Bible Commentaries
Acts 26

Verse 1

unto . Greek. pros. App-104 .

Thou art permitted . Literally It is permitted thee. Greek. epitrepo . Same word as "suffer" and "give licence" (Acts 21:39 , Acts 21:40 ).

for = in behalf of. Greek. huper. App-104 .

answered, &c . = was making his defence. Greek. apologeomai. See Acts 19:33 .

Verse 2

think . Greek. hegeomai. This word has two meanings, "to lead" (Acts 15:22 ) and "hold, or reckon", as here and in nineteen subsequent passages.

happy . Greek. makarios. Occurs fifty times. Always translated "blessed", except here, John 13:17 . Romans 14:22 . 1 Corinthians 7:40 . 1Pe 3:14 ; 1 Peter 4:14 .

shall = am about to.

before . Greek. epi App-104 .

touching = concerning. Greek. peri App-104 .

accused . Greek. enkaleo. See Acts 19:38 .

of = by. Greek. hupo. App-104 .

Verse 3

because, &c . Literal. thou being an expert. Greek. gnostes. Only here. Compare gnostos (Acts 1:19 ).

customs . Greek. eth o s . See Acts 6:14 .

questions . Greek. zetema. See Acts 15:2 .

among = according to. Greek. kata. App-104 .

beseech . Greek. deomai. App-134 .

patiently . Greek. makrothumos. Only here. Figure of speech Protherapeia, App-6 .

Verse 4

manner of life. Greek. biosis. Only here. Compare App-170 .

youth . Greek. neotes. Only here; Matthew 19:20 . Mark 10:20 , Luke 18:21 . 1 Timothy 4:12 .

at the first = frorn (Greek. apo. App-104 .) the beginning (Greek. arche) . Compare note on John 8:44 .

among . Greek. en . App-104 .

nation . Greek. ethnos. Generally applied to Gentiles, but to Israel in Acts 10:22 ; Acts 24:2 , Acts 24:10 , Acts 24:17 , &c.

at = in. Greek. en . App-104 .

know . Greek. oida. App-132 .

the . Omit.

Verse 5

Which knew me = Knowing me before. Greek. proginosko. App-132 .

from the beginning . Greek. anothen. See note on Luke 1:3 .

would = be willing to. Greek. thelo . App-102 .

testify . Greek. martureo. See p. 1511, and note on John 1:7 .

after = according to. Greek. kata . App-104 .

most straitest = strictest, or most precise. Greek. akribestatos. Compare the adverb akribos and the comparative adjective in Acts 18:25 , Acts 18:26 . A medical word.

sect . Greek. hairesis. See Acts 5:17 .

religion = form of worship. Greek. threskeia. Only here, Colossians 2:18 , James 1:26 , James 1:27 . Herodotus uses the word of the ceremonies of the Egyptian priests. Used also in the Papyri.

Pharisee . See App-120 .

Verse 6

judged . Greek. krino . App-122 .

for = upon (the ground of). Greek. epi . App-104 .

God . App-98 .

unto . The texts read eis . App-104 .

Verse 7

twelve tribes . Greek. dodekaphulon. Only here. This single word to denote the whole twelve tribes shows that Paul regarded them as one. To him there were no "lost" tribes as fondly imagined to-day.

instantly = in (Greek. en) intensity. Greek. ekteneia. Only here. Compare the adjective ektenes (Acts 12:5 ).

serving . Greek. latreuo. App-137 and App-190 .

come = arrive. Greek. katantao . See Acts 16:1 . For which hope's sake = On account of (Greek. peri . App-104 .) which hope.

king Agrippa . The texts omit.

Jews . The texts add, "O king".

Verse 8

should it be thought = is it judged. Greek. krino , as in Acts 26:6 .

incredible . Greek. apistos. Only occurs in Acts. Elsewhere translated "faithless", "unbelieving", &c.

that = if. App-118 .

should raise = raises. Greek. egeiro. App-178 .

the dead = dead persons. Greek. nekros. App-139 . Compare Acts 26:23 .

Verse 9

verily = therefore indeed.

to = unto. Greek. pros. App-104 .

the name . See Acts 2:38 .

Jesus . App-98 .

of Nazareth = the Nazarene. See Acts 2:22 . This is the seventh and last occ of the title in Acts.

Verse 10

also did = did also. He not only thought, but acted.

saints . Greek. hagios. See Acts 9:13 , Acts 9:32 , Acts 9:41 . Only in these four places in Acts applied to God's people. Frequently in the epistles. Compare Psalms 31:23 , Psalms 31:24 .

shut up . Greek. katakleio. Only here and Luke 3:20 .

authority . Greek. exousia. App-172 .

from . Greek. para . App-104 .

chief priests . Greek. archiereus, as in Acts 25:15 .

put to death . Greek. anaireo. See Acts 2:23 .

gave = cast. Greek. kataphero. See Acts 20:9 .

voice = vote. Greek. psephos. The pebble used for voting. Only here and Revelation 2:17 .

