Acts 26:22 kjv
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
Acts 26:22 nkjv
Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come?
Acts 26:22 niv
But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen?
Acts 26:22 esv
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:
Acts 26:22 nlt
But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen ?
Acts 26 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Divine Providence & Aid | ||
| Psa 54:4 | "Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life." | God as the ultimate source of help. |
| Isa 41:10 | "fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God..." | God's constant presence and help for His servants. |
| Php 4:13 | "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." | Christ's empowerment for endurance and ministry. |
| 2 Cor 12:9-10 | "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." | God's strength perfected in human weakness. |
| Heb 13:6 | "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what man can do to me." | Confidence in God's protective aid. |
| 1 Chr 12:18 | "...Your God helps you." | Divine assistance for God's chosen. |
| Acts 23:11 | "Take courage, for as you have testified...so you must bear witness also at Rome." | Christ's specific assurance of future help. |
| The Call to Witness & Universality of Gospel | ||
| Acts 1:8 | "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses..." | Mandate for all believers to be witnesses. |
| Acts 20:20 | "I kept back nothing that was profitable, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house," | Paul's comprehensive and public ministry. |
| Rom 1:16 | "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." | Gospel's power and universal reach. |
| Gal 3:28 | "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." | In Christ, social distinctions are overcome. |
| Col 3:11 | "Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all." | No human distinctions in Christ's Body. |
| Christ as Fulfillment of Scripture | ||
| Lk 24:27 | "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." | Jesus Himself expounded OT prophecies about Himself. |
| Lk 24:44 | "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day." | Fulfillment of what Moses, Prophets, Psalms said. |
| Jn 5:46 | "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me." | Moses' writings testify to Christ. |
| Acts 3:18 | "But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ should suffer, He hath so fulfilled." | Prophecy of Christ's suffering fulfilled. |
| Acts 13:27-29 | "But God, by the mouth of all His prophets, foretold that His Christ would suffer, He has fulfilled this in this way." | Fulfillment of prophetic suffering. |
| Acts 17:2-3 | "explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead..." | Paul's consistent method of using Scripture. |
| Rom 1:2 | "the gospel...which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures," | Gospel's root in prophetic promise. |
| 1 Cor 15:3-4 | "that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures," | The Gospel message based on scriptural fulfillment. |
| 1 Pet 1:10-11 | "The prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search..." | Prophets foresaw Christ's suffering and glory. |
| Heb 10:7 | "Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come…to do Your will, O God, as it is written of Me in the scroll of the book.’" | Christ's life and ministry pre-ordained in scripture. |
Acts 26 verses
Acts 26 22 Meaning
Acts 26:22 reveals the source of Paul's unwavering perseverance and the true content of his message. Paul affirms that he has continually received supernatural assistance from God, which has enabled him to endure all trials and to consistently proclaim the Gospel. His preaching, addressed universally to people of all stations, contains nothing new or foreign to Jewish tradition. Instead, it precisely fulfills what was predicted concerning the Messiah by Moses and the prophets in the Holy Scriptures, particularly regarding the Messiah's suffering and resurrection.
Acts 26 22 Context
Acts 26 takes place during Paul's trial before King Agrippa II and Governor Festus in Caesarea Maritima. Paul, a prisoner, is given permission to speak on his own behalf, providing a powerful apologetic for his faith and ministry. His speech details his background as a zealous Pharisee, his radical conversion experience on the Damascus Road, and his divine commission to preach the Gospel to Gentiles. Verse 22 serves as a pivotal point where Paul transitions from recounting his personal transformation to affirming the content and source of his message. He counters accusations of introducing a new religion or apostasy from Judaism by firmly rooting his entire proclamation, especially the resurrection of Christ, in the foundational scriptures of Israel – the Law of Moses and the Prophets. This defense highlights Paul's consistent loyalty to God's ancient covenant promises while explaining their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
Acts 26 22 Word analysis
- Having therefore obtained help: (Greek: epikourias lamon) - The Greek word epikouria refers to aid, succor, or assistance, especially from a superior source. Paul acknowledges that his ability to stand, endure, and testify despite intense persecution and imprisonment is not due to his own strength or cunning, but rather to the active, providential help of God. This isn't just a general belief but a specific, tangible experience of divine intervention.
