Paul's Pharisaic Background
Study note
Given permission to speak, Paul expresses his gratitude for the opportunity to defend himself before Agrippa, who is an expert in Jewish customs and disputes. Paul establishes that all Jews know he lived as a Pharisee, the strictest sect of Judaism, from his youth. He frames the entire case around one central issue: he is on trial because of his hope in God's promise to the fathers -- the promise of resurrection -- which the twelve tribes earnestly hope to see fulfilled. He challenges his audience by asking why it should be thought impossible for God to raise the dead.
1 Agrippa told Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Paul raised his hand and launched into his defense: Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
2 "King Agrippa, I feel very honored to stand before you today. I will answer every charge the Jewish leaders brought against me." 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 "You are especially qualified to hear this, because you understand all the Jewish customs and the issues people argue about. So please, hear me patiently." 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 "Every Jewish person knows the story of my life. From my earliest years, I grew up among my own people and in Jerusalem." My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
5 "They have known me for a very long time. If they wanted to, they could confirm that I belonged to the strictest group in our religion -- the Pharisees." Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
6 "The reason I am on trial right now is that I believe in the promise God made to our ancestors." And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
7 "Our twelve tribes have been eagerly waiting for that promise to come true, serving God passionately day and night. King Agrippa, this hope is the very thing the Jewish leaders are attacking me for!" 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 would any of you think it is hard to believe that God raises people from the dead?" Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
Paul the Persecutor
Study note
Paul vividly describes his former life as an enemy of the Christian movement. With authority from the chief priests, he imprisoned believers in Jerusalem, voted for their death, punished them in synagogues to force them to blaspheme, and was so enraged that he pursued them even to foreign cities. This honest confession of his past makes his transformation all the more compelling.
9 "There was a time when I was sure I needed to fight against the name of Jesus of Nazareth with everything I had." I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 "And that is exactly what I did in Jerusalem. Armed with authority from the chief priests, I locked up many of God's people in prison. When they were sentenced to death, I voted for it." 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 "Again and again, I had them punished in the synagogues, trying to force them to curse Jesus. My rage against them was so intense that I even chased them to foreign cities." 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.
The Damascus Road Encounter
Study note
Paul recounts traveling to Damascus with the authority of the chief priests when at midday a light brighter than the sun surrounded him and his companions. They all fell to the ground, and Paul heard a voice in Hebrew saying, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' Jesus identified himself and commissioned Paul to be a servant and witness, promising to rescue him and send him to the Gentiles to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.
12 "I was on one of those missions, heading to Damascus with letters of authority from the chief priests," Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
13 "Right in the middle of the day, King Agrippa, I saw a light from heaven. It was brighter than the sun. It blazed all around me and the people traveling with me." 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 "All of us fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice speaking to me in Hebrew: 'Saul, Saul, why are you attacking me? Resisting me only hurts you.'" 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 "'Who are you, Lord?' I asked. And the Lord answered, 'I am Jesus -- the one you are attacking.'" And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
16 "'Now get up and stand on your feet. I appeared to you for a reason: I am choosing you to serve me and to tell the world about what you have seen today and what I will reveal to you in the future.'" 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 "'I will protect you from both your own people and from the Gentile nations. I am sending you to them'" Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
18 "'to open their eyes so they can turn away from darkness and step into the light, to escape Satan's grip and come to God. Through faith in me, they will receive forgiveness of their sins and take their place among God's holy people.'" 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.
Paul's Obedience to the Vision
Study note
Paul declares that he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. He preached first in Damascus, then Jerusalem, throughout Judaea, and to the Gentiles, calling all people to repent, turn to God, and demonstrate their repentance through their actions. This is why the Jews seized him in the temple. But God has helped him to this day, and he says nothing beyond what Moses and the prophets said would happen -- that the Christ would suffer, be the first to rise from the dead, and proclaim light to both Jews and Gentiles.
19 "So King Agrippa, I did not disobey that heavenly vision." Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
20 "Starting in Damascus, then in Jerusalem, then all through Judaea, and then among other nations, I told everyone to turn away from sin. I told them to come back to God and to prove their change of heart by the way they live." But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judæa, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
21 "That is the real reason the Jewish leaders grabbed me in the temple and tried to beat me to death." For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
22 "But God has protected me every step of the way. So here I stand today, sharing this message with everyone -- ordinary people and powerful people alike. I am not saying anything new -- just what Moses and the prophets said would happen:" 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 "He said the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead. Then he would bring the light of hope to both Jewish people and to the Gentile nations." That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
Festus, Agrippa, and the Verdict
Study note
Festus interrupts, shouting that Paul is out of his mind from too much study. Paul calmly responds that he speaks words of truth and reason, and that King Agrippa is well aware of these events since they were not done in secret. Paul directly asks Agrippa if he believes the prophets, expressing his certainty that the king does. Agrippa responds with his famous remark that Paul is almost persuading him to become a Christian. Paul expresses his wish that all who hear him would become what he is, except for his chains. After withdrawing, Agrippa and the others agree that Paul has done nothing deserving death or imprisonment, and Agrippa tells Festus that Paul could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.
24 Right in the middle of Paul's defense, Festus blurted out, "You have lost your mind, Paul! All that studying has driven you insane!" 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 Paul calmly replied, "I have not lost my mind at all, Governor Festus. Everything I am saying is completely true and makes perfect sense." But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
26 "King Agrippa knows about these things, and I can speak openly to him. I am sure none of this has slipped past him, because these events did not happen secretly in some hidden corner." 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, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe them." King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
28 Agrippa said, "You truly think you can talk me into becoming a Christian that fast?" Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
29 Paul said, "I pray to God that everyone here today would become just like me. Whether it takes a short time or a long time, I hope for this -- minus these chains, of course." 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 The king stood up, and the governor, Bernice, and everyone else in the room rose with him. And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
31 As they walked out, they talked among themselves: "This man has not done a single thing that deserves death or prison." And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
32 Agrippa told Festus, "He could have been a free man today if he had not appealed to Caesar." Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cæsar.