Verse 11

I punished . . . and = punishing them . . ., I. See Acts 22:5 .

in = throughout. Greek. kata. App-104 .

synagogue . App-120 .

compelled = was compelling, or constraining, as in Acts 28:19 . Greek. anankazo.

exceedingly . Greek. perissos. Only here, Matthew 27:23 .Mark 10:26 .

mad against = maddened against. Greek. emmainomai. Only here. Compare Acts 26:24 .

strange = foreign. Literally the cities outside (Greek. exo) .

Verse 12

Whereupon = In (Greek. en) which (circumstances).

went = was going.

to = unto. Greek. eis . App-104 .

commission . Greek. epitrope. Only here. Compare the verb epitrepo (Acts 26:1 ).

Verse 13

saw . Greek. eidon. App-133 .

in . Greek. kata . App-104 .

light . Greek. phos . App-130 .

from heaven . Greek. ouranothen. See Acts 14:17 .

above . Greek. huper. App-104 .

brightness . Greek. lamprotes. Only here. Compare the adjective lampros (Acts 10:30 ).

shining round about . Greek. perilampo. Only here and Luke 2:9 .

Verse 14

fallen = fallen down. Greek. katapipto. Only here and Acts 28:6 .

earth . Greek. ge . App-129 .

speaking . Greek. lalo. App-121 ., but the texts read "saying" ( lego ).

and saying . The texts omit.

Hebrew . See Acts 21:40 .

tongue = dialect. See Acts 1:19 .

Saul, Saul . Gr . Saoul, Saoul. See Acts 9:4 .

it is, &c. Figure of speech Paroemia . App-6 .

kick . Greek. laktizo. Onlyhere.

against . App-104 .

pricks = goads. Greek. kentron . Elsewhere, 1 Corinthians 15:55 , 1 Corinthians 15:56 . Revelation 9:10 .

Verse 15

Lord . Greek. kurios. App-98 .

Verse 16

rise. Greek. anistemi. App-178 .:1.

stand . Greek. histemi.

have appeared unto = was seen by. Greek. horao. App-133 .

make = appoint. Greek. procheirizomai. See Acts 22:14 .

minister . Greek. huperetes. App-190 .

witness . See Acts 1:8 ; Acts 22:15 . Figure of speech Hendiadys. App-6 .

appear . Greek. horao , as above.

Verse 17

Delivering . Greek. exaireo. See Acts 7:10 .

people . Greek. laos. See Acts 2:47 .

Gentiles . Greek. ethnos. Contrast Acts 26:4 .

now . Omit.

send . Greek. apostello. App-174 .

Verse 18

and to turn = that they may turn.

turn . Greek. epistrepho. Compare Acts 3:19 .

from . Greek. apo. App-104 . Compare Colossians 1:13 .

power = authority. Greek. exousia, as in Acts 26:10 .

forgiveness . Greek. aphesis. See Acts 2:38 ; Acts 5:31 .

sins . Greek. hamartia. App-128 .

inheritance = a part. Greek. kleros. See Acts 1:17 .

them which are, &c . = the sanctified. Greek. hagiazo. Compare Acts 20:32 . Joh 17:17 , John 17:19 .

faith Greek. pistis. App-150 .

in = towards. Greek. eis . App-104 .

Verse 19

disobedient . Gr . apeithes. Compare App-150 . Occurs elsewhere Luke 1:17 . Rom 1:30 . 2 Timothy 1:16; 2 Timothy 1:16 ; Tit 8:3 . "Not disobedient", which means emphatically "obedient", is the Figure of speech Tapeinosis. App-6 .

unto = to.

heavenly . Greek. ouranios. Only here, Matthew 6:14 , Matthew 6:26 , Matthew 6:32 ; Matthew 15:13 .Luke 2:13 .

vision . Greek. optasia . Only here, Luke 1:22 ; Luke 24:23 . 2 Corinthians 12:1 .

Verse 20

of = in. Greek. en . App-104 .

throughout . Greek. eis . App-104 .

repent . Greek. metanoeo. App-111 .

meet = worthy of, or answering to. Compare Matthew 3:8 .

repentance . Greek. metanoia. App-111 .

Verse 21

caught . Greek. sullambano. See Acts 1:16 .

temple . Greek. hieron. See Matthew 23:16 .

went about = were attempting. Greek. peiraomai. Only here.

kill . Greek. diacheirizomai. See Acts 5:30 .

