Acts 26

1 Agrippa sayde vnto Paul: thou arte permitted to speake for thy selfe. Then Paul stretched forth the honde and answered for him selfe.

2 I thynke my selfe happy kynge Agrippa because I shall answere this daye before the of all the thinges wherof I am accused of ye Iewes

3 namely because thou arte experte in all customes and questions which are amonge the Iewes. Wherfore I beseche the to heare me paciently.

4 My lyvynge of a chylde which was at the fyrst amoge myne awne nacion at Ierusalem knowe all the Iewes

5 which knew me from ye beginnynge yf they wolde testifie it. For after the most straytest secte of oure laye lyved I a pharisaye.

6 And now I stond and am iudged for the hope of the promes made of God vnto oure fathers:

7 vnto which promes oure .xii. tribes instantly servynge God daye and nyght hope to come. For which hopes sake kynge Agrippa am I accused of the Iewes.

8 Why shuld it be thought a thinge vncredible vnto you that god shuld rayse agayne the deed?

9 I also verely thought in my selfe that I ought to do many cotrary thinges clene agaynst the name of Iesus of Nazareth:

10 which thinge I also dyd in Ierusalem. Where many of the sainctes I shut vp in preson and had receaved auctorite of ye hye prestes. And whe they were put to deeth I gave the sentence.

11 And I punysshed them ofte in every synagoge and compelled them to blaspheme: and was yet more mad apon them and persecuted the even vnto straunge cities.

12 About the which thinges as I went to Damasco with auctorite and licence of the hye Prestes

13 even at myddaye (o kynge) I sawe in ye waye a lyght from heven above the brightnes of the sunne shyne rounde about me and them which iorneyed with me.

14 When we were all fallen to the erth I hearde a voyce speakynge vnto me and sayinge in ye Hebrue tonge: Saul Saul why persecutest thou me? It is harde for the to kicke agaynste the pricke.

15 And I sayde: Who arte thou lorde? And he sayde I am Iesus whom thou persecutest.

16 But ryse and stond vp on thy fete. For I have apered vnto the for this purpose to make the a minister and a witnes both of tho thinges which thou hast sene and of tho thinges in the which I will appere vnto the

17 delyverynge the from the people and from ye gentyls vnto which nowe I sende the

18 to open their eyes that they myght turne from darcknes vnto lyght and from the power of Satan vnto God that they maye receave forgevenes of synnes and inheritauce amonge the which are sanctified by fayth in me.

19 Wherfore kynge Agrippa I was not disobedient vnto the hevenly vision:

20 but shewed fyrst vnto them of Damasco and at Ierusalem and thorow out all the costes of Iewry and to the gentyls that they shuld repent and turne to God and do the ryght workes of repentaunce.

21 For this cause the Iewes caught me in the temple and went about to kyll me.

22 Neverthelesse I obtayned helpe of God and cotynew vnto this daye witnessyng bothe to small and to greate saying none other thinges then those which the prophetes and Moses dyd saye shuld come

23 that Christ shulde suffre and that he shuld be the fyrst that shulde ryse from deeth and shuld shewe lyght vnto the people and the gentyls.

24 As he thus answered for him selfe: Festus sayde with a lowde voyce: Paul thou arte besides thy selfe. Moche learnynge hath made the mad.

25 And Paul sayde: I am not mad most dere Festus: but speake the wordes of trueth and sobernes.

26 The kynge knoweth of these thinges before whom I speke frely: nether thynke I that eny of these thinges are hydden fro him. For this thinge was not done in a corner.

27 Kynge Agrippa belevest thou ye prophetes? I wote well thou belevest.

28 Agrippa sayde vnto Paul: Sumwhat thou bringest me in mynde for to be come a Christen.

29 And Paul sayd: I wolde to God that not only thou: but also all that heare me to daye were not sumwhat only but altogeder soche as I am except these bondes.

30 And when he had thus spoken the kynge rose vp and the debite and Bernice and they that sate with them.

31 And when they were gone aparte they talked betwene them selves sayinge: This man doeth nothinge worthy of deeth nor of bondes.

