Acts 26:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind."

NIV: At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane."

NASB: While Paul was stating these things in his defense, Festus *said in a loud voice, 'Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you insane.'

CSB: As he was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, "You’re out of your mind, Paul! Too much study is driving you mad."

NLT: Suddenly, Festus shouted, 'Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!'

KJV: And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

NKJV: Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”

Paul has finished telling how he first persecuted Jesus-followers, then met and started following Jesus. He has also explained that Jesus fulfills the prophecies given in Scripture of the Jewish Messiah (Acts 26:2–23). His audience is Governor Festus, King Agrippa II, Agrippa's sister Bernice, and "the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city" of Caesarea Maritima, the Roman capital in the region (Acts 25:23).

Festus is Roman and has only held the position of governor for a few weeks. He knows little about Jewish religion and culture but wants to have a good relationship with local leaders. Those leaders, however, want Paul charged, convicted, and executed for crimes against the Roman law (Acts 25:1–2, 24). So, Festus is not only politically motivated, but he's also probably an annihilationist and believes the resurrection of Jesus goes against all reason. Only Paul's Roman citizenship and Festus' fair and reasonable nature are in Paul's favor.

It's unclear what Festus is referring to by Paul's "great learning." Paul mentioned how he was trained by the Pharisees (Acts 26:5), and he obviously knows how to address a Roman court, but we don't know how often Festus spoke with Paul before this council. Festus may not know that Paul can quote Greek philosophers easily (Acts 17:28). Felix, the previous governor, spoke with Paul often (Acts 24:24–26). It's possible Festus is merely being sarcastic.

Acts 26:24–32 records Governor Felix and King Agrippa II reacting to Paul's testimony. He has just finished giving account of how he accepted Christ and dedicated his life to spreading the gospel. Festus thinks Paul has gone insane. Agrippa understands Jesus' fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, but he can't accept the personal implications. What they all agree on, however, is that Paul shouldn't be imprisoned. If he hadn't appealed to Caesar, he should have been freed.

Acts 26 records Paul's testimony before the noblemen of Caesarea Maritima, as well as their reactions. He explains that Jewish leaders want him dead because he once persecuted the church, but now believes Jesus rose from the dead and has been spreading that message. Governor Festus thinks Paul has gone mad. King Agrippa II, however, finds his story compelling. They realize that had Paul not appealed to a higher Roman court, they could have let him go.

After being held in custody for two years and, again, hassled by the Sanhedrin who want to kill him, Paul appeals his case to Caesar (Acts 25:7–12). Before he travels to Rome, however, Governor Festus has Paul give his testimony before King Agrippa II and the noblemen of Caesarea Maritima (Act 25:23–27). When Paul is finished, they realize they should have set him free before he appealed to Caesar (Acts 26:30–32). But he must go to Rome, surviving a violent storm and a shipwreck along the way (Acts 27—28).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.