Verse 22

obtained . Greek. tunchano. See Acts 19:11 ; Acts 24:2 .

help . Greek. epikouria. Only here. A medical word.

of = frorn. Greek. para . App-104 . But the texts read apo .

continue = stand. Greek. histemi. Same as Acts 26:16 . See the Structure.

unto = until. Greek. achri .

witnessing . Same word as "testify" (Acts 26:5 ).

small and great . Compare Acts 8:10 . Revelation 11:18 ; Revelation 13:16 ; Revelation 19:5 , Revelation 19:18 ; Revelation 20:12 .

none, &c. = nothing (Greek. oudeis) except the things which.

the prophets, &c . Usually "Moses and the prophets". See Acts 28:23 .Luke 16:29 , Luke 16:31 . Joh 1:45 .

prophets . See Exodus 4:16 and App-82 .

Moses . See Acts 3:22 .

did say = spake. Greek. laleo . App-121 .

Verse 23

That = If. Greek. ei. App-118 . Compare Acts 26:8 .

Christ = the Messiah. App-98 .

should suffer = is liable or destined to suffer. Greek. pathetos. Only here. Justin Martyr puts the word into the mouth of Trypho the Jew, in his dialogue, Ch. xxxvi.

that should, &c . = by (Greek. ek) a resurrection (Greek. anastasis. App-178 .) of the dead (Greek. nekron . App-139 .)

shew = proclaim. Greek. katangello. App-121 .

Verse 24

spake for himself . Same as "answer for himself", verses: Acts 26:1 , Acts 26:2 .

Festus, &c . To Festus the resurrection of dead persons was as much beyond the range of possibility as it is to myriads to-day. "Modern views" have relegated the resurrection, as the hope of the believer, to the the background.

beside thyself = mad. Greek. mainomai. See Acts 12:15 .

learning . Literally letters (Greek. gramma) . As we say "a man of letters". Compare John 7:15 .

make = turn or pervert. Greek. peritrepo . Only here. A medical word.

mad = to (Greek. eis) madness. Greek. mania. Only here.

Verse 25

I am . . . mad . Greek. mainomai, as in Acts 26:24 .

most noble. See Acts 24:3 .Luke 1:3 .

speak forth . Greek. apophthengomai. See Acts 2:4 .

words . Greek. rhema. See Mark 9:32 .

soberness . Greek. sophrosune. Here and 1 Timothy 2:9 , 1 Timothy 2:15 .

Verse 26

knoweth . Greek. epistamai. App-132 .

of = conoerning. Greek. peri . App-104 .

also I speak freely = I speak, using boldness also.

speak . Greek. laleo, as in verses: Acts 26:14 , Acts 26:22 , Acts 26:31 .

freely = speaking out, or without reserve. Greek. parrhesiazomai. Occurs seven times in Acts. See Acts 9:27 , Acts 9:29 ; Acts 13:46 ; Acts 14:3 ; Acts 18:26 ; Acts 19:8 .

am persuaded . Greek. peitho. App-150 .

none . A double negative. Greek. ou ouden.

are hidden, &c . = has escaped his notice. Greek. lanthano. Only here, Mark 7:24 .Luke 8:47 . Hebrews 13:2 . 2Pe 3:5 , 2 Peter 3:8 .

Verse 27

believest . Greek. pisteuo. App-150 . .

Verse 28

Almost . Greek. En oligo. In a little, i.e., briefly, or in short. Compare Ephesians 3:3 . Paul, carried away by his subject, ceases to be the advocate for the prisoner and has become the advocate for God. Agrippa perceives it, and intervenes with "To put it briefly, thou art persuading me to become a Christian. "There is no ground for supposing that Agrippa was "almost persuaded".

Christian . See Acts 11:26 .

Verse 29

would = could wish. Greek. euchomai. App-134 .

also all = all also.

almost, and altogether . Literally in (Greek. en) little and in (Greek. en) great. Figure of speech Synceceiosis. App-6 . He takes up Agrippa's words with a higher meaning.

except . Greek. parektos. Only here, Mat 5:32 . 2 Corinthians 11:28 .

Verse 30

And when, &c . All the texts omit.

king . Paul's appeal had taken the case out of the hands of Festus; so this was not a court of justice, but an inquiry to please Agrippa, and to enable Festus to make his report to the Emperor. Agrippa was the chairman (verses: Acts 26:1 , Acts 26:24 , Acts 26:26 ) and so gave the signal for closing the inquiry, probably afraid lest any more such searching questions should be put to him.

sat with them . Greek. sunkathemai. Only here and Mark 14:54 .

Verse 31

gone aside . Greek. anachoreo. See Acts 23:19 .

talked . Greek. laleo . App-121 .

between themselves = to (Greek. pros. App-104 .) one another,

man . Greek. anthropos. App-123 .

nothing . Greek. oudeis, as Acts 22:26 .

Verse 32

might have been = could have been, or was able to be.

set at liberty . Greek. apoluo. App-174 .

if . Greek. ei , as in Acts 26:8 .

appealed . Greek. epikaleomai. See Acts 25:11 .