Acts 26
Paul Offers His Defense
1So Agrippa ▼ said to Paul, “You have permission ▼▼ Grk “It is permitted for you.”
to speak for yourself.” Then Paul held out his hand ▼▼ Or “extended his hand” (a speaker’s gesture).
and began his defense: ▼▼ Or “and began to speak in his own defense.”
2 “Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, ▼ I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 3because you are especially ▼ familiar with all the customs and controversial issues ▼ of the Jews. Therefore I ask ▼ you to listen to me patiently. 4Now all the Jews know the way I lived ▼
▼ Grk “my manner of life.”
from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people ▼▼ Or “nation.”
and in Jerusalem. ▼▼ For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; Journey of Paul map 1-F4; Journey of Paul map 2-F4; Journey of Paul map 3-F4; Journey of Paul map 4-F4.
5They know, ▼▼ These words are repeated from v. 4 (“all the Jews know”). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, it was necessary to begin a new sentence at the beginning of v. 5 in the translation, but for this to make sense, the main verb ἵσασι ({isasi) has to be repeated to connect with the ὅτι (hoti) clause (indirect discourse) in v. 5.
because they have known ▼▼ Grk “having known me from time past.” The participle προγινώσκοντες (proginōskontes) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
me from time past, ▼ if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party ▼▼ That is, strictest religious party. “Party” alone is used in the translation because “the strictest religious party of our religion” would be redundant.
of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. ▼ 6And now I stand here on trial ▼ because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, ▼▼ Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
7a promise ▼ that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God ▼▼ Or “earnestly worship.” The object of this service, God, is omitted but implied: BDAG 587 s.v. λατρεύω states, “Without the dat. of the one to whom service is given: ἐν ἐκτενείᾳ νύκτα κ. ἡμέραν λ. serve (God) earnestly night and day Ac 26:7.” Although clear from the context in Greek, “God” must be supplied as the recipient of the service for the modern English reader.
night and day. Concerning this hope the Jews are accusing me, ▼▼ Grk “I am being accused by the Jews.” The passive construction was simplified by converting it to an active one in the translation.
Your Majesty! ▼▼ Grk “O King!”
8Why do you people ▼▼ The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate that the second person pronoun (“you”) is plural (others in addition to King Agrippa are being addressed).
think ▼ it is unbelievable ▼ that ▼▼ Grk “if.” The first-class conditional construction, which assumes reality for the sake of argument, has been translated as indirect discourse.
God raises the dead? 9Of course, ▼ I myself was convinced ▼ that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. 10And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons by the authority I received ▼▼ Grk “by receiving authority.” The participle λαβών (labōn) has been taken instrumentally.
from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote ▼▼ Grk “cast down a pebble against them.” L&N 30.103 states, “(an idiom, Grk ‘to bring a pebble against someone,’ a reference to a white or black pebble used in voting for or against someone) to make known one’s choice against someone - ‘to vote against.’ …‘when they were sentenced to death, I also voted against them’ Ac 26:10.”
against them when they were sentenced to death. ▼▼ Grk “when they were being executed”; but the context supports the sentencing rather than the execution itself (cf. L&N 30.103).
11I punished ▼▼ Grk “and punishing…I tried.” The participle τιμωρῶν (timōrōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
them often in all the synagogues ▼ and tried to force ▼ them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged ▼▼ Or “was so insanely angry with them.” BDAG 322 s.v. ἐμμαίνομαι states, “to be filled with such anger that one appears to be mad, be enraged…περισσῶς ἐμμαινόμενος αὐτοῖς being furiously enraged at them Ac 26:11”; L&N 88.182 s.v. ἐμμαίνομαι, “to be so furiously angry with someone as to be almost out of one’s mind - ‘to be enraged, to be infuriated, to be insanely angry’ …‘I was so infuriated with them that I even went to foreign cities to persecute them’ Ac 26:11.”
at them, I went to persecute ▼▼ Or “I pursued them even as far as foreign cities.”
them even in foreign cities. 12 “While doing this very thing, ▼ as I was going ▼
▼ Grk “going.” The participle πορευόμενος (poreuomenos) has been taken temporally.
to Damascus with authority and complete power ▼▼ L&N 37.40 s.v. ἐπιτροπή states, “the full authority to carry out an assignment or commission - ‘authority, complete power.’ πορευόμενος εἰς τὴν Δαμασκὸν μετ᾿ ἐξουσίας καὶ ἐπιτροπῆς τῶν ἀρχιερέων ‘going to Damascus with authority and complete power from the high priests’ Ac 26:12. In Ac 26:12 the combination of ἐξουσία and ἐπιτροπή serves to reinforce the sense of complete authority.”
from the chief priests, 13about noon along the road, Your Majesty, ▼▼ Grk “O King.”
I saw a light from heaven, ▼▼ Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around ▼ me and those traveling with me. 14When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ▼ ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself ▼▼ Grk “It is hard for you.”
by kicking against the goads.’ ▼▼ “Goads” are pointed sticks used to direct a draft animal (an idiom for stubborn resistance). See BDAG 539-40 s.v. κέντρον 2.
▼▼ Sayings which contain the imagery used here (kicking against the goads) were also found in Greek writings; see Pindar, Pythians 2.94–96; Euripides, Bacchae 795.
15So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord replied, ▼▼ Grk “said.”
‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance ▼▼ L&N 30.89 has “‘to choose in advance, to select beforehand, to designate in advance.’”
as a servant and witness ▼ to the things ▼ you have seen ▼▼ ‡ Some mss read “of the things in which you have seen me.” The accusative object με (me, “me”) is found after εἶδές (eides) in B C*vid 614 945 1175 1505 1739 1891 2464 pc sy sa; it is lacking in Ƥ74 א A C2 E Ψ 096 Maj. latt bo. The external evidence is relatively evenly divided, though there is a slight preference for the omission. NA27 includes the word in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.
and to the things in which I will appear to you. 17I will rescue ▼ you from your own people ▼▼ That is, from the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the words “your own” have been supplied to clarify the meaning.
and from the Gentiles, to whom ▼▼ The antecedent of the relative pronoun is probably both the Jews (“your own people”) and the Gentiles, indicating the comprehensive commission Paul received.
I am sending you 18to open their eyes so that they turn ▼▼ To open their eyes so that they turn… Here is Luke’s most comprehensive report of Paul’s divine calling. His role was to call humanity to change their position before God and experience God’s forgiveness as a part of God’s family. The image of turning is a key one in the NT: Luke 1:79; Rom 2:19; 13:12; 2 Cor 4:6; 6:14; Eph 5:8; Col 1:12; 1 Thess 5:5. See also Luke 1:77–79; 3:3; 24:47.
from darkness to light and from the power ▼ of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share ▼▼ Or “and an inheritance.”
among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ 19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, ▼ I was not disobedient ▼
▼ I was not disobedient. Paul’s defense is that he merely obeyed the risen Jesus. He was arrested for obeying heavenly direction and preaching the opportunity to turn to God.
to the heavenly ▼ vision, 20but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, ▼ and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, ▼▼ That they should repent and turn to God. This is the shortest summary of Paul’s message that he preached.
performing deeds consistent with ▼ repentance. 21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts ▼▼ Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.
and were trying to kill me. 22I have experienced ▼▼ Grk “So experiencing…I stand.” The participle τυχών (tucōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except ▼▼ BDAG 311 s.v. ἐκτός 3.b, “functions as prep. w. gen. οὐδὲν ἐ. ὧν nothing except what (cf. 1 Ch 29:3; 2 Ch 17:19; TestNapht. 6:2) Ac 26:22.”
what the prophets and Moses said ▼▼ What the prophets and Moses said. Paul argued that his message reflected the hope of the Jewish scriptures.
was going to happen: 23that ▼ the Christ ▼▼ Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
▼ was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people ▼▼ That is, to the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the word “our” has been supplied to clarify the meaning.
and to the Gentiles.” ▼▼ Note how the context of Paul’s gospel message about Jesus, resurrection, and light both to Jews and to the Gentiles is rooted in the prophetic message of the OT scriptures. Paul was guilty of following God’s call and preaching the scriptural hope.
24 As Paul ▼
▼ Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
was saying these things in his defense, Festus ▼ exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind, ▼ ▼ Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!” 25But Paul replied, ▼▼ Grk “said.”
“I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, ▼ but am speaking ▼ true and rational ▼ words. 26For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely ▼ to him, ▼▼ Grk “to whom I am speaking freely.” The relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the personal pronoun (“him”) to simplify the translation.
because I cannot believe ▼ that any of these things has escaped his notice, ▼ for this was not done in a corner. ▼▼ This term refers to a hidden corner (BDAG 209 s.v. γωνία). Paul’s point is that these events to which he refers were not done in a secret, hidden place, tucked away outside of view. They were done in public for all the world to see.
27Do you believe the prophets, ▼▼ “Do you believe the prophets?” Note how Paul made the issue believing the OT prophets and God’s promise which God fulfilled in Christ. He was pushing King Agrippa toward a decision not for or against Paul’s guilt of any crime, but concerning Paul’s message.
King Agrippa? ▼ I know that you believe.” 28Agrippa ▼ said to Paul, “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?” ▼▼ Or “In a short time you will make me a Christian.” On the difficulty of the precise nuances of Agrippa’s reply in this passage, see BDAG 791 s.v. πείθω 1.b. The idiom is like 1 Kgs 21:7 LXX. The point is that Paul was trying to persuade Agrippa to accept his message. If Agrippa had let Paul persuade him, he would have converted to Christianity.
▼▼ The question “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?” was probably a ploy on Agrippa’s part to deflect Paul from his call for a decision. Note also how the tables have turned: Agrippa was brought in to hear Paul’s defense, and now ends up defending himself. The questioner is now being questioned.
29Paul replied, “I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time ▼ not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains.” ▼▼ Except for these chains. The chains represented Paul’s unjust suffering for the sake of the message. His point was, in effect, “I do not care how long it takes. I only hope you and everyone else hearing this would become believers in Christ, but without my unjust suffering.”
30 So the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them, 31and as they were leaving they said to one another, ▼
▼ Grk “they spoke to one another saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
“This man is not doing anything deserving ▼ ▼▼ Not doing anything deserving death… Here is yet another declaration of Paul’s innocence, but still no release. The portrayal shows how unjust Paul’s confinement was.
death or imprisonment.” 32Agrippa ▼ said to Festus, ▼ “This man could have been released ▼▼ Or “set free.”
if he had not appealed to Caesar.” ▼▼ Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
▼▼ If he had not appealed to Caesar. Ultimately Agrippa and Festus blamed what Paul himself had done in appealing to Caesar for his own continued custody. In terms of Luke’s narrative, this still appears unjust and a denial of responsibility.
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