Acts 26

Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:

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

NoteAgrippa is Herod Agrippa II, the last ruling member of the Herod family. Rome had given him a kingdom north and east of Judea, plus the right to appoint the Jewish high priest and oversee the Jerusalem temple, which is why Festus wanted his read on a Jewish case. Stretching out the hand was the conventional gesture of a speaker opening a formal address.

2"King Agrippa, I count myself fortunate that today I get to defend myself before you against everything the Jews accuse me of,

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:

Note"I think myself happy" uses happy in its older sense of fortunate or favored by circumstance, not cheerful. Opening a speech by complimenting the presiding official was standard practice in Roman courts.

3and especially because I know you are an expert in all the customs and disputed questions among the Jews. So I beg you to listen to me patiently.

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.

Note"Questions" here means disputed issues argued among Jews, such as the resurrection of the dead or the authority of oral tradition, not questions in the sense of things asked.

4All the Jews know how I have lived since I was young. They know how I lived from the start among my own people and in Jerusalem.

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

5They have known me a long time, and they could tell you, if they were willing, that I lived as a Pharisee, following the strictest group in our religion.

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

NoteA Pharisee belonged to a party within Judaism known for strict observance of the law of Moses and the traditions built up around it; Pharisees also held that the dead would be raised. "Straitest" means strictest: strait meant narrow or tight, and has nothing to do with straight.

6And now I am on trial because of my hope in the promise God made to our ancestors.

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

Note"Our fathers" means the ancestors of Israel, Abraham and those after him, to whom the promises recorded in the Hebrew scriptures were made.

7Our twelve tribes hope to see that promise come true, and they serve God earnestly night and day. It is because of this hope, King Agrippa, that the Jews accuse me.

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.

NoteThe twelve tribes were the descendants of Jacob's twelve sons, and naming them was a standard way of saying the whole Jewish nation. "Instantly" in the King James does not mean immediately; it means intently, with persistent effort.

8Why should any of you think it is impossible to believe that God raises the dead?

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

Note"Incredible" is used in its literal older sense: not able to be believed.

9I myself was once convinced that I ought to do everything I could against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

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

10And that is exactly what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I locked many of God's people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.

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.

Note"Saints" translates a word meaning holy ones or those set apart. In the New Testament it is an ordinary word for members of the group as a whole, not a title for a few exceptional people. The chief priests were the leading priestly families who ran the temple and made up the core of the Jewish ruling council in Jerusalem. "I gave my voice against them" means I cast a vote; whether Paul is describing an actual vote in a formal court or simply his expressed approval is debated.

11Many times, in every synagogue, I had them punished and tried to force them to say things that insulted God. I was so furious with them that I even chased them to foreign cities.

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.

NoteSynagogues had authority to discipline their own members, including by flogging. To "blaspheme" is to speak insultingly of God or sacred things; forcing that speech meant pressing the accused to renounce the name they had confessed.

12That is what I was doing when I set out for Damascus, carrying authority and orders from the chief priests.

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

NoteDamascus lay about 135 miles northeast of Jerusalem, in Syria, and had a large Jewish population. The trip took roughly a week.

13About noon, King Agrippa, while I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun. It shone all around me and the men traveling with me.

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.

NoteNoon is when the sun is at its strongest, so a light outshining it is the point of the detail. Travelers in that climate often rested at midday rather than walking.

14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language. It said, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.'

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.

Note"The Hebrew tongue" covers both Hebrew and Aramaic, the closely related everyday language of Jews in Judea; Aramaic is what is usually meant. "Pricks" are goads, pointed sticks used to drive oxen. An animal that kicked back at the goad only drove the point in harder. The saying was a well-worn proverb in Greek writing for fighting a force stronger than yourself.

15I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.

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

16But get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you for this reason: to make you my servant and a witness of what you have seen and of what I will show you when I appear to you again.

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;

Note"Minister" in the King James means a servant or attendant, not a member of the clergy in the modern sense.

