Acts 26

The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 32 verses.

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:

• Papyrus 29 (3rd century; extant verses 7–8, 20)Comfort, Philip W.; David P. Barrett (2001). The Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers. p. 125. {{ISBN|978-0-8423-5265-9}}.
• Codex Vaticanus (325–350)Metzger, Bruce M.; Bart D. Ehrman (2005). The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption and Restoration. New York – Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 67. {{ISBN|978-0-19-516122-9}}.
• Codex Sinaiticus (330–360)
• Codex Bezae (c. 400)Aland, Kurt; Aland, Barbara (1995). The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism. Erroll F. Rhodes (trans.). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. pp. 109–110. {{ISBN|978-0-8028-4098-1}}.
• Codex Alexandrinus (400–440)
• Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (~450; extant verses 1–18)
• Codex Laudianus (~550; extant verses 1–28)

{{Location map many | Israel

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| caption = Location of Caesarea (with Jerusalem as reference)

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| label1 = Jerusalem

| lat2_deg = 32.502778

| lon2_deg = 34.905556

| label2 = Caesarea

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The events in this chapter took place in Caesarea.

File:Nikolai Bodarevsky 001.jpg, 1875. Agrippa and Berenice are both seated on thrones.]]

Paul took up the invitation to speak: "Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself" ({{bibleverse||Acts|26:1}}) with an account of his early life, conversion and faith. Luke presents two contrasting responses:

• Governor Festus said, "You are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!” (Acts 26:24)
• King Agrippa said, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” (Acts 26:28)

Alexander divides Paul's speech into two parts: verses 1-11 are an account of his "former life", and verses 12-23 cover the heavenly vision he experienced, which has already been recorded in Acts 9:1-18 and Acts 22:6-16.{{sfn|Alexander|2007|p=1058}}

Following the custom of the first century, Paul's speech begins with "a standard captatio benevolentiae" congratulating Agrippa on his expert ability to judge the case (verses 2-3), followed by a reprise of his own life-story, focusing on Judaism (cf. Galatians 1:13-14), with the emphasis on Jerusalem, in his Pharisaic background (verses 4-5; cf. Acts 23:6, Philippians 3:5-6), his persecution of the Christians (verses 9-11; cf. Galatians 1:13; Philippians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 15:9) and his conversion to be the follower of Christ.{{sfn|Alexander|2007|p=1058}} Paul's conversion story is repeated: Alexander suggests that the functional redundancy of the passage is an indicator of its rhetorical importance, with slight variations and the significant addition of 'in the Hebrew language' (verse 14) showing that this time it is addressed to a Greek-speaking audience (whereas previously it was in 'Hebrew', or Aramaic; Acts 21:40). An expansion what is said by the heavenly voice here includes a proverbial saying: "It hurts you to kick against the goads", which is not found in either Acts 9:4 or 22:7, but parallels Greek writings (cf. esp. Euripides. The Bacchae, 794–5).{{sfn|Alexander|2007|p=1058}}

The speech was brought to closure with a 'lively piece of dialogue' which contrasts between "madness" (verse 24) and "sober truth" (verse 25), turning into a direct challenge to Agrippa, verses 26–29).{{sfn|Alexander|2007|p=1059}} The end of the speech clearly displays the real object of Paul's persuasive rhetoric: 'not exoneration but conversion', so 'all who are listening' to Paul (verse 29) are invited to 'become a Christian' (verse 28), but nonetheless it results in the reinforcement of his innocence as both Festus and Agrippa were convinced that Paul has committed no crime (verses 31–22).{{sfn|Alexander|2007|p=1059}}

:At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane."{{bibleverse|Acts|26:24|NIV}}: NIV

The phrase {{lang|grc|τὰ πολλά σε γράμματα}} is translated here as "great learning" rather than the possibly more literal "many books". Heinrich Meyer argues that if the latter had been the intention, the word {{lang|grc|βιβλία}} or βίβλοι would probably have been used.{{cite web |url=https://biblehub.com/commentaries/meyer/acts/26.htm |title=Meyer's NT Commentary on Acts 26|last=Meyer |first=Heinrich August Wilhelm |access-date=8 June 2024}}

King James Version:

:Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.{{bibleverse|Acts|26:28|KJV}}: KJV

New International Version:

:Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"{{bibleverse|Acts|26:28|NIV}}: NIV

While the first translation is the more literal, the king, a rich and secular man, is possibly speaking ironically.Bernhard Weiss, referred to by Nicoll, W. R., in [https://biblehub.com/commentaries/egt/acts/26.htm Expositor's Greek Testament] on Acts 26, accessed 23 May 2020

Methodist founder John Wesley preached a sermon entitled "The Almost Christian", based on this verse, at St. Mary's, Oxford, on 25 July 1741. It is sermon 2 in his standard collection of sermons.Wesley Centre Online, [http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872-edition/sermon-2-the-almost-christian/ The Sermons of John Wesley - Sermon 2: The Almost Christian], accessed 23 May 2020 Wesley's companion George Whitefield also preached a sermon with the same title referring to the same verse.Whitefield. G., [https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Almost_Christian_(Whitefield) The Almost Christian], accessed 20 July 2019

A "Christian" ({{langx|grc|Χριστιανόν}}, Christianon, nominative: Christianos): this is the third mention of the term in the New Testament. The first use was in Antioch (Acts 11:26), where the writer of Acts refers to the novelty of the term, and the term is also used by Peter in 1 Peter 4:16: If anyone suffers as a Christian .... All three usages are considered to reflect a derisive element referring to the followers of Christ who did not acknowledge the emperor of Rome.Wuest 1973, p. 19. The word is used three times in the New Testament, and each time as a term of reproach or derision. ... in Antioch, the name Christianos was coined to distinguish the worshippers of the Christ from the Kaisarianos, the worshippers of Caesar.{{cite web |url=https://biblehub.com/commentaries/meyer/acts/26.htm |title=Meyer's NT Commentary. Acts 26 |last=Meyer |first=Heinrich August Wilhelm |access-date=2017-11-19}}. Quote: the name {{lang|grc|Χριστιανόν}}, which, of Gentile origin (see on Acts 11:26), carries with it in the mouth of a Jew the accessory idea of heterodoxy and the stain of contempt.

• Bernice
• Acts 9, Acts 22, Acts 25, and Acts 27

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book|last= Alexander | first= Loveday |chapter = 62. Acts | title=The Oxford Bible Commentary | editor-first1=John| editor-last1=Barton | editor-first2=John| editor-last2= Muddiman | publisher = Oxford University Press |edition= first (paperback) | date = 2007 | pages = 1028–1061 | isbn = 978-0199277186}}
• {{cite book|author=Wuest, Kenneth Samuel|title=Wuest's word studies from the Greek New Testament|year=1973|volume=1|isbn=978-0-8028-2280-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZHhK3AKkc9EC|ref=Wuest-1973}}

• {{bibleverse|Acts|26|KJV}} King James Bible - Wikisource
• [http://www.latinvulgate.com/lv/verse.aspx?t=1&b=5&c=26 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate]
• [http://www.gospelhall.org/bible/bible.php?passage=Acts+26 Online Bible at GospelHall.org] (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
• [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=51&chapter=26 Multiple bible versions at Bible Gateway] (NKJV, NIV, NRSV etc.)

{{Acts of the Apostles}}

26