Click *H for Haydock Commentary. *Footnote for footnote etc.
Click any word in Latin Greek or Hebrew to activate the parser. Then click on the display to expand the parser.
26:1 Agrippa vero ad Paulum ait : Permittitur tibi loqui pro temetipso. Tunc Paulus extenta manu coepit rationem reddere :
* Footnotes
*H Then Agrippa said to Paul: Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul, stretching forth his hand, began to make his answer.
Ver. 1. S. Paul having obtained liberty of speaking, stretches out his right hand, disengaged from his cloak. We must recollect that S. Paul still bore his chains about him, those chains in which he gloried; (v. 26.) it is therefore necessary to suppose that his left hand only was tied; or, what is less likely, that these chains were not so tight nor heavy as to hinder the easy motion of the right. It is observed by Apuleius, that orators in this action closed the two shorter fingers, and had the others extended. Calmet.
Ἀγρίππας δὲ πρὸς τὸν Παῦλον ἔφη, Ἐπιτρέπεταί σοι ὑπὲρ σεαυτοῦ λέγειν. Τότε ὁ Παῦλος ἀπελογεῖτο, ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα,"
26:2 De omnibus quibus accusor a Judaeis, rex Agrippa, aestimo me beatum apud te cum sim defensurus me hodie,
I think myself happy, O king Agrippa, that I am to answer for myself this day before thee, touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews.
¶Περὶ πάντων ὧν ἐγκαλοῦμαι ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων, βασιλεῦ Ἀγρίππα, ἥγημαι ἐμαυτὸν μακάριον ἐπὶ σοῦ μέλλων ἀπολογεῖσθαι σήμερον·"
26:3 maxime te sciente omnia, et quae apud Judaeos sunt consuetudines et quaestiones : propter quod obsecro patienter me audias.
Especially as thou knowest all, both customs and questions, that are among the Jews. Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
μάλιστα γνώστην ὄντα σὲ πάντων τῶν κατὰ Ἰουδαίους ἠθῶν τε καὶ ζητημάτων· διὸ δέομαί σου, μακροθύμως ἀκοῦσαί μου."
26:4 Et quidem vitam meam a juventute, quae ab initio fuit in gente mea in Jerosolymis, noverunt omnes Judaei :
And my life indeed from my youth, which was from the beginning among my own nation in Jerusalem, all the Jews do know:
Τὴν μὲν οὖν βίωσίν μου τὴν ἐκ νεότητος, τὴν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς γενομένην ἐν τῷ ἔθνει μου ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις, ἴσασιν πάντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι,"
26:5 praescientes me ab initio (si velint testimonium perhibere) quoniam secundum certissimam sectam nostrae religionis vixi pharisaeus.
*H Having known me from the beginning (if they will give testimony) that according to the most sure sect of our religion I lived, a Pharisee.
Ver. 5. According to the most sure sect.[1] In the Greek, the most exact or approved: for such was esteemed that of the Pharisees. Wi.
προγινώσκοντές με ἄνωθεν, ἐὰν θέλωσιν μαρτυρεῖν, ὅτι κατὰ τὴν ἀκριβεστάτην αἵρεσιν τῆς ἡμετέρας θρησκείας ἔζησα Φαρισαῖος."
26:6 Et nunc, in spe quae ad patres nostros repromissionis facta est a Deo, sto judicio subjectus :
*H And now for the hope of the promise that was made by God to the fathers, do I stand subject to judgment:
Ver. 6. For the hope of the promise. That is, of the promised Messias, and of salvation by him. Wi.
Καὶ νῦν ἐπ’ ἐλπίδι τῆς πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἐπαγγελίας γενομένης ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ἕστηκα κρινόμενος,"
26:7 in quam duodecim tribus nostrae nocte ac die deservientes, sperant devenire. De qua spe accusor a Judaeis, rex.
Unto which, our twelve tribes, serving night and day, hope to come. For which hope, O king, I am accused by the Jews.
εἰς ἣν τὸ δωδεκάφυλον ἡμῶν ἐν ἐκτενείᾳ νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν λατρεῦον ἐλπίζει καταντῆσαι· περὶ ἧς ἐλπίδος ἐγκαλοῦμαι, βασιλεῦ Ἀγρίππα, ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων."
26:8 Quid incredibile judicatur apud vos, si Deus mortuos suscitat ?
*H Why should it be thought a thing incredible that God should raise the dead?
