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: THE DEFENSE, INTERRUPTED BY FESTUS, BUT ONLY THE MORE IMPRESSIVELY CONTINUED AND TRIUMPHANTLY CONCLUDED (26:1-29) _ This speech, though in substance the same as that from the fortress-stairs of Jerusalem (Acts 22:1_ ), differs from it in so far as it is less directed to meet the charge of apostasy from the Jewish Faith, and gives more enlarged views of his remarkable change and apostolic commission, and of the divine support under which he was enabled to brave the hostility of his countrymen. At the same time, as its details, together with those of Acts 22:1, have been considered in the expos

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...

CHAPTER XXVI. _Paul answers for himself before Agrippa, to whom he pays a true_ _compliment, in order to secure a favourable hearing_, 1-3; _gives an account of his education from his youth up_, 4, 5; _shows that the Jews persecuted him for his maintaining the_ _hope of the resurrection_, 6-8; _states his persecution of the Christians_, 9-11; _gives an account of his miraculous conversion_, 12-16; _and of his call to the ministry_, 16-18. _His obedience to that call, and his success in preaching the_ doctrine of Christ crucified

THEN PAUL STRETCHED FORTH THE HAND - See the notes on Acts 21:40. This was the usual posture of orators or public speakers. The ancient statues are commonly made in this way, with the right hand extended. The dress of the ancients favored this. The long and loose robe, or outer garment, was fastened usually with a hook or clasp on the right shoulder, and thus left the arm at full liberty. AND ANSWERED FOR HIMSELF - It cannot be supposed that Paul expected that his defense would be attended with a release from confinement, for he had himself appealed to the Roman emperor, Acts 25:11. His design in speaking before Agrippa was, doubtless: * To vindicate his character, and obtain Agrippa’s attestation to his innocence

EXPOSITION ACTS 26:1 And for _then, _A.V.; _his _for _the, _A.V.; _made his _defense_ _for _answered for himself, _A.V. AGRIPPA SAID. It was by the courtesy of Festus that Agrippa thus took the chief place. It was, perhaps, with the like courtesy that Agrippa said, impersonally, THOU ART PERMITTED, without specifying whether by himself or by Festus. STRETCHED FORTH HIS HAND. The action of an orator, rendered in this case still more impressive by the chains which hung upon his arms. Luke here relates what he saw. MADE HIS DEFENSE (ἀπελογεῖτο); Acts 25:8; Acts 24:10, note....

THEN AGRIPPA SAID UNTO PAUL,.... After Festus had made the above speech to him, and to all present, and had introduced the affair of Paul, who now stood before them: THOU ART PERMITTED TO SPEAK FOR THYSELF; which a prisoner might not do, until he had leave; and this leave was granted by Festus the Roman governor, who was properly the judge, and not Agrippa, though the permission might be by both; and so the Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, "we have ordered", or "permitted thee", c. THEN PAUL STRETCHED FORTH THE HAND as orators used to do, when they were about to speak; or else to require silence; or it may be to show the freedom of his mind, and how ready he was to embrace the opportunity of pleading his own cause; being conscious to himself of his innocence, and relying on the ingenuity and integrity of his judge; and especially of the king, before whom he stood: AND ANSWERED FOR H...

Three times we have in Holy Writ a graphic report of the conversion of Paul. This may be accounted for partly from its being one of the most remarkable events of early sacred history, Paul having had a greater effect upon the Christian Church than any other living man. At the same time I think it teaches us that the Holy Spirit sets especial store by the facts connected with this very remarkable conversion. If he gives it three times, in the sacred volume, we ought to give it a triple attention, and see if we cannot learn therefrom. 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: I think myself happy, king Agrippa. because I shall never answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews. Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and

ACTS 26:1 The text of the Western reviser, preserved in the margin of the Harclean Syriac, 374 adds the words, “_confident, and encouraged by the Holy Spirit,_ Paul stretched out his hand …,” a reading that A. C. Clark reconstructed in Greek, qarrw/n kai. evn pneu,mati a`gi,w| para,klhsin labw,n. ------------------------- 374 For a similar gloss in the margin of the Harclean Syriac, cf. Acts 24:10....

CHAPTER 26 __ 1. The Address of the Apostle Paul (Acts 26:2). 2. The Interruption by Festus and the Appeal to the King (Acts 26:24). 3. The Verdict (Acts 26:30). The opening words of the Apostle are indeed gracious. Even as he stands in chains the great Apostle counts himself happy. His happiness consisted in the knowledge that he was now privileged to bear witness of His Lord and the Gospel committed to him before such an audience. What an opportunity it was to him, and how he rejoiced that he could speak of Him, whom he served. He also honored the King by a brief remark in which he expressed his delight in speaking before one who was so well acquainted with Jewish customs and questions. Then

PAUL SPEAKS BEFORE AGRIPPA. It is Agrippa the vassal king, not Festus the representative of the sovereign power, who calls on Paul to speak, and to whom Paul addresses himself throughout, even after the intervention of Festus (Acts 26:24). In Acts 9:15 it was predicted that Paul would speak before kings, and he now does so. The speech is in elegant Greek, and abounds in classical turns and expressions, suited for such an audience. The king is not called a Jew, but complimented on his familiarity with Jewish ways and questions. Expressions are piled up to indicate that all the Jews, both in his own nation (_i.e._ at Tarsus) and at Jerusalem know that from his earliest days Paul was never anything but a Pharisee. To the Jewish king this might be a recommendation. He repeats that it is for believing in the Resurr