Acts 26:8

Acts 26:8. Why should it he thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? First, on the punctuation of this verse. Some MSS. write the words, ‘What? Is it to be thought incredible with you if God should raise the dead?' The majority, however, of the later critical expositors consider that the rendering given in our English Bible, as above, is more suited to the calm dignity of the apostle's manner and style on this memorable occasion. Besides, Meyer calls attention to the fact that τί alone in the sense of ‘what' is never used, but that the expression would be τί γάρ, τί οὖν or τί δέ

Much in the original ‘apology' of Paul is here evidently omitted. We must remember that the barest outline or sketch-plan of the original is all that we possess in these ‘Acts.' The connection here apparently is as follows: He has been speaking of the ‘Hope' which Israel cherished the centre of their religious worship. ‘Well, King Agrippa, it is in connection with this “Hope” that I am accused, that I stand a prisoner here, because I say the “Hope” is now accomplished.... And they are quite right when they assume I believe it to have been accomplished in the Crucified and Risen Jesus of Nazareth, the suffering and triumphant Messiah of the prophets. These my brother Jews will not believe in this resurrection, though I have seen Him and heard His voice, and so has many another. Why will they not believe? Is it then with than, with you, King Agrippa, a thing incredible that God should raise the dead? Has this strange marvel been unknown in the past history of our race?' He referred to such incidents as 1 Kings 17:17-23; 2 Kings 4:18-37; 2 Kings 13:21.