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| Chapter 26 |
| Bible Text | Notes and Thoughts |
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1 ¶ Then Agrippa said unto Paul, "Thou art permitted to speak for thyself." Then Paul stretched forth his hand and answered for himself: 2 "I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee concerning all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews, 3 especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions, which are among the Jews. Therefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. 4 "My manner of life from my youth, which was from the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, is known to all the Jews. 5 They knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand and am judged because of the hope of the promise made by God unto our fathers, 7 unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God day and night, hope to come. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. 8 Why should it be thought an incredible thing by you, that God should raise the dead? 9 "I myself verily thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, 10 which things 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. 11 And I punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly maddened against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities. 12 ¶ "Thereupon, as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, brighter than the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had 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 goads.’ 15 And I said, ’Who art Thou, Lord?’ And He said, ’I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16 But 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 which I will appear unto thee, 17 delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee, 18 to 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 an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith that is in Me.’ 19 "Thereupon, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision, 20 but showed first unto those at Damascus and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. 21 For these causes the Jews seized me in the temple and went about to kill me. 22 Having therefore obtained the help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing other than what the prophets and Moses said should come: 23 that Christ should suffer, and that He should be the first who should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people and to the Gentiles." 24 ¶ And as he thus spoke for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, thou art beside thyself! Much learning doth make thee mad!" 25 But Paul said, "I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. 26 For the king himself 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. 27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest." 28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, "Thou almost persuaded me to be a Christian." 29 And Paul said, "I would to God that not only thou, but also all who hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these bonds." 30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and also the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them. 31 And when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, "This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds." 32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, "This man might have been set at liberty if he had not appealed unto Caesar." |
In this chapter we have a record of the life of Paul, his early life, his hunting of the Christians and conversion. King Agrippa is in charge of the trial and tells Paul to speak freely. Paul thanks Agrippa for hearing the case. Paul knew that Agrippa accepted the Old Testament prophets, v27 and has understanding of the Jewish beliefs. There are five main areas of his testimony. v4-11 I was a Pharisee. My early life is well known by the Jews, I was a devout Pharisee Phil 3:5 and a son of a Pharisee Acts 23:6. I have served God day and night as a Pharisee. As a result of his understanding of the Jewish teaching and his conviction of Resurrection he is now in this situation, I have claimed a promised hope given to the twelve tribes by God, for this I am accused by the Jews. v8 The Greeks, the Romans and the Sadducees would not believe or accept Resurrection, but Paul comments that God can do anything including resurrection of the body. To Paul resurrection is very important, If resurrection was not possible then that means that Jesus had not risen, without that fact there was no Gospel. As a Pharisee Paul also hunted down the new sect and believers of Jesus Christ, punishing them and trying to make them deny Jesus, even helped in sending them to death, v10 "I gave my voice against them." means that I agreed with all that happened. v11 the early Christians continued to meet in the synagogues and he hunted them out in Jerusalem and then moved out to other cities. v12-13 I travelled to Damascus with the authority of the chief priests. He thought he had all the correct knowledge and at midday I saw a light. This light was supernatural, the glory of God coming down from heaven. Paul also hears a voice speaking to him, Jesus was speaking to him in the Aramaic language. v14-18 Paul was blind for three days, but his spiritual eyes are being opened, he had seen the living Jesus Christ, now he hears his future life, to go to the "blind" Gentiles with the Gospel, to turn them from the darkness of Satan to the light of God. Consider 2 Cor 4:3-6. v17 Jesus promised protection, see also Acts 22:17-21; Acts 18:9; Acts 23:11. v19-21 I obeyed the vision from heaven. Paul had received his instructions and starting at Damascus had spread the Word. The Jews had been out to kill him right from Damascus, Acts 9:20-25, Jerusalem Acts 9:29-30, Acts 17:1-6, Acts 18:12. v21 Because of these the Jews seized me in the temple and wanted to kill me. v22-32 I witnessed to small and great. This commitment to the message shows just how true Paul’s conversion was, he was prepared to die for his Lord. Paul’s message was always based upon what he had witnessed and upon the Old Testament scriptures. v24 The word "Gentile" upsets the Jews Acts 22:21-22 and now seems to upset Festus, he accused Paul of being mad. Festus did not really think Paul was mad because the trial would have been ended at that point and Paul taken off to a mental home and not to Caesar, no it was reflecting his attitude to what Paul was saying. v26-28 Paul turns back Agrippa, "Do you believe in the prophets" asks Paul, "I know you do." This forces Agrippa to make a decision, for or against the Gospel. The result of any decision. John 3:18-21,36. Both Festus and Agrippa realized that they had to make a decision. but did not want to make it, so they ended the hearing. v31,32 Both Agrippa and Festus decided that Paul was innocent of any crime deserving death penalty, he could have been set free but because he had appealed to Caesar then he must be tried by Caesar. Did Paul make a mistake in appealing to Caesar? No it took him away from the Jewish leaders who would not be able to charge him with their religious charges. Agrippa and Festus made the wrong decision, they had heard the message of salvation, now they were to be judged by God. |
Easy English Translation
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