Acts Chapter 26 Verses 1-11

Acts 26:1 “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: 2 I 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: 3 Especially 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. 4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; 5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: 7 Unto 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. 8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? 9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 Which 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. 11 And 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.” 

In this passage Paul relates his manner of life, his hope of the resurrection, and his persecution of the disciples of Christ before his Damascus road experience.

Verses 12-18

Acts 26:12 “Whereupon 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, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. 14 And 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. 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 the 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 inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

In this passage Paul relates his Damascus road experience with the Lord Jesus Christ as previously detailed for us in Acts Chapters 9 and 22.

Verses 19-23

Acts 26:19 “Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 20 But showed 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. 21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. 22 Having 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: 23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.” 

“Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: But showed 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.”  Paul relates to Agrippa his obedience to the heavenly vision.  Next he outlines the course of his gospel labors going from Damascus to Jerusalem and then throughout all Judea and finally to the Gentiles.  He also tells of the purpose of his teachings was to call the Lord’s people to repent and turn to God and to do works meet for repentance.

“For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.”  Paul states his belief that because of his obedience to Christ and his teachings that the Jews caught him in the temple and went about trying to kill him.

“Having 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: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.”  Paul recognized that through all the persecution that had come against him, that his help and deliverance had come from God.   This was also true in his current circumstance as the Lord had told him that he would also be a witness of Him also at Rome.  Paul was shortly to get a ride courtesy of the Roman government to Rome.  Moreover, Paul stated that his witness was to both small and great.  Paul was not a respecter of persons when it came to bearing witness of Christ.  Paul gives his authority for the things he preached from what the Old Testament prophets and Moses had written.  The Old Testament prophets and Moses had testified that Christ would be the first to rise from the dead and that he would show light to the people and to the Gentiles. 

Verses 24-32

Acts 26:24 “And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. 25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. 26 For 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. 27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. 28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. 29 And 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. 30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them: 31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between 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.”

“And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.”  Festus thought the problem with Paul was that he had learned too much.  However, we can spend a lifetime learning and we cannot learn too much of God’s word that it would make us mad.  Actually, it has he opposite effect upon us.  Paul’s reply sets forth this principle: “But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.” 

“For 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.”  Paul tells Festus that the king already knew the things that he had previously related.  Paul said those things were not done in a corner.  This teaches us that we are not to be secret in declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ and the faith that was once delivered to the saints.

“King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.  And 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.”  Agrippa said that Paul almost persuaded him to be a Christian.  Paul responded that he would that all there present with him were not almost but altogether totally persuaded as he was except for the bonds. 

“And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them: And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.  Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.”  In this private conversation Aprippa and Festus agreed that Paul had done nothing worthy of death or bonds and that he might have been set at liberty if he had not appealed to Caesar.  Here we must remember that the Lord had revealed to Paul that he would give testimony at Rome also.  He is about to get a ride by ship to Rome courtesy of the Roman government.