Acts 26

Translator Notes

1. Agrippa, not Festus, grants permission to speak — reflecting his superior rank in this setting. Paul's gesture of stretching out his hand (ekteinas ten cheira) is an orator's gesture, beginning a formal rhetorical address. This is Paul's most elaborate and carefully structured speech in Acts.

Translator Notes

1. Paul's opening compliment to Agrippa is more substantive than Tertullus's flattery of Felix. The word makarion ('fortunate, blessed') is genuine — Agrippa's knowledge of Jewish affairs makes him an ideal judge for Paul's case.

Translator Notes

1. Agrippa's expertise in Jewish affairs was well-known — he had authority over the Jerusalem temple and appointed high priests. The word gnosten ('expert, one who knows') is more than flattery; it establishes that Agrippa can evaluate the theological nuances of Paul's defense.

Translator Notes

1. Paul appeals to public knowledge of his upbringing. The word biosin ('manner of life, way of living') encompasses his entire pre-conversion existence. His claim that 'all the Jews know' is a broad appeal to common knowledge.

Translator Notes

1. Paul identifies Pharisaism as 'the strictest party' (ten akribestaten hairesin) of Judaism — a claim consistent with how both Josephus and the rabbis characterized the Pharisees. The conditional 'if they are willing' (ean thelosi) subtly implies that his accusers might not be forthcoming about facts that support his case.

Translator Notes

1. Paul frames the entire case as being about 'the promise made by God to our fathers' (tes eis tous pateras hemon epangelias). This is the same theological move he made before the Sanhedrin (23:6) — centering the trial on Israel's hope rather than on alleged crimes.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase 'our twelve tribes' (to dodekaphylon hemon) is remarkable — Paul speaks as if all twelve tribes still exist and worship together, despite the dispersion of the ten northern tribes. The word ekteneia ('earnestness, intense devotion') describes the persistent worship of the faithful remnant. Paul's rhetorical point is powerful: he is being accused by Jews for believing what all Jews hope for.

Translator Notes

1. This rhetorical question cuts to the heart of the matter. Paul shifts from the specific resurrection of Jesus to the general principle: if God exists and is powerful, why should resurrection be considered impossible (apiston, 'unbelievable, incredible')? The question implicitly challenges the Sadducean and Greek skepticism about bodily resurrection.

Translator Notes

1. Paul now narrates his pre-conversion hostility to Christianity, establishing that his transformation was not the result of prior sympathy but occurred against his own deeply held convictions. The phrase 'the name of Jesus of Nazareth' (to onoma Iesou tou Nazoraiou) identifies the historical person whose followers Paul persecuted.

Translator Notes

1. Paul uses the term 'the saints' (ton hagion) for believers — the only time in Acts this Pauline designation appears. The phrase 'cast my vote' (katenegka psephon) has been debated: it could indicate Paul was a member of the Sanhedrin with voting authority, or it could be figurative for 'expressing approval.' The reference to multiple executions (plural) goes beyond Stephen's case, indicating broader persecution.

Translator Notes

1. This is the most detailed description of Paul's persecution in any of the three accounts. The attempt to 'force them to blaspheme' (enagkazon blasphemein) — presumably to curse Jesus — reveals the systematic nature of the persecution. The phrase 'raging fury' (perissos emmainomenos) uses the language of madness, which Paul will later turn to ironic effect when Festus accuses him of madness (v. 24).

Translator Notes

1. Paul emphasizes the official nature of his mission — 'authority and commission' (exousias kai epitropes) from the chief priests — to underscore that his conversion contradicted everything his former authorities wanted.

Translator Notes

1. This account specifies the light was 'brighter than the sun' (hyper ten lamproteta tou heliou) — an intensification from the earlier accounts. At midday the sun is at full strength, making a light that surpasses it unmistakably supernatural. The detail that the light shone on 'those traveling with me' is unique to this account.

Translator Notes

1. Two details are unique to this account: all the companions fell to the ground (earlier accounts differ), and the voice spoke 'in the Hebrew language' (te Hebraidi dialekto, i.e., Aramaic). The proverb about 'kicking against the goads' (pros kentra laktizein) is well-known in Greek literature (Euripides, Bacchae 795; Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 324) — a goad is a sharp stick used to drive oxen. The saying means resisting an irresistible force causes only self-harm. Its use in Aramaic before Paul but reported in Greek for Agrippa shows rhetorical sophistication.

Translator Notes

1. The exchange is consistent across all three accounts. The identification 'I am Jesus' (Ego eimi Iesous) uses the emphatic ego eimi construction that echoes the divine self-revelation in the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14).
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Exodus 3:14 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.

Translator Notes

1. In this account, Jesus' commission is far more detailed than in chapters 9 or 22. The command 'Get up and stand on your feet' (anastethi kai stethi epi tous podas sou) echoes God's words to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 2:1). The dual role — 'servant and witness' (hypereten kai martyra) — combines the language of Isaiah's servant and the apostolic witness theme of Acts.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Ezekiel 2:1. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Translator Notes

1. The promise of rescue 'from the people and from the Gentiles' (ek tou laou kai ek ton ethnon) covers both Jewish and Gentile opposition — exactly what Paul has experienced. The verb apostello ('I am sending') is the root of 'apostle'; Jesus commissions Paul as his apostle to the nations. The language echoes Jeremiah 1:7-8.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Jeremiah 1:7-8. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. This verse is a compressed summary of Paul's entire theological mission, structured in three parallel movements: (1) opening eyes — from ignorance to knowledge; (2) turning from darkness to light and from Satan to God — from bondage to freedom; (3) receiving forgiveness and inheritance — from condemnation to inclusion. The language draws heavily on Isaiah 42:6-7, 16 (the servant opens blind eyes) and Isaiah 61:1 (liberty for captives). The phrase 'sanctified by faith in me' (pistei te eis eme) places faith in Jesus as the means of sanctification.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Isaiah 42:6-7 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Isaiah 61:1 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. Paul addresses Agrippa directly, resuming the relationship established in verses 2-3. The phrase 'heavenly vision' (ourania optasia) characterizes the Damascus road experience in terms any educated Greco-Roman audience would understand. Paul's claim is simple: he was obedient to a divine revelation.

