Defense Before Agrippa
What does it look like to respectfully speak truth to power without backing down?
Acts 26:1-32
Read the whole passage before anything else. Everything below exists to help you understand what you just read.
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,
3especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
4“Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem;
5having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
6Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,
7which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa!
8Why is it judged incredible with you if God does raise the dead?
9“I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10I also did this in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.
11Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12“Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,
13at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.
14When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15“I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
16But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will reveal to you;
17delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,
18to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
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.”
What just happened?
Picture this: a packed audience in Caesarea. Paul, the accused, stands before King Agrippa II, Governor Festus, and Bernice, Agrippa's sister. This isn't a backroom hearing; it's a spectacle, designed to impress local dignitaries and solidify Roman authority. Festus, the new governor, has already heard Paul's case multiple times and frankly, he's stumped. Paul is a Roman citizen, accused by Jewish leaders of religious offenses that don't fit neatly into Roman law. Festus needs Agrippa's expertise on Jewish customs to help him formulate a charge to send to Caesar.
Paul, shackled but unbowed, is given permission to speak. He extends his hand, a gesture of rhetorical flourish. He begins by praising Agrippa's knowledge of Jewish matters, a smart move to establish common ground and respect. Paul then recounts his early life as a zealous Pharisee, a member of the strictest Jewish sect, dedicated to upholding the Law. This isn't just biography; it's laying groundwork. He wants his audience, particularly Agrippa, to understand that his background is impeccably Jewish, not some fringe cultist.
Then, Paul pivots to the heart of his story: his radical encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. He describes the blinding light, the voice, and the direct commission from Jesus to be a witness to both Jews and Gentiles. He explains that his current preaching—of repentance, turning to God, and belief in a resurrected Messiah—is simply a fulfillment of what Moses and the prophets foretold. This is not a new religion, Paul insists, but the culmination of Israel's ancient hope. His defense is not just about his innocence; it's an impassioned declaration of his faith.
The Core Accusation: Hope
Paul states, "Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain." This is a crucial framing. Paul isn't being accused of some outlandish crime in Roman eyes, but of a theological dispute. The 'promise' here is the long-awaited Messiah, and specifically, the resurrection of the dead. For Paul, the belief that God raises the dead is not a fringe idea, but a foundational promise within Judaism itself. He challenges Agrippa and Festus: "Why is it judged incredible with you if God does raise the dead?" He's calling their worldview into question, suggesting their skepticism about resurrection is the real hurdle.
This moment cuts to the core. Paul, the accused, flips the script. He doesn't just defend himself; he makes a powerful statement about the central hope of his people. The word 'hope' (elpis in Greek) isn't just a wish; it's a confident expectation rooted in God's promises. By linking his message to this ancient hope, Paul positions himself not as a rebel, but as a faithful interpreter of Jewish tradition. The tension isn't about *if* God makes promises, but *how* those promises are fulfilled.
The Damascus Road: A Personal Revolution
Paul recounts his dramatic conversion: "at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me." This isn't a quiet revelation; it's an undeniable, public event. The voice, speaking in Hebrew, says, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads." A 'goad' was a sharp stick used to direct oxen. The image suggests Paul was resisting God's gentle prodding even before his conversion, fighting against the inevitable direction God was leading him.
Jesus then reveals his identity: "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." This is a direct confrontation. The resurrected Jesus identifies with his persecuted followers. The commission follows: "to appoint you a servant and a witness... to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me." This is Paul's entire life mission distilled into a single, powerful statement. It's a mission of spiritual liberation and reconciliation, not political rebellion, directly refuting the implied charges against him.
Insanity or Truth? A Direct Challenge
As Paul speaks with intensity, Festus blurts out, "Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!" Festus, a Roman, likely found the idea of a resurrected man baffling, perhaps even disturbing. His reaction is visceral, reflecting the skepticism of a practical administrator confronted with supernatural claims. Paul’s response is immediate and calm: "I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness." He appeals to reason, even in the face of what others perceive as madness. He maintains his composure and focus on the message.
Paul then turns to Agrippa with a direct question: "King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe." This is a brilliant rhetorical move, putting Agrippa on the spot. Agrippa, knowledgeable in Jewish traditions, cannot easily dismiss the prophets without undermining his own credibility. Agrippa's evasive reply, "With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?" (or, 'Do you think you can quickly persuade me to be a Christian?' as some translations render it), reveals his discomfort. Paul’s reply is gracious and bold: he wishes everyone could be like him, 'except for these bonds,' emphasizing that his faith is about freedom, not imprisonment.
