Acts 26:4-11 ASV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 26:1-11

Agrippa was the most honourable person in the assembly, having the title of king bestowed upon him, though otherwise having only the power of other governors under the emperor, and, though not here superior, yet senior, to Festus; and therefore, Festus having opened the cause, Agrippa, as the mouth of the court, intimates to Paul a licence given him to speak for himself, Acts 26:1. Paul was silent till he had this liberty allowed him; for those are not the most forward to speak that are best... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 26:1-11

26:1-11 Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak on your own behalf." Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defence. "With regard to the charges made against me by the Jews, King Agrippa, I count myself fortunate to be about to state my defence before you, especially because you are an expert in all Jewish customs and questions. Therefore I ask you to give me a patient hearing. All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which from the beginning I lived amongst my... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:4

My manner of life, from my youth ,.... That is, his conduct and deportment, his behaviour among men, from the time that he was capable of performing religious exercises, and of knowing the difference between one sect and another, and of being observed and taken notice of by men: which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem ; for though he was born in Tarsus in Cilicia, he was very early brought, or sent by his parents to Jerusalem, where he had his education under Gamaliel;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:5

Which knew me from the beginning ,.... From his youth, from his first coming to Jerusalem: if they would testify ; what they know, and speak out the truth of things, they must say, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee ; there were three sects of religion among the Jews, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes; the first of these was the most exact, and came nearest to the truth of doctrine, and was the strictest as to outward holiness of life and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:6

And now I stand, and am judged ,.... Before the Roman governor, and in the presence of Agrippa: for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers ; either for the hope of righteousness, life, and salvation, by the Messiah; who was promised to the Jewish fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and others; see Genesis 22:18 or for the hope of the resurrection of the dead, and eternal life; of which there are various testimonies in the writings of the Old Testament, committed to the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:7

Unto which promise ,.... Of the Messiah, and salvation by him; and of the resurrection of the dead and eternal glory, as following upon it: our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night hope to come ; and enjoy the Messiah, and all blessings along with him; and the happy state of the resurrection and eternal life: the people of Israel were distinguished into twelve tribes, according to the names of the twelve patriarchs, the sons of Jacob; and though ten of the tribes had been... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:8

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you ,.... You Heathens and Sadducees; for the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead was thought an incredible doctrine by the Heathens in general, and therefore was laughed at by the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers at Athens, when preached by the apostle there; and by a particular sect among the Jews, the Sadducees; and the apostle may be thought either to address himself to Festus, the Roman governor, and to the chief captains, who were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:9

I verily thought with myself ,.... This seems to be a correction of himself, why he should wonder at their ignorance and unbelief, particularly with respect to Jesus being the Messiah, and his resurrection from the dead, and expostulate with them about it; when this was once his own case, it was the real sentiments of his mind, what in his conscience he believed to be right and just; namely, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth ; to him himself, to his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:10

Which thing I also did in Jerusalem ,.... The metropolis of Judea, where he had had his education, and was well known; here he consented to the death of Stephen, and held the clothes of the witnesses while they stoned him; and here he haled men and women out of their houses, and committed them to prison, and made havoc of the church of Christ, and destroyed the faith, and those that professed it, as much as in him lay. And many of the saints I shut up in prison ; at Jerusalem; see Acts... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:11

And I punished them oft in every synagogue ,.... In Jerusalem, where there were many; See Gill on Acts 24:12 ; by beating and scourging them there, as the manner was; see Matthew 10:17 . and compelled them to blaspheme ; the Lord Jesus Christ, both to deny him to be the Messiah, and to call him accursed; as the Jews and Heathens obliged some professors of Christianity to do, who were only nominal ones, and had not grace and strength to stand against their threatenings, and to endure... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 26:1-11

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 26:1-11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:11

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