Translator Notes

1. Paul summarizes his entire ministry geographically: Damascus, Jerusalem, Judea, then the Gentiles — an outward-expanding pattern that mirrors Acts' own structure (1:8). His message has two components: repentance (metanoein, inner change) and turning to God (epistrephein, outward reorientation), demonstrated by appropriate deeds (axia tes metanoias erga). This echoes John the Baptist's preaching (Luke 3:8).

Translator Notes

1. Paul identifies the real cause of his persecution: his obedience to the heavenly vision, specifically his preaching to Gentiles. The verb diacheirisasthai ('to lay hands on, to kill') is a strong word implying violent intent.

Translator Notes

1. Paul attributes his survival to divine help (epikourias apo tou theou), not to Roman protection or personal resourcefulness. His claim to teach 'nothing beyond' (ouden ektos) Moses and the prophets positions the gospel as the fulfillment of the Jewish Scriptures — not an innovation but a completion.

Translator Notes

1. Paul's summary of the prophetic message has three elements: (1) the Christ must suffer (pathetos ho Christos) — a claim that scandalized Jews who expected a triumphant Messiah; (2) the Christ would be first to rise from the dead (protos ex anastaseos nekron) — not just raised, but 'first,' implying a sequence others will follow; (3) he would proclaim light to both Jews and Gentiles — universalizing the salvation. Each point can be traced to specific prophetic texts: suffering (Isaiah 53), resurrection (Psalm 16:10), and light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6, 49:6).
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Isaiah 53 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Psalm 16:10 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
4. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Isaiah 42:6 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. Festus interrupts — unable to contain himself at the talk of resurrection. His charge of madness (Maine, 'You are mad') echoes the ironic language Paul used of his own pre-conversion fury (emmainomenos, v. 11). The phrase 'great learning' (polla grammata) could mean 'much study of Scripture' or 'much education generally.' Festus attributes Paul's resurrection claims to intellectual excess rather than divine revelation.

Translator Notes

1. Paul's response is calm, respectful, and pointed. He addresses Festus with full courtesy (kratiste, 'most excellent') while firmly denying the charge. The word sophrosynes ('soundness of mind, rationality, self-control') is the direct opposite of mania — Paul claims his words are not the product of frenzy but of clarity and truth.

Translator Notes

1. Paul pivots from Festus to Agrippa, who as a Jewish king would understand the scriptural framework. The phrase 'not done in a corner' (ouk estin en gonia pepragmenon) is proverbial — the events of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection were public, not secret. This is both a historical claim and a rhetorical challenge.

Translator Notes

1. Paul's direct question to the king is audacious. He answers his own question — 'I know that you believe' — placing Agrippa in a rhetorical trap. If Agrippa affirms belief in the prophets, Paul can argue that the prophets predicted exactly what he has described. If Agrippa denies it, he alienates his Jewish subjects.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. This famous verse is notoriously ambiguous. The Greek en oligo me peitheis Christianon poiesai can be read multiple ways: (1) 'In a short time you are persuading me to become a Christian' (KJV tradition — near-conversion); (2) 'With so little effort you think to make me a Christian?' (dismissive); (3) 'In short, you are trying to make me a Christian' (deflecting). The rendering captures the question as a deflection — Agrippa sidesteps Paul's trap by reframing the exchange. This is the second of only three uses of Christianos in the New Testament (cf. 11:26, 1 Peter 4:16).

Translator Notes

1. Paul's response is the emotional climax of the speech. He takes Agrippa's deflection and turns it into a genuine wish — not just for Agrippa but for everyone present. The final phrase 'except for these chains' (parektos ton desmon touton) is both poignant (he is in chains) and rhetorically powerful (he would share everything about his life except the imprisonment). The gesture implied — Paul likely raised his chained hands — would have been deeply affecting.

Translator Notes

1. The king's rising signals the end of the hearing. The order of names — king, governor, Bernice — reflects the protocol of rank. The hearing was consultative, not judicial; Agrippa had no authority to render a verdict on a case appealed to Caesar.

Translator Notes

1. The private deliberation produces a unanimous verdict of innocence — from a king, a governor, and the assembled dignitaries. This is the culminating Roman declaration of Paul's innocence in Acts, parallel to Pilate's declaration about Jesus (Luke 23:4, 14, 22).

Translator Notes

1. Agrippa's statement is the final word on Paul's legal status: he could have been released (apolelysthai edynato) — his innocence is beyond question. But the appeal to Caesar is irrevocable. The narrative irony is profound: the appeal that prevents Paul's release is the very mechanism that will bring him to Rome, fulfilling the Lord's promise (23:11). What appears to be a legal miscalculation is actually divine strategy.