Acts 26 (selections); 28:30–31 · Read 10 min · think and write 15 min
After leaving Athens, Paul travelled to many more places. Later he went up to Jerusalem, and in the temple “the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the multitude and laid hands on him” (Acts 21:27). “All the city was moved and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple” (Acts 21:30). The commanding officer arrested him and “commanded him to be bound with two chains” (Acts 21:33).
He was taken to Caesarea. Two years passed and a new governor came, and, “desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds” (Acts 24:27). When the new governor Festus tried him, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, “bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove” (Acts 25:7). Paul said, “I appeal to Caesar!” (Acts 25:11).
In this lesson, King Agrippa comes to Caesarea and wants to hear Paul for himself.
1Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.
2“I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you today concerning all the things the Jews accuse me of,
Paul told how from his youth he had lived as a Pharisee among his own nation; that he was on trial for the hope of the promise God made to their fathers; how he had once persecuted those who believed in Jesus; and how on the road to Damascus he met the Lord, who sent him. (vv. 3–18) He went on:
19“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.
22Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen,
23how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles.”
24As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”
25But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.
26For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner.
27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”
28Agrippa said to Paul, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?”
29Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these bonds.”
30The king rose up with the governor and Bernice, and those who sat with them.
31When they had withdrawn, they spoke to one another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.”
32Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
To read the whole chapter: Acts 26, 32 verses.
You may speak for yourself. Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself” (v. 1). Paul’s first words were: “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you today concerning all the things the Jews accuse me of” (v. 2). By this time he had already been held for two years (Acts 24:27).
Not disobedient to the heavenly vision. Paul told of his past, and of what happened on the road to Damascus (vv. 3–18), and then said, “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” (v. 19). From Damascus to Jerusalem and on to the Gentiles, he had been doing one and the same thing (v. 20). “For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me” (v. 21).
I stand to this day. “Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great” (v. 22). What he said before the king, like what he said at the Areopagus, came to the resurrection: the Christ, “by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles” (v. 23).
You are crazy. Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!” (v. 24). Paul answered, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness” (v. 25).
Except for these bonds. Agrippa said, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?” (v. 28). Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these bonds” (v. 29). He stood before the king in bonds; what he asked of God was that all who heard him might become such as he was — all except the bonds.
Worthy of death or of bonds. The king and the governor rose, and “When they had withdrawn, they spoke to one another, saying, ‘This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds’” (v. 31). Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar” (v. 32). The words that cleared him were spoken in private; Paul was still handed over as a prisoner and put on a ship for Rome (Acts 27:1).
Without hindrance. In Rome, “Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house and received all who were coming to him” (Acts 28:30), “preaching God’s Kingdom and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance” (Acts 28:31). The book of Acts ends here; it does not tell what happened to Paul afterward.
Seven lessons done. In Lesson 1, the Lord told Ananias that Saul was “to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15), and that he would suffer many things for the Lord’s name (Acts 9:16). Later, “Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles” (Acts 9:27); the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me” (Acts 13:2); after the council in Jerusalem, “the contention grew so sharp that they separated from each other” (Acts 15:39); in the prison at Philippi, “about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God” (Acts 16:25); at the Areopagus he spoke of the altar “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD” (Acts 17:23). In this lesson, in bonds, he stands before King Agrippa.
The book of Acts ends with Paul living two years in Rome. In a letter to Timothy, Paul also wrote about a time when he was on trial: “At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them” (2 Tim 4:16); “But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear” (2 Tim 4:17).
These are Paul’s own words in his letter, not the record of Acts; they are set here only to be read alongside. One is what he said before Agrippa: “Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day” (v. 22); the other is what he wrote in the letter: “But the Lord stood by me” (2 Tim 4:17).
Perhaps you too are being misunderstood or accused right now; the matter cannot be cleared up, and the days drag on.
This lesson does not say that believers will all be falsely accused, nor that the wrong will soon be put right: the king and the governor said he had done nothing worthy of death or of bonds (v. 31), and still he went to Rome in chains — “because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain” (Acts 28:20). What it shows you is Paul in bonds, asking God before the king that those who heard him might become such as he was, “except for these bonds” (v. 29). Paul later wrote: “I suffer hardship to the point of chains as a criminal. But God’s word isn’t chained” (2 Tim 2:9).
Seven lessons: On the Damascus Road · But Barnabas · Sent Out · The Council at Jerusalem · Singing at Midnight · An Unknown God · In Chains.
This week: Think of someone who once misunderstood you, or made things hard for you. This week, ask God once for their good. There is no pressure in this; do it when you are ready.
Scripture: World English Bible.