32 Then sayde Agrippa vnto Festus: This man myght have bene lowsed yf he had not appealed vnto Cesar.

Acts 26 Commentary

Chapter 26

Paul's defence before Agrippa. (1-11) His conversion and preaching to the Gentiles. (12-23) Festus and Agrippa convinced of Paul's innocence. (24-32)

Verses 1-11 Christianity teaches us to give a reason of the hope that is in us, and also to give honour to whom honour is due, without flattery or fear of man. Agrippa was well versed in the Scriptures of the Old Testament, therefore could the better judge as to the controversy about Jesus being the Messiah. Surely ministers may expect, when they preach the faith of Christ, to be heard patiently. Paul professes that he still kept to all the good in which he was first educated and trained up. See here what his religion was. He was a moralist, a man of virtue, and had not learned the arts of the crafty, covetous Pharisees; he was not chargeable with any open vice and profaneness. He was sound in the faith. He always had a holy regard for the ancient promise made of God unto the fathers, and built his hope upon it. The apostle knew very well that all this would not justify him before God, yet he knew it was for his reputation among the Jews, and an argument that he was not such a man as they represented him to be. Though he counted this but loss, that he might win Christ, yet he mentioned it when it might serve to honour Christ. See here what Paul's religion is; he has not such zeal for the ceremonial law as he had in his youth; the sacrifices and offerings appointed by that, are done away by the great Sacrifice which they typified. Of the ceremonial cleansings he makes no conscience, and thinks the Levitical priesthood is done away in the priesthood of Christ; but, as to the main principles of his religion, he is as zealous as ever. Christ and heaven, are the two great doctrines of the gospel; that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. These are the matter of the promise made unto the fathers. The temple service, or continual course of religious duties, day and night, was kept up as the profession of faith in the promise of eternal life, and in expectation of it. The prospect of eternal life should engage us to be diligent and stedfast in all religious exercises. Yet the Sadducees hated Paul for preaching the resurrection; and the other Jews joined them, because he testified that Jesus was risen, and was the promised Redeemer of Israel. Many things are thought to be beyond belief, only because the infinite nature and perfections of Him that has revealed, performed, or promised them, are overlooked. Paul acknowledged, that while he continued a Pharisee, he was a bitter enemy to Christianity. This was his character and manner of life in the beginning of his time; and there was every thing to hinder his being a Christian. Those who have been most strict in their conduct before conversion, will afterwards see abundant reason for humbling themselves, even on account of things which they then thought ought to have been done.

Verses 12-23 Paul was made a Christian by Divine power; by a revelation of Christ both to him and in him; when in the full career of his sin. He was made a minister by Divine authority: the same Jesus who appeared to him in that glorious light, ordered him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. A world that sits in darkness must be enlightened; those must be brought to know the things that belong to their everlasting peace, who are yet ignorant of them. A world that lies in wickedness must be sanctified and reformed; it is not enough for them to have their eyes opened, they must have their hearts renewed; not enough to be turned from darkness to light, but they must be turned from the power of Satan unto God. All who are turned from sin to God, are not only pardoned, but have a grant of a rich inheritance. The forgiveness of sins makes way for this. None can be happy who are not holy; and to be saints in heaven we must be first saints on earth. We are made holy, and saved by faith in Christ; by which we rely upon Christ as the Lord our Righteousness, and give up ourselves to him as the Lord our Ruler; by this we receive the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and eternal life. The cross of Christ was a stumbling-block to the Jews, and they were in a rage at Paul's preaching the fulfilling of the Old Testament predictions. Christ should be the first that should rise from the dead; the Head or principal One. Also, it was foretold by the prophets, that the Gentiles should be brought to the knowledge of God by the Messiah; and what in this could the Jews justly be displeased at? Thus the true convert can give a reason of his hope, and a good account of the change manifest in him. Yet for going about and calling on men thus to repent and to be converted, vast numbers have been blamed and persecuted.

Verses 24-32 It becomes us, on all occasions, to speak the words of truth and soberness, and then we need not be troubled at the unjust censures of men. Active and laborious followers of the gospel often have been despised as dreamers or madmen, for believing such doctrines and such wonderful facts; and for attesting that the same faith and diligence, and an experience like their own, are necessary to all men, whatever their rank, in order to their salvation. But apostles and prophets, and the Son of God himself, were exposed to this charge; and none need be moved thereby, when Divine grace has made them wise unto salvation. Agrippa saw a great deal of reason for Christianity. His understanding and judgment were for the time convinced, but his heart was not changed. And his conduct and temper were widely different from the humility and spirituality of the gospel. Many are almost persuaded to be religious, who are not quite persuaded; they are under strong convictions of their duty, and of the excellence of the ways of God, yet do not pursue their convictions. Paul urged that it was the concern of every one to become a true Christian; that there is grace enough in Christ for all. He expressed his full conviction of the truth of the gospel, the absolute necessity of faith in Christ in order to salvation. Such salvation from such bondage, the gospel of Christ offers to the Gentiles; to a lost world. Yet it is with much difficulty that any person can be persuaded he needs a work of grace on his heart, like that which was needful for the conversion of the Gentiles. Let us beware of fatal hesitation in our own conduct; and recollect how far the being almost persuaded to be a Christian, is from being altogether such a one as every true believer is.