13 At midday, G2250 G3319 O king, G935 I saw G1492 in G2596 the way G3598 a light G5457 from heaven, G3771 above G5228 the brightness G2987 of the sun, G2246 shining round about G4034 me G3165 and G2532 them which journeyed G4198 with G4862 me. G1698
14 And G1161 when we G2257 were G2667 all G3956 fallen G2667 to G1519 the earth, G1093 I heard G191 a voice G5456 speaking G2980 unto G4314 me, G3165 and G2532 saying G3004 in the Hebrew G1446 tongue, G1258 Saul, G4549 Saul, G4549 why G5101 persecutest thou G1377 me? G3165 it is hard G4642 for thee G4671 to kick G2979 against G4314 the pricks. G2759
15 And G1161 I G1473 said, G2036 Who G5101 art thou, G1488 Lord? G2962 And G1161 he said, G2036 I G1473 am G1510 Jesus G2424 whom G3739 thou G4771 persecutest. G1377
16 But G235 rise, G450 and G2532 stand G2476 upon G1909 thy G4675 feet: G4228 for G1063 I have appeared G3700 unto thee G4671 for G1519 this purpose, G5124 to make G4400 thee G4571 a minister G5257 and G2532 a witness G3144 both G5037 of these things which G3739 thou hast seen, G1492 and G5037 of those things in the which G3739 I will appear G3700 unto thee; G4671
17 Delivering G1807 thee G4571 from G1537 the people, G2992 and G2532 from the Gentiles, G1484 unto G1519 whom G3739 now G3568 I send G649 thee, G4571
18 To open G455 their G846 eyes, G3788 and to turn G1994 them from G575 darkness G4655 to G1519 light, G5457 and G2532 from the power G1849 of Satan G4567 unto G1909 God, G2316 that they G846 may receive G2983 forgiveness G859 of sins, G266 and G2532 inheritance G2819 among G1722 them which are sanctified G37 by faith G4102 that is in G1519 me. G1691
19 Whereupon, G3606 O king G935 Agrippa, G67 I was G1096 not G3756 disobedient G545 unto the heavenly G3770 vision: G3701
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 26
Commentary on Acts 26 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 26
We left Paul at the bar, and Festus, and Agrippa, and Bernice, and all the great men of the city of Caesarea, upon the bench, or about it, waiting to hear what he had to say for himself. Now in this chapter we have,
Act 26:1-11
Agrippa was the most honourable person in the assembly, having the title of king bestowed upon him, though otherwise having only the power of other governors under the emperor, and, though not here superior, yet senior, to Festus; and therefore, Festus having opened the cause, Agrippa, as the mouth of the court, intimates to Paul a licence given him to speak for himself, v. 1. Paul was silent till he had this liberty allowed him; for those are not the most forward to speak that are best prepared to speak and speak best. This was a favour which the Jews would not allow him, or not without difficulty; but Agrippa freely gives it to him. And Paul's cause was so good that he desired no more than to have liberty to speak for himself; he needed no advocate, no Tertullus, to speak for him. Notice is taken of his gesture: He stretched forth his hand, as one that was under no consternation at all, but had perfect freedom and command of himself; it also intimates that he was in earnest, and expected their attention while he answered for himself. Observe, He did not insist upon his having appealed to Caesar as an excuse for being silent, did not say, "I will be examined no more till I come to the emperor himself;' but cheerfully embraced the opportunity of doing honour to the cause he suffered for. If we must be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in us to every man that asketh us, much more to every man in authority, 1 Pt. 3:15. Now in this former part of the speech,
This was Paul's character, and this his manner of life in the beginning of his time; and therefore he could not be presumed to be a Christian by education or custom, or to be drawn in by hope of preferment, for all imaginable external objections lay against his being a Christian.
Act 26:12-23
All who believe a God, and have a reverence for his sovereignty, must acknowledge that those who speak and act by his direction, and by warrant from him, are not to be opposed; for that is fighting against God. Now Paul here, by a plain and faithful narrative of matters of fact, makes it out to this august assembly that he had an immediate call from heaven to preach the gospel of Christ to the Gentile world, which was the thing that exasperated the Jews against him. He here shows,
Act 26:24-32
We have reason to think that Paul had a great deal more to say in defence of the gospel he preached, and for the honour of it, and to recommend it to the good opinion of this noble audience; he had just fallen upon that which was the life of the cause-the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and here he is in his element; now he warms more than before, his mouth is opened towards them, his heart is enlarged. Lead him but to this subject, and let him have leave to go on, and he will never know when to conclude; for the power of Christ's death, and the fellowship of his sufferings, are with him inexhaustible subjects. It was a thousand pities then that he should be interrupted, as he is here, and that, being permitted to speak for himself (v. 1), he should not be permitted to say all he designed. But it was a hardship often put upon him, and is a disappointment to us too, who read his discourse with so much pleasure. But there is no remedy, the court thinks it is time to proceed to give in their judgment upon his case.