What are we supposed to see?
This passage shows Jesus as a figure who radically transforms lives and then commissions those transformed individuals for a global mission. Paul, formerly a persecutor, is given an assignment directly from the resurrected Jesus. This demonstrates Jesus's active presence and authority, even after his ascension, reaching beyond traditional Jewish boundaries to call an unlikely messenger. Jesus's appearance to Paul is not just a personal experience; it's a strategic move to propel the message of the gospel into the Gentile world, underlining his universal redemptive purpose.
The narrative also highlights Jesus's nature as the fulfillment of ancient prophecies. Paul consistently grounds his claims in "what the prophets and Moses said would happen." Jesus is presented not as a rupture from Jewish faith, but as its very culmination. This implies a God who orchestrates history, who speaks through prophets for centuries, and whose plans unfold precisely as foretold. It paints a picture of a reliable God whose promises are trustworthy, even when their fulfillment seems unbelievable to human eyes.
- 1IDENTITY
Paul identifies as a faithful Jew whose 'hope' for the Messiah was realized in Jesus, seeing himself as a messenger called by the resurrected Christ to declare universal truth.
- 2WHAT HE VALUES
Paul values intellectual honesty, truth, and the clear proclamation of God's fulfilled promises, prioritizing faithful witness even when it means personal cost.
- 3WHAT HE CONFRONTS
Paul confronts skepticism, misunderstanding, and prejudice by offering a reasoned, personal testimony grounded in both Jewish scripture and a direct encounter with the divine.
Where this sits in the whole Bible
Acts 26:14 → Acts 9:5 → Acts 22:7
This phrase, "It is hard for you to kick against the goads," appears in different accounts of Paul's conversion. While it's in Acts 26 and some manuscripts of Acts 9, it's not present in all ancient texts of Acts 9, indicating a textual variation, but it consistently highlights Paul's initial resistance to God's prompting.
Acts 26:18 → Isaiah 42:7 → Isaiah 49:6
Paul's commission to 'open their eyes, turn from darkness to light' directly echoes Old Testament prophecies about the Servant of the Lord bringing light and salvation to both Israel and the Gentiles. This shows Paul understood his mission as a continuation and fulfillment of God's ancient plan, not a new invention.
Acts 26:27 → John 5:46-47
Paul's question, "King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets?" parallels Jesus's challenge to the Jews that if they believed Moses, they would believe him. Both instances highlight that belief in Jesus is consistent with, and indeed required by, a sincere belief in the Hebrew scriptures.
Paul, an accused prisoner, manages to turn his trial into an opportunity to evangelize the very officials judging him, confidently appealing to their shared heritage and reason, never backing down from the core claim of Christ's resurrection.
Don't rush past this
One of the most uncomfortable aspects of this passage is Festus's blunt accusation: "Paul, you are crazy!" This isn't just a dismissive comment; it's a direct challenge to Paul's sanity and credibility. It forces us to confront the reality that what seems like profound truth and divine revelation to one person can be perceived as utter madness by another. There's no softening that. It lays bare the chasm that can exist between worldviews, showing that even a well-reasoned defense, steeped in personal experience and historical reference, might still be met with incredulity and outright dismissal.
Furthermore, the passage highlights the profound cost of following Christ. Paul, who once enthusiastically persecuted believers, is now in chains because of his conversion. His desire for Agrippa and everyone present to be "such as I am, except for these bonds" is a stark reminder. This isn't a comfortable, easy faith. It's a faith that can lead to public ridicule, false accusations, and imprisonment. It forces us to consider whether we are prepared for the social and personal consequences of aligning ourselves with what the world might consider 'madness.'
Turn it inward
Three questions from this passage. Answer them or just sit with them — nothing here is required to finish the lesson.
God, grant us courage like Paul to speak your truth with respect and conviction, even when it's unpopular or misunderstood. Help us to share our stories of your transforming power, not just to defend ourselves, but to invite others into the hope we have. Give us discernment to know when to speak boldly and when to trust you with the outcome, confident that your word will accomplish its purpose.
