must now proceed to a full hearing.
This site's exposition
the king rose up
on Acts 26:30-32
The king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them, the hearing ending as such hearings did, in private conference rather than a verdict from the bench, and their conclusion is unanimous, this man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. Agrippa's last word to Festus carries an irony the whole scene has been building toward, this man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar, Paul's own earlier legal move now the very thing keeping an innocent man in custody. The bench notes that the chapter closes with Rome's own examiners clearing Paul three times over, Felix, Festus and now Agrippa, the record standing before the reader as Paul's ship turns toward the city Christ had promised him at 23:11.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And Agrippa said to Festus." Then Agrippa said to Festus: "This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar." Then Paul was delivered to centurion Julius with the guards, to sail to Italy. Going on board, they came to …
See how again also they pass sentence in his favor, and after having said, "Thou art beside thyself," they acquit him, as undeserving not only of death, but also of bonds, and indeed would have released him entirely, if he had not appealed to Caesar. But this was done providentially, that he should also depart with bonds. "Unto bonds," he says, "as an evil doer." For if his Lord "was reckoned among the transgressors," much more he: but as the Lord did not share with them in their character, so neither did Paul. For in this is seen the marvellous thing, the being mixed up with such, and yet receiving no harm from them.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
They all agreed that he was an innocent man, that he ought to be set at liberty, and that it was a pity he was provoked to put a bar in his own door by appealing to Cæsar,
5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: 7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Then said Agrippa unto Festus,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Then said Agrippa unto Festus ... - This is a full declaration of the conviction of Agrippa, before whom the cause had been heard, that Paul was innocent. It is an instance, also, where boldness and fidelity will be attended with happy results. Paul had concealed nothing of the truth. He had made a bold and faithful appeal Act 26:27 to Agrippa himself for the truth of what he was saying. By this appeal Agrippa had not been offended. It had only served to impress him more with the innocence of Paul. It is an instance which shows that religion may be so commended to the conscience and reason of princes, kings, and judges that they will see its truth. It is an instance which shows that the most bold and faithful appeals may be made by the ministers of religion to their hearers for the truth of what they are saying. And it is a full proof that the most faithful appeals, if respectful, may be made without offending people, and with the certainty that they will feel and admit their force. All preachers should be as faithful as Paul; and whatever may be the rank and character of their auditors, they should never doubt that they have truth and God on their side, and that their message, when most bold and faithful, will commend itself to the consciences of mankind.
The words behind it
14 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 |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Φήστῳ | phesto | to Festus | G5347 → | 13 times |
| ἔφη· | ephe | was saying; | G5346 → | 66 times |
| ἀπολελύσθαι | apolelusthai | to have been released | G630 → | 63 times |
| ἐδύνατο | edunato | was able | G1410 → | 207 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἄνθρωπος | anthropos | man | G444 → | 549 times |
| οὗτος, | houtos | this, | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| εἰ | ei | only | G1487 → | 508 times |
| μὴ | me | unless | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ἐπεκέκλητο | epekekleto | he had appealed | G1941 → | 30 times |
| Καίσαρα.¶ | kaisara | to Caesar. | G2541 → | 29 times |
ἈγρίππαςAgrippa
agrippasG67 →11 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
Φήστῳto Festus
phestoG5347 →13 times
ἔφη·was saying;
epheG5346 →66 times
ἀπολελύσθαιto have been released
apolelusthaiG630 →63 times
ἐδύνατοwas able
edunatoG1410 →207 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἄνθρωποςman
anthroposG444 →549 times
οὗτος,this,
houtosG3778 →1381 times
εἰonly
eiG1487 →508 times
μὴunless
meG3361 →1066 times
ἐπεκέκλητοhe had appealed
epekekletoG1941 →30 times
Καίσαρα.¶to Caesar.
kaisaraG2541 →29 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 25:25But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, and since he has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.
it leads to
- Acts 23:29
I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 25:11–12
If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand…
- Acts 23:9
A 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…
- Luke 23:4
Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
- Acts 23:29
Through
Acts 28:18They examined me and wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me.
it leads to
- Acts 26:31–32
On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”
- Acts 22:24–25
the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.
- Acts 24:22
Then Felix, who was well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, “When Lysias the commander comes, I will decide your case.”
- Acts 22:30
The next day the commander, wanting to learn the real reason Paul was accused by the Jews, released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul…
- Acts 26:31–32
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
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About Acts
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; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 53; 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.