1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defence:
2 "King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defence against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently. 4 The Jews all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today. 7 This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O King, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me. 8 Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
9 "I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them. 12 On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 About noon, O King, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, `Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' 15 Then I asked, `Who are you, Lord?' "`I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied. 16 `Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
19 "So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. 21 That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22 But I have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen -- 23 that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles."
24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defence. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane." 25 "I am not insane, most excellent Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26 The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do." 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"
29 Paul replied, "Short time or long -- I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains." 30 The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. 31 They left the room, and while talking with one another, they said, "This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment." 32 Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar." Version: New International (British) Version
COMMENTS
General:
Paul explains his situation (makes his case) before Agrippa II (vv.1-23). (For more about this man, see link in previous study.)
Paul's focus: the resurrection of the dead (v.8).
The apostle admits that he had tortured Christians in order to force them to deny their faith (v.11). In this respect, Paul was no different than a medieval inquisitor!
On the Damascus Road, Jesus made it clear that rejecting the message of his followers was equivalent to rejecting him. See Luke 10:16.
Again we find the theme of rescue from both Jewish and Gentile opponents (17,22).
Paul's basic message: repentance (v.20).
Repentance is the time when we turn from sin to righteousness, from living for self to living for Christ.
This elicits a strong negative reaction (v.21). Often the most intense opposition to the message of the kingdom comes from the religious. Paul has shared the same message before the high and the low alike (v.22) -- no favoritism.
Again, Paul keeps the focus on the resurrection (v.23).
Festus interrupts and accuses Paul of insanity (v.24), but Paul counters and continues to present the faith to Agrippa, who is all too aware of what Paul is attempting to do.
Paul suggests that the king knows the basic facts about Christ (miracles, resurrection, etc), since they are public knowledge (v.26).
Paul reminds Agrippa of his faith in the prophets (v.27).
Although Agrippa has denied his faith by the way he is living, at least the door is open to his own repentance (vv.28-29).
Agrippa agrees that Paul is innocent, and yet since he has appealed to Caesar, he must still go to Rome (v.32). Treated like a criminal, though guilty of no crime, Paul is walking in the footsteps of his Lord more and more.
Advanced:
Repenting and turning to God should not be seen as two separate things (v.20). They are one and the same. In the O.T., the Hebrew for repentance, teshuvah, means "turning," and comes from shuv, "turn." In the N.T., the Greek for repentance, metanoia, means literally "a change of mind." For an excellent book on repentance, click here.
In v.28 we find the word "Christian" making its second appearance in the N.T. The first was in 11:26, and the last will be in 1 Peter 4:16. It became a common word in the 2nd century.
Thought questions:
Am I "kicking against the goads"? Is there an area in my life in which I am opposing the will of God?
As I defend the gospel, am I growing in my ability to help others see that God's ways are "true and reasonable"?
In our outreach to others, do we say, think, feel, and pray, "Short time or long?"...