This week, identify a situation where you might need to speak truth, respectfully but firmly, to someone in authority or with a differing worldview. Prepare your 'defense' by focusing on common ground, clearly articulating your experience or conviction, and grounding it in what you believe to be true, without backing down from your core message.
History, language, objections and sources. None of it is needed to understand the passage.
Paul mentions that he 'gave his vote against' those who were put to death (Acts 26:10). If Paul was not a member of the Sanhedrin, how could he vote, and doesn't this suggest a higher level of involvement in their deaths than usually acknowledged?
This is a contested point among scholars. The Greek word here, 'katesphairon,' can mean 'to cast one's vote' but can also generally mean 'to approve' or 'to assent to' something, especially in the context of a public outcry or consensus. It doesn't necessarily imply a formal vote in a legislative body like the Sanhedrin. Paul was a young man at this time, a Pharisee, and likely not yet an elder or a member of the Sanhedrin. It's more probable that he was actively involved in the persecution, zealously approving or participating in the communal judgment against Christians, perhaps even shouting 'vote against!' or 'condemn!' rather than casting a literal ballot in a formal judicial setting. The evidence points to his intense personal involvement and approval of these actions, even if not through a formal vote, making his past persecution genuinely dark.
Why does Paul describe his experience as a 'heavenly vision' (Acts 26:19) when he saw a light and heard a voice, implying a physical, external event?
Paul's description of his Damascus Road experience varies slightly in detail across the three accounts in Acts (9, 22, 26) and his own letters (e.g., 1 Corinthians 9:1, 15:8, Galatians 1:15-16). While he consistently refers to seeing a light and hearing a voice, his use of 'heavenly vision' in Acts 26:19 highlights the *source* and *nature* of the experience—it was from God, supernatural, and revelatory, rather than a mere physical occurrence. This doesn't contradict the physical manifestations (light, voice, falling to the ground) but rather emphasizes the divine origin and spiritual significance of the event. For Paul, it wasn't just something he saw or heard, but a direct, transformative encounter with the glorified Christ, making it a 'vision' in the sense of a divine revelation or spiritual insight.
If Paul's defense was so compelling, why didn't Agrippa or Festus immediately free him or convert? Doesn't this undermine the power of his message?
The passage explicitly states that Agrippa and Festus concluded Paul had done "nothing worthy of death or of bonds" (Acts 26:31), and Agrippa even noted he "might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar." This indicates his message *was* compelling enough to persuade them of his innocence. However, conversion is a deeply personal choice, not a legal outcome. While impressed by Paul's sincerity and the truth of his words, both men had significant political and personal stakes. Festus was a Roman governor concerned with maintaining order and pleasing the Jewish leadership. Agrippa was a king with power and prestige, closely tied to Roman authority and Jewish religious structures. Embracing a crucified and resurrected Messiah would have been a radical, status-shattering move for either. Their non-conversion doesn't negate the power of Paul's message but highlights the human resistance to change, even in the face of compelling truth, when it comes with significant personal cost or challenges established power structures.
The Rhetorical Masterclass of Paul
Paul's speech in Acts 26 is often studied as a masterclass in ancient rhetoric. He employs several classical rhetorical techniques. He begins with an 'exordium' (introduction) that establishes goodwill with Agrippa by praising his expertise (v. 2-3). He then provides a 'narratio' (narration) of his past life as a zealous Pharisee, establishing common ground and credibility with his Jewish audience (v. 4-11). The 'probatio' (proof) comes with his personal testimony of encountering the risen Christ, which serves as the undeniable evidence for his changed life and message (v. 12-18). Finally, the 'refutatio' (refutation) addresses the accusations indirectly by showing his actions are consistent with his divine commission and Jewish prophecies (v. 19-23), concluding with a powerful 'peroratio' (conclusion) that challenges his listeners directly (v. 27-29). This structure wasn't just intuitive; it reflected common practices for persuasive speaking in the Greco-Roman world, demonstrating Paul's educated background and strategic communication skills.
The setting itself was a 'concilium,' a formal Roman judicial assembly with significant political and social implications. For Paul to stand as an 'apologia' (defense speech) within such a structure, maintaining his composure and turning the tables on his accusers, speaks volumes. His ability to blend a personal narrative with theological conviction, all within the expected rhetorical framework, made his message not just understandable but powerfully compelling to a diverse audience, from Roman governors to Jewish kings.