3 Especially G3122 because I know G1492 thee G4571 to be G5607 expert G1109 G5037 in all G3956 customs G1485 and G2532 questions G2213 which are among G2596 the Jews: G2453 wherefore G1352 I beseech G1189 thee G4675 to hear G191 me G3450 patiently. G3116
For G1063 we have heard G191 him G846 say, G3004 that G3754 this G5126 Jesus G2424 of Nazareth G3480 shall destroy G2647 this G3778 place, G5117 and G2532 shall change G236 the customs G1485 which G3739 Moses G3475 delivered G3860 us. G2254
And it shall be, when he sitteth H3427 upon the throne H3678 of his kingdom, H4467 that he shall write H3789 him a copy H4932 of this law H8451 in a book H5612 out of that which is before H6440 the priests H3548 the Levites: H3881
And G1161 they are informed G2727 of G4012 thee, G4675 that G3754 thou teachest G1321 all G3956 the Jews G2453 which are among G2596 the Gentiles G1484 to G575 forsake G646 Moses, G3475 saying G3004 that they G846 ought G4059 not G3361 to circumcise G4059 their children, G5043 neither G3366 to walk G4043 after the customs. G1485
Notwithstanding, G1161 that G3363 I be G4119 not G3363 G1909 further G4119 tedious G1465 unto thee, G4571 I pray G3870 thee G4571 that thou wouldest hear G191 us G2257 of thy G4674 clemency G1932 a few words. G4935
Then G1161 Paul, G3972 after that the governor G2232 had beckoned G3506 unto him G846 to speak, G3004 answered, G611 Forasmuch as I know G1987 that thou G4571 hast been G5607 of G1537 many G4183 years G2094 a judge G2923 unto this G5129 nation, G1484 I do G626 the more cheerfully G2115 answer G626 for G4012 myself: G1683
But G1161 had G2192 certain G5100 questions G2213 against G4314 him G846 of G4012 their own G2398 superstition, G1175 and G2532 of G4012 one G5100 Jesus, G2424 which was dead, G2348 whom G3739 Paul G3972 affirmed G5335 to be alive. G2198 And G1161 because I G1473 doubted G639 of G1519 such G5127 manner G4012 of questions, G2214 I asked G3004 him whether G1487 he would G1014 go G4198 to G1519 Jerusalem, G2419 and there G2546 be judged G2919 of G4012 these matters. G5130
Of G4012 whom G3739 I have G2192 no G3756 certain G804 thing G5100 to write G1125 unto my lord. G2962 Wherefore G1352 I have brought G4254 him G846 forth G4254 before G1909 you, G5216 and G2532 specially G3122 before G1909 thee, G4675 O king G935 Agrippa, G67 that, G3704 after examination G351 had, G1096 I might have G2192 somewhat G5100 to write. G1125
Unto G1519 which G3739 promise our G2257 twelve tribes, G1429 instantly G1722 G1616 serving G3000 God day G2250 and G2532 night, G3571 hope G1679 to come. G2658 For G4012 which G3739 hope's sake, G1680 king G935 Agrippa, G67 I am accused G1458 of G5259 the Jews. G2453
For G1063 the king G935 knoweth G1987 of G4012 these G5130 things, before G4314 whom G3739 also G2532 I speak G2980 freely: G3955 for G1063 I am persuaded G3982 that G3756 none G5100 G3762 of these things G5130 are hidden G2990 from him; G846 for G1063 this thing G5124 was G2076 not G3756 done G4238 in G1722 a corner. G1137
And G1161 it came to pass, G1096 that after G3326 three G5140 days G2250 Paul G3972 called G4779 the chief G4413 G5607 of the Jews G2453 together: G4779 and G1161 when they G846 were come together, G4905 he said G3004 unto G4314 them, G846 Men G435 and brethren, G80 though I G1473 have committed G4160 nothing G3762 against G1727 the people, G2992 or G2228 customs G1485 of our fathers, G3971 yet was I delivered G3860 prisoner G1198 from G1537 Jerusalem G2414 into G1519 the hands G5495 of the Romans. G4514
And G2532 though G1437 I have G2192 the gift of prophecy, G4394 and G2532 understand G1492 all G3956 mysteries, G3466 and G2532 all G3956 knowledge; G1108 and G2532 though G1437 I have G2192 all G3956 faith, G4102 so G5620 that I could remove G3179 mountains, G3735 and G1161 have G2192 not G3361 charity, G26 I am G1510 nothing. G3762
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.