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Acts 26

Acts 26: Paul before Agrippa and the answer almost thou persuadest me

General context

Agrippa permits Paul to speak for himself. Paul says he is happy to answer before a king expert in the customs and questions of the Jews, and that the Jews know he lived a Pharisee after the most straitest sect. He says he is judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto the fathers, and asks why it should be thought incredible that God should raise the dead. He describes what he did against the name of Jesus of Nazareth: shutting up many of the saints in prison by authority from the chief priests, giving his voice against them when they were put to death, and persecuting them to strange cities. On the way to Damascus at midday he saw a light above the brightness of the sun; all fell to the earth, and he heard a voice in the Hebrew tongue asking why he persecuted and saying it is hard to kick against the pricks. The voice names itself Jesus and appoints him a minister and witness, to open eyes and turn men from darkness to light. He says he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, preached at Damascus, Jerusalem, Judea and to the Gentiles, and that for these causes the Jews caught him in the temple. Festus interrupts that much learning has made him mad; Paul answers that he speaks words of truth and soberness and that this thing was not done in a corner, then asks Agrippa if he believes the prophets. Agrippa answers, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Paul wishes all who hear were as he is, except his bonds. Aside, the officials say he does nothing worthy of death, and Agrippa says he might have been freed had he not appealed unto Cesar.

Cited passages: Acts 26:1, Acts 26:2, Acts 26:3, Acts 26:4, Acts 26:5, Acts 26:6, Acts 26:7, Acts 26:8, Acts 26:9, Acts 26:10, Acts 26:11, Acts 26:12, Acts 26:13, Acts 26:14, Acts 26:15, Acts 26:16, Acts 26:17, Acts 26:18, Acts 26:19, Acts 26:20, Acts 26:21, Acts 26:22, Acts 26:23, Acts 26:24, Acts 26:25, Acts 26:26, Acts 26:27, Acts 26:28, Acts 26:29, Acts 26:30, Acts 26:31, Acts 26:32

Acts 26 (KJV)

1Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

2I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

3Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

4My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

5Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

6And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

7Unto 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.

8Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

9I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

11And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

12Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

13At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

14And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

15And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

16But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

17Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

18To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

19Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

20But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judæa, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

21For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.

22Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

23That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

24And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

25But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

26For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

27King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

28Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

29And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

30And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

31And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

32Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cæsar.

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Historical context

This is the third account of the Damascus event in Acts, and the three differ in what they report. Here the light is at midday and above the brightness of the sun, all who journeyed with him fall to the earth, and the voice speaks in the Hebrew tongue and adds the words about kicking against the pricks; the earlier narrated account says the men with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man, and Paul's speech in the castle says they saw the light but heard not the voice. Ananias, who appears in both earlier accounts, is absent here, and the commission is spoken directly by the voice. Agrippa's reply about being almost persuaded is a quoted statement, and the chapter does not say what he did afterward. The judgment that Paul does nothing worthy of death or of bonds is reported as what the officials said between themselves when they had gone aside. No dates are given.

Cited passages: Acts 26:13, Acts 26:14, Acts 26:15, Acts 26:16, Acts 26:28, Acts 26:30, Acts 26:31, Acts 26:32, Acts 9:4, Acts 9:7, Acts 22:9, Acts 22:13

Literary context

The defence is given in the most formal setting the book stages, before a king, a governor, chief captains and principal men, and it is built as a life laid out in order: upbringing, sect, the hope at issue, the persecution, the vision, the obedience, the message. It ends on the resurrection, the exact point where the council split earlier. Two exchanges change its direction. Festus shouts that much learning has made him mad, and Paul then turns from defending himself to questioning the king, who answers with a single measured word, almost. The reply about bonds turns the prisoner's chains into the one thing he does not wish on his hearers. The chapter closes with the officials agreeing in private that he has done nothing worthy of death, and with the appeal named as the reason he stays bound.

Cited passages: Acts 26:4, Acts 26:5, Acts 26:6, Acts 26:8, Acts 26:9, Acts 26:19, Acts 26:23, Acts 26:24, Acts 26:25, Acts 26:27, Acts 26:28, Acts 26:29, Acts 26:31, Acts 26:32, Acts 23:6

Key moments

  1. Permission to speak (Acts 26:1). Agrippa tells Paul he is permitted to speak for himself.
  2. Why thought incredible (Acts 26:8). Paul asks why it should be thought incredible that God should raise the dead.
  3. What he did to the saints (Acts 26:10). He says he shut many of the saints in prison and gave his voice against them.
  4. The voice at midday (Acts 26:14). All fall to the earth and a voice speaks to him in the Hebrew tongue.
  5. Festus interrupts (Acts 26:24). The governor cries out that much learning has made Paul mad.
  6. Almost persuaded (Acts 26:28). Agrippa tells Paul he has almost persuaded him to be a Christian.
  7. The verdict aside (Acts 26:32). Agrippa tells Festus the man might have been freed had he not appealed unto Cesar.

For reflection

Agrippa answers, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian, and then rises and leaves, and the text says nothing more about him. What would you want to know about a person who stops at almost?

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