Paul’s Trial before Agrippa (Acts 25: 23-27, Acts 26: 1-32)

Paul’s Trial before Agrippa (Acts 25: 23-27, Acts 26: 1-32):

The next day, King Agrippa and Bernice came into the auditorium with a lot of pageantry (elaborate display or ceremony). The auditorium was filled with the commanders and prominent men of the city, and then at Festus’ command, Paul was brought in.

Festus addressed the auditorium, especially the King, and he said that although the entire assembly of Jews had petitioned him against Paul, he had not seen anything Paul had done that deserved death as a punishment. He said Paul had declared he wanted to be tried before Caesar and he (Festus) wanted to send him but he had nothing to write to Caesar about Paul. So he has now brought Paul before this assembly, especially King Agrippa, so after they examine him he (Festus) would have something to write to Caesar. Festus said it was not reasonable for him to send a prisoner to Caesar without stating the accusations against the prisoner.

King Agrippa then asked Paul to speak so Paul defended himself by saying, that the Jewish people all knew how he had lived his life even as a child in his own country and then Jerusalem. He said they could testify (if willing) that he had conformed to the strictest sect of their religion by living as a Pharisee. He said it was because of his hope in what God had promised that he was on trial.

Paul then asked why it was so hard for the Jews to believe God raised the dead. He confirmed he too was just like them (the Jews), there was a time when he did everything he could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. He said this was what he had done in Jerusalem under the authorization of the chief priests, he would put the Lord’s people in prison and if they were to be put to death, he would vote in agreement with this judgement.

He said he continued this until one day when he was on his way to Damascus and a bright light shone from the heavens and a voice spoke to him in Aramaic saying “Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?” and he found out the voice was Jesus. This voice (Jesus) told him He was sending him (Paul) to his people and the Gentiles “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.” – Acts 26 verse 18 (NIV). He told King Agrippa, he had not been disobedient to the voice he heard from heaven.

He had gone from Damascus to Jerusalem to all of Judea and the Gentiles and preached to them all to repent and turn to God. This was why the Jews had seized him and tried to kill him. He said he was not saying anything more than what the prophets and Moses had said would happen which was “that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.” – Acts 26 verse 23 (NIV).

Festus stopped him and said he (Paul) had lost his mind but Paul replied and said he was not insane but everything he said was true and reasonable. He (Paul) believed the King was familiar with the things he just said, he asked the King if he (the King) believed the prophets. The King then asked Paul if he thought he could convert him to Christianity in such little time. Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.” – Acts 26 verse 29 (NIV).

Then the King, Bernice, the governor and all the men sitting with them stood up and left the auditorium. They confirmed amongst themselves that Paul had not done anything that deserved death as a punishment, King Agrippa then said to Festus, that Paul would have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.

Summary