Ver. 8. He speaks now to the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection. Can you say it is impossible for Him, whom you all allow to be omnipotent, to raise any of the dead to life? Is it not easier to reanimate a body, whose parts are dissolved by death, than create what had no existence? "And why should He, who daily from the corrupted seed brings forth plants, leaves, wood, not be able to call back into their primitive state the flesh and bones from the dust into which they have been dissolved." S. Greg. hom. xxvi. in Evang.
Τί ἄπιστον κρίνεται παρ’ ὑμῖν, εἰ ὁ θεὸς νεκροὺς ἐγείρει;"
26:9 Et ego quidem existimaveram me adversus nomen Jesu Nazareni debere multa contraria agere,
And I indeed did formerly think that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ἔδοξα ἐμαυτῷ πρὸς τὸ ὄνομα Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναζωραίου δεῖν πολλὰ ἐναντία πρᾶξαι·
26:10 quod et feci Jerosolymis, et multos sanctorum ego in carceribus inclusi, a principibus sacerdotum potestate accepta : et cum occiderentur, detuli sententiam.
*H Which also I did at Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority of the chief priests. And when they were put to death, I brought the sentence.
Ver. 10. I brought the sentence.[2] That is, from those who in the great council were judges of life and death, to those officers who were to put the sentence in execution. This seems to be the sense of these words, rather than, I voted, or gave my voice in condemning them; for we have no grounds to think S. Paul was one of the council, or of the judges. Wi.
ὃ καὶ ἐποίησα ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις, καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν ἁγίων ἐγὼ φυλακαῖς κατέκλεισα, τὴν παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων ἐξουσίαν λαβών, ἀναιρουμένων τε αὐτῶν κατήνεγκα ψῆφον."
26:11 Et per omnes synagogas frequenter puniens eos, compellebam blasphemare : et amplius insaniens in eos, persequebar usque in exteras civitates.
And oftentimes punishing them, in every synagogue, I compelled them to blaspheme: and being yet more mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.
Καὶ κατὰ πάσας τὰς συναγωγὰς πολλάκις τιμωρῶν αὐτούς, ἠνάγκαζον βλασφημεῖν· περισσῶς τε ἐμμαινόμενος αὐτοῖς, ἐδίωκον ἕως καὶ εἰς τὰς ἔξω πόλεις."
26:12 In quibus dum irem Damascum cum potestate et permissu principum sacerdotum,
Whereupon, when I was going to Damascus with authority and permission of the chief priest,
Ἐν οἷς καὶ πορευόμενος εἰς τὴν Δαμασκὸν μετ’ ἐξουσίας καὶ ἐπιτροπῆς τῆς παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων,"
26:13 die media in via vidi, rex, de caelo supra splendorem solis circumfulsisse me lumen, et eos qui mecum simul erant.
At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that were in company with me.
ἡμέρας μέσης, κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν εἶδον, βασιλεῦ, οὐρανόθεν ὑπὲρ τὴν λαμπρότητα τοῦ ἡλίου, περιλάμψαν με φῶς καὶ τοὺς σὺν ἐμοὶ πορευομένους."
26:14 Omnesque nos cum decidissemus in terram, audivi vocem loquentem mihi hebraica lingua : Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris ? durum est tibi contra stimulum calcitrare.
*H And when we were all fallen down on the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew tongue: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the good.
Ver. 14. It is generally supposed that S. Paul addresses king Agrippa in the Greek language, which was the common tongue of a great part of the East. V.
Πάντων δὲ καταπεσόντων ἡμῶν εἰς τὴν γῆν, ἤκουσα φωνὴν λαλοῦσαν πρός με καὶ λέγουσαν τῇ Ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ, Σαούλ, Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις; Σκληρόν σοι πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν."
26:15 Ego autem dixi : Quis es, domine ? Dominus autem dixit : Ego sum Jesus, quem tu persequeris.
And I said: Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord answered: I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
Ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπον, Τίς εἶ, κύριε; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὃν σὺ διώκεις."
26:16 Sed exsurge, et sta super pedes tuos : ad hoc enim apparui tibi, ut constituam te ministrum, et testem eorum quae vidisti, et eorum quibus apparebo tibi,
*H But rise up and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared to thee, that I may make thee a minister and a witness of those things which thou hast seen and of those things wherein I will appear to thee,
Ver. 16. Wherein I will appear to thee. From whence interpreters take notice, that Christ divers times appeared to S. Paul to reveal things to him. Wi.
