Act 26:1 And Agrippa said to Paul, It is allowed for you yourself to speak. Then Paul made a defense, stretching out the hand:
Act 26:2 Concerning all of which I am accused by Jews, king Agrippa, I count myself happy being about to make defense before you today,
Act 26:3 you being most of all expert, knowing of all the customs and questions also among the Jews. Because of this, I beg you patiently to hear me.
Act 26:4 Truly, then, all the Jews know my way of life from youth, which from the beginning had been in my nation in Jerusalem,
Act 26:5 who before knew me from the first, if they will testify, that according to the most exact sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.
Act 26:6 And now for the hope of the promise having been made by God to the fathers, I stand being judged;
Act 26:7 to which our twelve tribes hope to arrive, worshiping in earnestness night and day, concerning which hope I am accused by the Jews, king Agrippa.
Act 26:8 Why is it judged unbelievable by you if God raises the dead?
Act 26:9 Indeed, I then thought to myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene,
Act 26:10 which I also did in Jerusalem, I also shut up many of the saints in prisons, receiving authority from the chief priests; and they being put to death, I cast a vote.
Act 26:11 And often punishing them through all the synagogues, I compelled them to blaspheme. And being exceedingly furious against them, I even persecuted as far as the outside cities.
Act 26:12 In which also traveling to Damascus with authority and decision power from the chief priests,
Act 26:13 at midday along the highway, O king, I and those with me saw a light from heaven shining around me above the brightness of the sun.
Act 26:14 And all of us falling to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the prods.
Act 26:15 And I said, Who are you, Sir? And He said, I am Jesus whom you persecute;
Act 26:16 but rise up and stand on your feet, for it is for this reason I appeared to you, to appoint you a servant and a witness both of what you saw, and in what I shall appear to you,
Act 26:17 having delivered you from the people and the nations, to whom I now send you,
Act 26:18 to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the authority of Satan to God, in order that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among those being sanctified by faith in Me.
Act 26:19 Upon this, king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
Act 26:20 but to those first in Damascus, and Jerusalem, and to all the country of Judea, and to the nations, I proclaimed the command to repent and to turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
Act 26:21 Because of these things, having seized me in the temple, the Jews tried to kill me.
Act 26:22 Then obtaining help from God, I stand until this day, witnessing both to small and to great, saying nothing else than what the prophets and Moses also said was going to happen:
Act 26:23 whether Christ was liable to suffer, whether first by a resurrection of the dead He was going to proclaim light to the people and to the nations.
Act 26:24 And he defending himself with these things, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, You rave! Your many letters turned you into madness.
Act 26:25 But he said, Not to madness, most excellent Festus, but I speak words of truth and sanity.
Act 26:26 For the king understands about these things, to whom I speak, even being bold of speech. For I am persuaded not any of these things are hidden from him, nothing. For the doing of this is not in a corner.
Act 26:27 Do you believe the prophets, king Agrippa? I know that you believe.
Act 26:28 And Agrippa said to Paul, Do you persuade me to become a Christian in but a little?
Act 26:29 And Paul said, I would pray to God, both in a little and in much, not only you, but also these hearing me today to become as I also am, except for these bonds.
Act 26:30 And he saying these things, the king and the governor and Bernice rose up, and those who sat with them.
Act 26:31 And having gone aside, they spoke to one another saying, This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
Act 26:32 And Agrippa said to Festus, This man was able to have been let go, if he had not appealed to Caesar.
ACTS CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
DEFENSE BEFORE AGRIPPA
Verses 1-3:
1. What is Paul’s attitude? He is happy to do so and he is courteous.
Verses 4-11: Paul recounts who he was. A Pharisee. Against Christians. Ready to persecute those in The Way.
2. How does verse six summarize the gospel? Paul points to scripture to validate his hope. It is not without foundation. His hope is found throughout all of the Old Testament.
Additional: How should this statement encourage us as well? Our God was never a God of only one people. It was mankind's foolishness that led them away from Jehovah. He ALWAYS planned to capture our hearts through love.
3. Again, what about Paul’s life does he use as part of his defense? Pharisee. Agrippa understood the heaviness of this association.
Verses 12-20: Paul recounts his conversion on the way to Damascus. He is commissioned to help people turn from sin, to God.
4. What had Paul been doing all those years? (19) He was simply obeying Jesus, turning people to Jehovah through Jesus.
Additional: Be ready to define all the working components from verse 18.
Act 26:18 to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the authority of Satan to God, in order that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among those being sanctified by faith in Me.
The conversion to Christianity is one of complete submission to God's will and all the implications of us trying to be more like Him. Jesus is the example.
Verses 21-23: Paul's commission to the gospel is why he is in trouble. It is what Moses and the prophets spoke of....these things Jesus has done.
5. Who does Paul credit his current position to? The Jews have caused these problems for Paul, because of the Gospel.
Verses 24-32: Paul continues his dissertation. Agrippa accuses him of going mad from the gospel. Paul refutes the claim.
6. Describe the interaction between Paul and Agrippa. Agrippa has authority over Paul through government. Paul "soft" challenges Agrippa's authority (27) by directing the matter to God (29). What is clear in the moment is that Paul is sincere and acts from a position of love, not (just) authority.
7. What is clear about Paul’s case? He is innocent of the charges.
Additional: What are your impressions of Paul as he stands before these prominent figures. What is driving Paul’s efforts? Love. Paul's love for God, the gospel and for his nation. He does not seek to be released. He is doing the bidding of Jesus: Act 23:11 And coming to him in the following night the Lord said, Be cheered, Paul, for as you fully testified the things concerning Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify at Rome.
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