Paul and King Agrippa
Acts 26
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There came a time when the Jews desired to kill Paul the apostle, and so they went to see a man called Festus and asked that Paul be sent to Jerusalem. But Festus said that Paul should be kept in Caesaria, and when Festus sat on the judgment seat, Paul was brought before him, and many people gave complaints against him, and Paul wanted to be judged by Caesar to see whether or not he had done anything wrong.
And so after awhile King Agrippa came to Caesaria and Festus told him about Paul, and how the Jews wantted punishment for Paul because he said that Jesus was alive. And so King Agrippa wanted to see Paul himself. And the next day when King Agrippa had come into the place of hearing, Festus stood and said "You see this man, who the Jews have spoken to me about both here and at Jerusalem, saying that he should not live any longer. But I found that he had done nothing worthy of death, and so I have brought him before you, so that after you see him I might have something to write against him."
And so King Agrippa said to Paul "You are permitted to speak for yourself." And Paul said "I am happy because I shall answer for myself, because I know you know everything about the customs and questions that the Jews have, therefore I plead with you to patiently hear me.
I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise God made to our fathers, which we serve God day and night hoping to see. And it is because of this that I am accused.
Why should it be thought an incredible thing that God should raise the dead? I thought so too, and had many saints (those who were Christians believing in Jesus) imprisoned and put to death. But on my way to Damascus, at midday O king, I saw in the road a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and around those who were with me. And I heard a voice say "Saul, Saul why do you persecute me? And Jesus told me that he had appeared to me to make me a minister and a witness both of the things I had seen, and of the things he would show me, and that I was to go to the Gentiles to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness into light, and from the power of Satan to God so that they may receive forgiveness of sins. and so King Agrippa I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but I showed those in Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and in Judea and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do good works.
Because of these things, the Jews caught me and tried to have me killed. But God helped me and so I continued until this day, saying no other thing but those things that the prophets and Moses said would come. That is that Christ should suffer, and that he would be the first that would rise from the dead, and that he would show light to the people, and to the Gentiles."
Festus thought that Paul was crazy, but Paul said "I am not crazy, but speak the words of truth. The king knows these things, none of them are hidden from him. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe."
Then king Agrippa said to Paul "You have almost persuaded me to be a Christian." And Paul said "I would to God that not only you, but also all that hear me this day were the same as me." And after he spoke the king got up, and said that Paul had done nothing worthy of death or being a prisoner and told Festus that he might have been set free if he had not wanted to appeal to Caesar.
Memory Verse: Acts 26:28 "then Agrippa said to Paul, you have almost persuaded me to be a Christian."
Questions:
1. Why did Festus want king Agrippa to see Paul?
2. What did Paul tell king Agrippa about?
3. What did king Agrippa say to Paul?
4. Was was sad about what king Agrippa said to Paul?
5. What should we do when someone tells us about what the bible teaches
about the Lord Jesus?
Answers.
1. Because he could find no reason to put Paul to death, so he wanted the
king to listen to Paul.
2. About how Jesus had appeared to him on the road to Damascus and how he
was to be a minister to the Gentiles
3. He said that Paul had almost persuaded him to be a Christian
4. He did not quite believe what Paul had told him, and so he did
not become a Christian at that time
5. We should believe them and ask Jesus to be our Saviour so that our sins
can be forgiven
Vicki C. Gross/Feb'03