Ἀλλὰ ἀνάστηθι, καὶ στῆθι ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας σου· εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ὤφθην σοι, προχειρίσασθαί σε ὑπηρέτην καὶ μάρτυρα ὧν τε εἶδες ὧν τε ὀφθήσομαί σοι,"
26:17 eripiens te de populo et gentibus, in quas nunc ego mitto te,
*H Delivering thee from the people and from the nations unto which now I send thee:
Ver. 17. Delivering thee, &c. That is, from many attempts, both of the Jews and Gentiles, against thee. Wi.
ἐξαιρούμενός σε ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν, εἰς οὓς ἐγώ σε ἀποστέλλω,"
26:18 aperire oculos eorum, ut convertantur a tenebris ad lucem, et de potestate Satanae ad Deum, ut accipiant remissionem peccatorum, et sortem inter sanctos, per fidem quae est in me.
*H To open their eyes, that they may be converted from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a lot among the saints, by the faith that is in me.
Ver. 18. That they may be converted from the darkness of error to the light of the gospel, and from the power of Satan to the liberty of the children of God.
ἀνοῖξαι ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν, τοῦ ὑποστρέψαι ἀπὸ σκότους εἰς φῶς καὶ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ Σατανᾶ ἐπὶ τὸν θεόν, τοῦ λαβεῖν αὐτοὺς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν, καὶ κλῆρον ἐν τοῖς ἡγιασμένοις πίστει τῇ εἰς ἐμέ."
26:19 Unde, rex Agrippa, non fui incredulus caelesti visioni :
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not incredulous to the heavenly vision.
Ὅθεν, βασιλεῦ Ἀγρίππα, οὐκ ἐγενόμην ἀπειθὴς τῇ οὐρανίῳ ὀπτασίᾳ,"
26:20 sed his qui sunt Damasci primum, et Jerosolymis, et in omnem regionem Judaeae, et gentibus, annuntiabam, ut poenitentiam agerent, et converterentur ad Deum, digna poenitentiae opera facientes.
But to them first that are at Damascus and at Jerusalem, and unto all the country of Judea, and to the Gentiles did I preach, that they should do penance and turn to God, doing works worthy of penance.
ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐν Δαμασκῷ πρῶτον καὶ Ἱεροσολύμοις, εἰς πᾶσάν τε τὴν χώραν τῆς Ἰουδαίας, καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ἀπαγγέλλων μετανοεῖν, καὶ ἐπιστρέφειν ἐπὶ τὸν θεόν, ἄξια τῆς μετανοίας ἔργα πράσσοντας."
26:21 Hac ex causa me Judaei, cum essem in templo, comprehensum tentabant interficere.
For this cause, the Jews, when I was in the temple, having apprehended me, went about to kill me.
Ἕνεκα τούτων οἱ Ἰουδαῖοί με συλλαβόμενοι ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἐπειρῶντο διαχειρίσασθαι.
26:22 Auxilio autem adjutus Dei usque in hodiernum diem, sto, testificans minori atque majori, nihil extra dicens quam ea quae prophetae locuti sunt futura esse, et Moyses,
But being aided by the help of God, I stand unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other thing than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come to pass:
Ἐπικουρίας οὖν τυχὼν τῆς παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ, ἄχρι τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης ἕστηκα μαρτυρόμενος μικρῷ τε καὶ μεγάλῳ, οὐδὲν ἐκτὸς λέγων ὧν τε οἱ προφῆται ἐλάλησαν μελλόντων γίνεσθαι καὶ Μωϋσῆς,"
26:23 si passibilis Christus, si primus ex resurrectione mortuorum, lumen annuntiaturus est populo et gentibus.
*H That Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead and should shew light to the people and to the Gentiles.
Ver. 23. That Christ should suffer, &c. Lit. if Christ be passible. If, here is expounded not as implying a condition, but as an affirmation; so that the sense is, that Christ, according to the predictions of the prophets, was to suffer, was to be the first that should rise from the dead, &c. Wi. — First, &c. Many had been raised from the dead before Jesus; the child of the widow of Sarepta, Lazarus, and others. How, then, is Jesus first? He is the first who rises not to die again; and as such the Messias is always represented by the prophets. Others were raised from the dead, but returned again to their graves. Jesus dies no more. He is the first too who raises himself. Calmet.
εἰ παθητὸς ὁ χριστός, εἰ πρῶτος ἐξ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν φῶς μέλλει καταγγέλλειν τῷ λαῷ καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν."
26:24 Haec loquente eo, et rationem reddente, Festus magna voce dixit : Insanis, Paule : multae te litterae ad insaniam convertunt.
