Acts 26:7
in Acts 26the 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king!
KJV
Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
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This verse in Acts 26
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Unto which promise - To the fulfillment of which promise they hope to come; that is, they hope and believe that the promise will be fulfilled, and that they will partake of its benefits. Our twelve tribes - This was the name by which the Jews were designated. The ancient Jewish nation had hoped to come to that promise; it had been the hope and expectation of the nation. Long before the coming of the Messiah, ten of the twelve tribes had been carried captive to Assyria, and had not returned, leaving but the two tribes of Benjamin and Judah.
This site's exposition
my hope in the promise
on Acts 26:6-8
Paul says he stands on trial for his hope in the promise God made to the fathers. The twelve tribes earnestly serve God day and night hoping to realize it, so the trial concerns Israel's own hope. The next verse names that promise: God raises the dead.
This site's exposition
our twelve tribes
Wesley notes many from the ten northern tribes had returned over the centuries, so the nation still counted itself twelve, as James 1:1 does. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown find the irony: the hope all Israel prays for is the charge Jews bring. The sedition charge has fallen away here.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"Why is it considered incredible among you if God raises the dead?" He proposes two lines of argument about the resurrection: one derived from the prophets, and he does not dismiss the prophet, but rather the glory of the Jews, and another stronger one drawn …
Then too, with high commendation of the Jews, he says, "Night and day," says he, "serving God look to attain unto." So that even if I had not been of unblemished life, it is not for this doctrine that I ought to be brought to trial:-"for which hope, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews." And then another argument "Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?" Since, if such an opinion had not existed, if they had not been brought up in these dogmas, but they were now for the first time brought in, perhaps some one might not have received the saying.
"And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?" Two arguments he lays down for the Resurrection: one, the argument from the prophets: and he does not bring forward any prophet in particular, but the doctrine itself as held by the Jews: the other and stronger one, the argument from the facts-especially from this, that Christ Himself held discourse with him. And he lays the ground for this by other arguments, relating accurately his former madness.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Our twelve tribes - For a great part of the ten tribes also had at various times returned from the east to their own country, James i, 1; Worshipping continually night and day - That is, this is what they aim at in all their public and private worship.
Unto which promise,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
For which hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews--"I am accused of Jews, O king" (so the true reading appears to be); of all quarters the most surprising for such a charge to come from. The charge of sedition is not so much as alluded to throughout this speech. It was indeed a mere pretext.
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| ἣν | hen | which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δωδεκάφυλον | dodekaphulon | twelve tribes | G1429 → | |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ἐκτενείᾳ | ekteneia | earnestness | G1616 → | |
| νύκτα | nukta | night | G3571 → | 61 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἡμέραν | hemeran | day | G2250 → | 389 times |
| λατρεῦον | latreuon | serving | G3000 → | 21 times |
| ἐλπίζει | elpizei | they hope | G1679 → | |
| καταντῆσαι, | katantesai | to attain, | G2658 → | 13 times |
| περὶ | peri | concerning | G4012 → | 332 times |
| ἧς | hes | which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐλπίδος | elpidos | hope | G1680 → | 52 times |
| ἐγκαλοῦμαι | egkaloumai | I am accused | G1458 → | 7 times |
| ὑπὸ | hupo | by | G5259 → | 219 times |
| Ἰουδαίων, | ioudaion | Jews, | G2453 → | 192 times |
| βασιλεῦ, | basileu | O king, | G935 → | 114 times |
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
ἣνwhich
henG3739 →1405 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
δωδεκάφυλονtwelve tribes
dodekaphulonG1429 →
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ἐκτενείᾳearnestness
ekteneiaG1616 →
νύκταnight
nuktaG3571 →61 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡμέρανday
hemeranG2250 →389 times
λατρεῦονserving
latreuonG3000 →21 times
ἐλπίζειthey hope
elpizeiG1679 →
καταντῆσαι,to attain,
katantesaiG2658 →13 times
περὶconcerning
periG4012 →332 times
ἧςwhich
hesG3739 →1405 times
ἐλπίδοςhope
elpidosG1680 →52 times
ἐγκαλοῦμαιI am accused
egkaloumaiG1458 →7 times
ὑπὸby
hupoG5259 →219 times
Ἰουδαίων,Jews,
ioudaionG2453 →192 times
βασιλεῦ,O king,
basileuG935 →114 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
James 1:1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 12:15
And they will know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the countries.
- 1 Peter 1:1
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the elect who are exiles of the Dispersion throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen
- John 7:35
At this, the Jews said to one another, “Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him? Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the…
- Acts 8:1
And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
- Deuteronomy 28:64
Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which neither you…
- Ezekiel 12:15
Through
Matthew 19:28Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve…
it leads to
- Luke 22:28–30
You are the ones who have stood by Me in My trials.
- Luke 22:28–30
Through
Philippians 3:11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
it leads to
- Luke 20:35–36
But those who are considered worthy to share in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.
- Luke 20:35–36
Through
1 Timothy 5:5The widow who is truly in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 5:3
Honor the widows who are truly widows.
- 1 Timothy 5:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
On this chapter
About Acts
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 52; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts.