Acts 26:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!

NIV: This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me.

NASB: the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. For this hope, O king, I am being accused by Jews.

CSB: the promise our twelve tribes hope to reach as they earnestly serve him night and day. King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews because of this hope.

NLT: In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope!

KJV: Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

NKJV: To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.

Paul is explaining to King Agrippa II and others why the Sanhedrin dislikes him. They have tried to murder him (Acts 23:12–15), twice (Acts 25:2–3), and charged him with capital offenses they cannot prove (Acts 24:5–6), also twice (Acts 25:7).

Speaking in his own defense, Paul explains this animosity is not because of his background. He was trained as a devout Pharisee (Acts 26:5). Pharisees follow not only the Mosaic law, but the Oral Law: extra regulations designed to keep people from even approaching the Mosaic restrictions.

Rather, the Sanhedrin hates Paul because he believes the resurrection of Jesus brings fulfilment of the promises God made to the nation of Israel. Where the Jews wanted freedom from Roman rule, however, Jesus brought freedom from sin. Where the Sanhedrin wanted recognition for their spiritual leadership and devotion, Jesus explained that He is King and reconciliation is found only in Him (John 14:6).

The Pharisees make up a minority of the Sanhedrin, yet they have greater popularity among the people. They strongly believe the dead will be raised at the judgment of God. Many, however, cannot accept that Jesus already rose from the dead. Paul does. That makes him the enemy.

Acts 26:1–11 contains Paul's account of his life before encountering Jesus Christ. He speaks to Governor Festus, King Agrippa II, and the military and civil leadership of Caesarea Maritima. Before conversion, Paul absorbed training as a devout Pharisee, including passionate devotion to the Mosaic law. His beliefs led him to zealously hunt Jesus-followers, even voting that they be executed if they did not deny Christ. Everything changed when he tracked Christians to Damascus.

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.