*H As he spoke these things and made his answer, Festus said with a loud voice: Paul, thou art beside thyself: much learning doth make thee mad.
Ver. 24. It is not surprising that Festus should have taken S. Paul for a madman. The resurrection of the dead, remission of sins, receiving baptism, and faith, announcing light to the nations, &c. were subjects completely unintelligible to a Roman. To a Jew the terms were customary and common. The eloquence and manner in which he spoke on these subjects, might shew him to be a man of great learning.
¶Ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀπολογουμένου, ὁ Φῆστος μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ ἔφη, Μαίνῃ, Παῦλε· τὰ πολλά σε γράμματα εἰς μανίαν περιτρέπει."
26:25 Et Paulus : Non insanio, inquit, optime Feste, sed veritatis et sobrietatis verba loquor.
And Paul said: I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but I speak words of truth and soberness.
Ὁ δέ, Οὐ μαίνομαι, φησίν, κράτιστε Φῆστε, ἀλλὰ ἀληθείας καὶ σωφροσύνης ῥήματα ἀποφθέγγομαι."
26:26 Scit enim de his rex, ad quem et constanter loquor : latere enim eum nihil horum arbitror. Neque enim in angulo quidquam horum gestum est.
For the king knoweth of these things, to whom also I speak with confidence. For I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him. For neither was any of these things done in a corner.
Ἐπίσταται γὰρ περὶ τούτων ὁ βασιλεύς, πρὸς ὃν καὶ παρρησιαζόμενος λαλῶ· λανθάνειν γὰρ αὐτόν τι τούτων οὐ πείθομαι οὐδέν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν γωνίᾳ πεπραγμένον τοῦτο."
26:27 Credis, rex Agrippa, prophetis ? Scio quia credis.
Believest thou the prophets, O king Agrippa? I know that thou believest.
Πιστεύεις, βασιλεῦ Ἀγρίππα, τοῖς προφήταις; Οἶδα ὅτι πιστεύεις."
26:28 Agrippa autem ad Paulum : In modico suades me christianum fieri.
*H And Agrippa said to Paul: In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian.
Ver. 28. In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian. According to the common exposition, Agrippa speaks in a jest, and ironically; and as for the words, they are the same as, thou almost persuadest me, &c. Wi.
Ὁ δὲ Ἀγρίππας πρὸς τὸν Παῦλον ἔφη, Ἐν ὀλίγῳ με πείθεις Χριστιανὸν γενέσθαι."
26:29 Et Paulus : Opto apud Deum, et in modico et in magno, non tantum te, sed etiam omnes qui audiunt hodie fieri tales, qualis et ego sum, exceptis vinculis his.
*H And Paul said: I would to God that both in a little and in much, not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, should become such as I also am, except these bands.
Ver. 29. Except these chains. That is, I heartily wish all men in the same condition as myself, not only to be prisoners as I am, but to be Christians, as I am. Wi.
Ὁ δὲ Παῦλος εἶπεν, Εὐξαίμην ἂν τῷ θεῷ, καὶ ἐν ὀλίγῳ καὶ ἐν πολλῷ οὐ μόνον σε, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀκούοντάς μου σήμερον, γενέσθαι τοιούτους ὁποῖος κἀγώ εἰμι, παρεκτὸς τῶν δεσμῶν τούτων."
26:30 Et exsurrexit rex, et praeses, et Bernice, et qui assidebant eis.
And the king rose up, and the governor and Bernice and they that sat with them.
¶Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπόντος αὐτοῦ, ἀνέστη ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ὁ ἡγεμών, ἥ τε Βερνίκη, καὶ οἱ συγκαθήμενοι αὐτοῖς·"
26:31 Et cum secessissent, loquebantur ad invicem, dicentes : Quia nihil morte aut vinculis dignum quid fecit homo iste.
And when they were gone aside, they spoke among themselves, saying: This man hath done nothing worthy of death or of bands.
καὶ ἀναχωρήσαντες ἐλάλουν πρὸς ἀλλήλους, λέγοντες ὅτι Οὐδὲν θανάτου ἄξιον ἢ δεσμῶν πράσσει ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος."
26:32 Agrippa autem Festo dixit : Dimitti poterat homo hic, si non appellasset Caesarem.
And Agrippa said to Festus: This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.
Ἀγρίππας δὲ τῷ Φήστῳ ἔφη, Ἀπολελύσθαι ἐδύνατο ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος, εἰ μὴ ἐπεκέκλητο Καίσαρα."