Acts 25-26
English
Standard Version (ESV)
25 Now three days after Festus had arrived in the
province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the
chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against
Paul, and they urged him, 3 asking as a favor against Paul[a] that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they
were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. 4 Festus
replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go
there shortly. 5 “So,” said he, “let the men of authority among
you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them
bring charges against him.”
6 After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days,
he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and
ordered Paul to be brought. 7 When he had arrived, the Jews who
had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious
charges against him that they could not prove. 8 Paul argued in
his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor
against Caesar have I committed any offense.” 9 But Festus,
wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to
Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” 10 But
Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried.
To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. 11 If
then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I
do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against
me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then
Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have
appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”
13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice
arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. 14 And as they stayed
there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, “There is a
man left prisoner by Felix, 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the
chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case against him,
asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I
answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before
the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his
defense concerning the charge laid against him. 17 So when they
came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the
tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. 18 When the
accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I
supposed. 19 Rather they had certain points of dispute with him
about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul
asserted to be alive. 20 Being at a loss how to investigate
these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried
there regarding them. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept
in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I
could send him to Caesar.” 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I
would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.”
23 So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp,
and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent
men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And
Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man
about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here,
shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found
that he had done nothing deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the
emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. 26 But I have
nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him
before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have
examined him, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to
me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against
him.”
26 So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to
speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:
2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King
Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the
Jews, 3 especially because you are familiar with all the
customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me
patiently.
4 “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning
among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. 5 They
have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to
the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. 6 And
now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our
fathers, 7 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! 8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God
raises the dead?
9 “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in
opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And I did so in
Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving
authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my
vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in all the
synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I
persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12 “In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the
authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 At midday, O
king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone
around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had
all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language,[b] ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It
is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who
are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But
rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to
appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me
and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you
from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 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 a place
among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19 “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the
heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus,
then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the
Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping
with their repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in
the temple and tried to kill me. 22 To this day I have had the
help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great,
saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 that
the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he
would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”
24 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.” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out
of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. 26 For
the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am
persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not
been done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the
prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 And Agrippa said to
Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”[c] 29 And Paul said, “Whether
short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this
day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”
30 Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those
who were sitting with them. 31 And when they had withdrawn,
they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or
imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could
have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
This is a longer
reading than usual but I felt it was important to put all of this
together. My questions for today are
these: “Could we, like Paul, use our
testimony for our defense?” The answer
should be “yes”. Next question: “Are we using our testimony as our defense?” The answer again should be “yes”. Sadly to say, I often use many other defenses
rather than my faith to defend my actions or argue the actions of others. Today as we seek Him, let’s remember, like
Paul, we have been called for the purpose of proclaiming the Gospel and to give
God the glory due Him. We all have ways
that God has gifted us to do this. Some
are bold like Paul and have the opportunity to stand before Kings and Queens while
others are quiet and have opportunity to proclaim it to the common folk. Whatever God has gifted you with, use it to
give honor and glory to the One who deserves it, Jesus Christ. As the song goes, “My one defense, my
righteousness, oh God how I need you.”
Seek Him,
proclaim Him, and honor Him.
Seeking Him with
all my heart,
Sheila