17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles, that is, people who are not Jewish. I am sending you to them

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

NoteGentiles means everyone who is not Jewish. The English word comes through Latin from a word for the nations, the standard Jewish term for all other peoples. "The people" in the same verse means Paul's own people, the Jews.

18to open their eyes, so they will turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they can receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are made holy by faith in me.'

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.

NoteSatan means the adversary or accuser. "Inheritance" carries the image of an allotted share of land, as the tribes of Israel each received a portion; "sanctified" means set apart or made holy.

19So, King Agrippa, I did not disobey that vision from heaven.

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

20Instead I preached first to the people in Damascus, then in Jerusalem, then all through the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles. I told them to turn away from their sins and turn to God, and to do the kind of deeds that match such a change.

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

Note"Coasts" in the King James means borders or territory and has nothing to do with the sea. "Works meet for repentance" means deeds that are fitting or suitable to it: meet is an old adjective meaning appropriate. Repentance itself means a turning around, a change of mind that redirects behavior.

21That is why the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.

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

NoteThe temple in Jerusalem had an outer court open to anyone and inner courts barred to non-Jews on pain of death. Paul was seized in the outer court on the accusation that he had brought a Gentile past that barrier.

22But God has helped me right up to this day, so I stand here and tell what I know to important people and ordinary people alike. I say nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen:

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:

Note"Small and great" is a standard idiom for people of low and high standing, meaning everyone alike.

23that the Christ would suffer, and that he would be the first to rise from the dead, and would announce light to our own people and to the Gentiles."

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.

Note"Christ" is a title, not a surname. It is the Greek word for anointed one and translates the Hebrew word Messiah.

24As Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus, the Roman governor, shouted, "Paul, you are out of your mind! All your learning is driving you crazy!"

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

NoteFestus is Porcius Festus, the Roman governor of the province of Judea, who was holding Paul in custody at Caesarea. "Beside thyself" means out of your mind. The "much learning" is Paul's study of the scriptures and other books.

25But Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus. What I am saying is true and clear-headed.

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

Note"Most noble" renders a formal term of address for a Roman official of rank, closer to your excellency than to a compliment. "Soberness" here means soundness of mind and self-control; it does not refer to drink.

26The king knows about these things, and that is why I can speak openly to him. I am sure that none of this has escaped his notice, because it did not happen off in a corner.

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.

Note"Not done in a corner" was a common expression, in both ordinary speech and Greek philosophy, for something carried out in the open where anyone could see it.

27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do."

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

Note"The prophets" means the prophetic books of the Hebrew scriptures, which Agrippa as a ruler over Jewish affairs would be expected to accept.

28Then Agrippa said to Paul, "In so short a time you think you can persuade me to become a Christian?"

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

NoteThe Greek here is compressed and genuinely disputed. The phrase behind "almost" literally means "in little" or "with little", which can be taken as in a short time, with little effort, or almost. The King James reads it as a sincere near persuasion; most modern translations read it as a question about the shortness of the time, and the tone could be earnest, wry, or dismissive.

29Paul said, "Short time or long, I pray to God that not only you but everyone listening to me today might become what I am, except for these chains."

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.

Note"I would to God" means I wish, or I pray. The "bonds" are the chains Paul is wearing as a prisoner in Roman custody.

30When he had said this, the king stood up, and so did the governor and Bernice and the people sitting with them.

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

NoteBernice was Agrippa's sister. She lived in his household and appeared publicly at his side as his consort would, an arrangement Roman writers gossiped about.

31As they were leaving, they said to each other, "This man is doing nothing that deserves death or prison."

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

Note"Bonds" here means imprisonment in chains, the sentence short of death.

32Then Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."

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

NoteA Roman citizen could appeal his case to the emperor's own court. Once the appeal was formally lodged, a provincial governor no longer had the authority to release the prisoner or decide the case himself; it had to go to Rome.