Acts 26:2

 Acts 26:2

I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

a. NLT: “I am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders, [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am to make my defence before thee this day touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews: [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: 'Concerning all things of which I am accused by Jews, king Agrippa, I have thought myself happy, being about to make a defence before thee to-day, [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.] 

d. Classic Amplified: 'Concerning all things of which I am accused by Jews, king Agrippa, I have thought myself happy, being about to make a defence before thee to-day, [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Peshitta Eastern Text: In view of all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews, I consider myself blessed, O King Agrippa, to defend myself today before you.  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT.Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1961 by A.J. Holmon Co.; Copyright  Ⓒ 1939 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1967  by A.J. Holmon Co.;  Copyright  Ⓒ 1940 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; Copyright  Ⓒ 1957 by A.J. Holmon Co. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

f. NIV: “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

1. “I think myself happy, king Agrippa…”

a. [I] think [Strong: 2233. hegeomai hayg-eh'-om-ahee middle voice of a (presumed) strengthened form of 71; to lead, i.e. command (with official authority); figuratively, to deem, i.e. consider:--account, (be) chief, count, esteem, governor, judge, have the rule over, suppose, think.]

b. myself [Strong: 1683. emautou em-ow-too' genitive case compound of 1700 and 846; of myself so likewise the dative case emautoi em-ow-to', and accusative case emauton em-ow-ton' :--me, mine own (self), myself.]

c. happy [Strong: 3107. makarios mak-ar'-ee-os a prolonged form of the poetical makar (meaning the same); supremely blest; by extension, fortunate, well off:-- blessed, happy(X -ier).]

d. king [Strong: 935. basileus bas-il-yooce' probably from 939 (through the notion of a foundation of power); a sovereign (abstractly, relatively, or figuratively):--king.]

e. Agrippa [Strong: 67. Agrippas ag-rip'-pas apparently from 66 and 2462; wild-horse tamer; Agrippas, one of the Herods:--Agrippa.]

1). Herod Agrippa II (ruled A.D. 50s until long after the end of the Jewish war; died around A.D. 93) Like his father Herod Agrippa I and great-grandfather Herod the Great he ruled over a large territory. He’s the one who interviewed Paul along with the Roman procurator Porcius Festus when Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea (in Palestine) after Paul’s third missionary journey (Acts 25-26). Agrippa exclaimed to Paul (literal translation): “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian” (Acts 26:28). Or was his statement ironic? Either way, Paul ended up appealing directly to Caesar and so had no more contact after this with the final powerful “Herod.”  After this last Herod, we don’t hear anything more of the dynasty of Herods (until, of course, they named a luxury department store after them…oops, wrong spelling).

www.biola.edu/blogs/good-book-blog/2014/how-many-herods-are-there-in-the-bible

2. “...because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:”

a. [because I] shall [Strongs: 3195. mello mel'-lo a strengthened form of 3199 (through the idea of expectation); to intend, i.e. be about to be, do, or suffer something (of persons or things, especially events; in the sense of purpose, duty, necessity, probability, possibility, or hesitation):--about, after that, be (almost), (that which is, things, + which was for) to come, intend, was to (be), mean, mind, be at the point, (be) ready, + return, shall (begin), (which, that) should (after, afterwards, hereafter) tarry, which was for, will, would, be yet.]

b. answer for himself [Strong: 626. apologeomai ap-ol-og-eh'-om-ahee middle voice from a compound of 575 and 3056; to give an account (legal plea) of oneself, i.e. exculpate (self):--answer (for self), make defence, excuse (self), speak for self.]

c. [this] day [Strong: 4594. semeron say'-mer-on neuter (as adverb) of a presumed compound of the article 3588 (t changed to s) and 2250; on the (i.e. this) day (or night current or just passed); generally, now (i.e. at present, hitherto):--this (to-)day.]

d. before [Strong: 1909. epi ep-ee' a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).]

e. thee [Strong: 4675. sou soo genitive case of 4771; of thee, thy:--X home, thee, thine (own), thou, thy.]

f.  touching [Strong: 4012. peri per-ee' from the base of 4008; properly, through (all over), i.e. around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time (with the genitive case denoting the subject or occasion or superlative point; with the accusative case the locality, circuit, matter, circumstance or general period):--(there-)about, above, against, at, on behalf of, X and his company, which concern, (as) concerning, for, X how it will go with, ((there-, where-)) of, on, over, pertaining (to), for sake, X (e-)state, (as) touching, (where-)by (in), with. In comparative, it retains substantially the same meaning of circuit (around), excess (beyond), or completeness (through).]

g. all [the things] [Strong: 3956. pas pas including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:--all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.]

h. whereof [Strong: 3739. hos hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.]

i. [I am] accused [Strong: 1458. egkaleo eng-kal-eh'-o from 1722 and 2564; to call in (as a debt or demand), i.e. bring to account (charge, criminate, etc.):--accuse, call in question, implead, lay to the charge.]

j. of [Strong: 5259. hupo hoop-o' a primary preposition; under, i.e. (with the genitive case) of place (beneath), or with verbs (the agency or means, through); (with the accusative case) of place (whither (underneath) or where (below) or time (when (at)):--among, by, from, in, of, under, with. In the comparative, it retains the same general applications, especially of inferior position or condition, and specially, covertly or moderately.]

k. [the] Jews [Strong: 2453. Ioudaios ee-oo-dah'-yos from 2448 (in the sense of 2455 as a country); Judaean, i.e. belonging to Jehudah:--Jew(-ess), of Judaea.]

 1). Family Bible Notes: Agrippa was of Idumaean descent. But from the days of John Hyrcanus, the Idumaeans south of Palestine, to whom his family belonged, had adopted the Jewish religion, and were reckoned as Jews.

2). Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary: His father [Herod Agrippa I] was zealous for the law, and he himself had the office of president of the temple and its treasures, and the appointment of the high priest [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 20.1.3 Herod also, the brother of the deceased Agrippa, who was then possessed of the royal authority over Chalcis, petitioned Claudius Caesar for the authority over the temple, and the money of the sacred treasure, and the choice of the high priests, and obtained all that he petitioned for. So that after that time this authority continued among all his descendants till the end of the war Accordingly, Herod removed the last high priest, called Cimtheras, and bestowed that dignity on his successor Joseph, the son of Cantos.]

3). Because of Agrippa’s knowledge in Jewish tradition and Law, Paul believed the outcome would be favorable. In the very least Paul was able to present his Christian testimony to one knowledgeable in Jewish tradition.