Agrippa Parries Paul’s Challenge

24 Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, (A)you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”

25 But he said, “I am not [a]mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. 26 For the king, before whom I also speak freely, (B)knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.”

28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

29 And Paul said, (C)“I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”

30 When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; 31 and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, (D)“This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.”

32 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set (E)free (F)if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 26:25 out of my mind

24 And as[a] he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “You are out of your mind, Paul! Your[b] great learning is driving[c] you insane!”[d] 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but am speaking words of truth and rationality. 26 For the king knows about these things, to whom also I am speaking freely, for I am not convinced that these things in any way have escaped[e] his notice, because this was[f] not done[g] in a corner. 27 Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe.” 28 But Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?”[h] 29 And Paul replied, “I pray to God, whether in a short time or in a long time, not only you but also all those who are listening to me today may become such people as I also am, except for these bonds!”

30 Both the king and the governor got up, and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. 31 And as they[i] were going out, they were talking to one another, saying, “This man is not doing anything deserving death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 26:24 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“was saying … in his defense”)
  2. Acts 26:24 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  3. Acts 26:24 Literally “is turning”
  4. Acts 26:24 Literally “to madness”
  5. Acts 26:26 Some manuscripts have “that any of these things in any way has escaped”
  6. Acts 26:26 Literally “is”
  7. Acts 26:26 Literally “having been done”
  8. Acts 26:28 Or “In a short time you are persuading me to become a Christian”
  9. Acts 26:31 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“were going out”)