Acts 26 — Almost a Christian?

Pray to Begin

Ask - that the Holy Spirit would make Paul’s testimony more than inspiring biography: that you would hear the risen Jesus appointing a servant to open eyes, and that any “almost” in you would be pressed toward whole-hearted faith.

Give thanks - for a gospel that fulfills Moses and the Prophets, for light stronger than noonday sun, and for a prisoner who wants freedom for his hearers more than release for himself.

Yield - polite distance from Christ that still likes religious conversation, and every defense of a past you will not let grace rewrite.

Today’s Passage: Acts 26

With permission from Agrippa, Paul stretches out his hand and defends himself. He recounts his Pharisaic zeal, his persecution of Jesus’ name, the Damascus light brighter than the sun, the voice in Hebrew, and the commission: servant and witness, sent to open eyes, turn people from darkness to light and from Satan’s power to God, for forgiveness and inheritance by faith in Christ. He was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. He preached repentance to Jew and Gentile. Now he testifies nothing beyond Moses and the Prophets: the Christ would suffer, rise first from the dead, and proclaim light to Israel and the nations. Festus shouts that great learning has driven Paul mad. Paul appeals to Agrippa’s knowledge of the prophets: “Do you believe…? I know you do.” Agrippa answers with the famous near-miss: can you persuade me so quickly to become a Christian? Paul wishes all were as he is - except the chains. Privately they agree: nothing worthy of death; he could have been free if he had not appealed. The full BSB text is quoted block by block below.

As you read, hold this: Before Agrippa: hope, heavenly vision, light to the nations, and a wish that all would become as Paul is — except the chains.

Acts 26:1-8 (BSB)

¹ Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”

Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: ² “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews, ³ especially since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me patiently. ⁴ Surely all the Jews know how I have lived from my earliest childhood among my own people, and also in Jerusalem. ⁵ They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the strictest sect of our religion. ⁶ And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made to our fathers, ⁷ the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. It is because of this hope, O king, that I am accused by the Jews. ⁸ Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?”

Stretched hand, patient appeal, shared history. The charge is reframed as elpis (el-PEES) - hope in the fathers’ promise. Then the dagger-question: why is resurrection incredible if God is God? Paul evangelizes the courtroom’s assumptions before he narrates the road.

Acts 26:9-18 (BSB)

⁹ “So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰ And that is what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them. ¹¹ I frequently had them punished in the synagogues, and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them. ¹² In this pursuit I was on my way 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, shining around me and my companions. ¹⁴ We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ ¹⁵ ‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked.

‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ¹⁶ ‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen from 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, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’”

Sincerity can serve the wrong master. Paul was convinced he should oppose Jesus’ name - until light and voice reassigned him. Goads: resistance hurts the resistor. Appointment: servant and witness. Mission: open eyes, transfer of dominion, forgiveness, inheritance - by faith in Me. This is not self-help with a religious accent. It is cosmic rescue through the crucified and risen Jesus.

Acts 26:19-23 (BSB)

¹⁹ “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. ²⁰ First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance. ²¹ For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. ²² But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to 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 our people and to the Gentiles.”

Obedience summarized in a sentence. Geography of mission named. Repentance with fruit. Persecution explained. Help confessed. Canon honored: Moses and the Prophets already sketched a suffering, rising Christ who shines on Israel and the nations. Paul’s gospel is old in promise, new in fulfillment.

Acts 26:24-29 (BSB)

²⁴ At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!” ²⁵ But Paul answered, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety. ²⁶ For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident 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, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?” ²⁹ “Short time or long,” Paul replied, “I wish to God that not only you but all who hear me this day may become what I am, except for these chains.”

Festus breaks; Paul stays sober. Then the direct press on Agrippa - prophets, public history, no corner conspiracy. Agrippa’s reply may mock or dodge or almost yield; Luke leaves the tone ambiguous enough to sting every near-hearer. Paul’s wish is missionary largeness: all who hear - kings, soldiers, you - like him in Christ, free of chains. Love wants company in salvation, not isolation in being right.

Acts 26:30-32 (BSB)

³⁰ Then the king and the governor rose, along with Bernice and those seated with them. ³¹ On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.” ³² And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Exit pomp; private verdict of innocence; reminder of the appeal. Freedom was humanly possible; Rome is divinely appointed. The prisoner who wished them Christ will board a ship next. The King they almost considered will still be preached without hindrance at the book’s end.

Personal Application

1. Paul was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. What has Christ already made clear to you that still waits for costly obedience - speech, repentance, reconciliation, or mission?

2. Agrippa stands near and still outside. Where might “almost” describe you - informed, respectful, even moved - yet not yielded as a Christianos (khris-tee-ah-NOS) in whole trust?

3. Paul wants his hearers to become as he is, except the chains. Who is one person you can pray for and gently invite toward that same belonging this week?

Pray to Close

Acts 26 shows the hope of the fathers fulfilled in a suffering and rising Christ, a persecutor remade by light, a commission of open eyes and transferred dominion, and a royal near-miss that still cannot stop the road to Rome.

Praise - Jesus who stops the goad-kicker and sends him; the Christ who suffers and rises according to the Scriptures; the Lord who offers forgiveness and inheritance by faith.

Confess - disobedience to light already given; religious knowledge without repentance; any contentment with “almost.”

Ask - for words of truth and sobriety; for love that wants all who hear to belong to Christ; for courage when learning is called madness.

Yield - your chains of pride and delay - and rest in the Servant who proclaimed light to Israel and the nations.