- of God: (Greek: apo Theou) - Emphasizes that the epikouria comes directly from God Himself, highlighting its divine origin and omnipotence. It implies divine empowerment for a divinely ordained task.
- I continue unto this day: (Greek: hestēka mechri tēs nyn) - Hestēka is the perfect tense of histēmi (to stand), signifying a fixed and unmoving posture. It means "I stand here now" or "I have stood and continue to stand." This emphasizes Paul's unwavering stance, resilience, and consistent presence in ministry, despite all opposition. His present stability is a testament to God's sustained help.
- witnessing: (Greek: martyroumenos) - This is the middle participle of martyreō, meaning to bear witness or give testimony. It signifies Paul's ongoing and active role as a messenger of truth. The root word martys is where we get "martyr," implying a readiness to suffer or die for what is witnessed, a reality Paul lived.
- both to small and great: (Greek: mikrō te kai megalō) - This phrase signifies universality. Paul's audience is unrestricted by social status, wealth, or influence. His message is for everyone, from the least significant to the most powerful, showing the impartiality of God's grace and the Gospel's inclusive nature.
- saying none other things: (Greek: oudene legōn) - This emphasizes the consistent and unchanging nature of Paul's message. He is not innovating or inventing new doctrines. He refutes any accusation of deviation from established truth.
- than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: (Greek: hon hoi prophētai kai Mōusēs elalēsan mellonta genesthai) - This is the crux of Paul's defense. "Moses" refers primarily to the Pentateuch (the Law), and "the prophets" broadly refers to all other books of the Old Testament writings recognized as prophetic. Paul asserts that his gospel message is entirely consistent with, and the direct fulfillment of, the Old Testament scriptures. His ministry does not introduce a foreign religion but reveals the intended climax of the Jewish faith, specifically concerning the Messiah's suffering (e.g., Isa 53) and His resurrection from the dead (e.g., Psa 16).
Word-groups analysis:
- "Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day": This phrase highlights divine enablement for persistent ministry. Paul's longevity and steadfastness in his mission are attributed entirely to God's consistent provision and power, not human effort alone. It's a statement of reliance and faithfulness.
- "witnessing both to small and great": This emphasizes the impartial and universal scope of Paul's evangelistic outreach. The gospel message is not confined to any specific social class, ethnic group, or geographic location. It underscores the boundless reach of God's saving grace.
- "saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come": This is Paul's robust defense against charges of heresy or novelty. He firmly asserts that his preaching about Jesus Christ, especially regarding His suffering and resurrection, is deeply rooted in and directly fulfills the entirety of the Old Testament scriptures. It establishes the continuity between God's ancient promises and their Christ-centered consummation, underscoring the unity of God's redemptive plan throughout history.
Acts 26 22 Bonus section
Paul's declaration in Acts 26:22 serves as a foundational statement regarding the continuity of God's redemptive plan from the Old Testament through to the New. By asserting that his message aligned with "the prophets and Moses," Paul implicitly highlighted the cohesive nature of Scripture and God's consistent self-revelation. This point directly addressed the concerns of a Jewish audience (and those like Agrippa familiar with Jewish custom), reassuring them that the proclaimed Christ was not a contradiction but a fulfillment. Furthermore, this verse underscores a critical aspect of faithful Gospel proclamation: that it is not a human invention, but a divine message rooted in revelation and sustained by God's help. It validates the suffering and resurrection of Christ as the interpretive key to understanding Old Testament prophecies, affirming that these events were not accidental but divinely orchestrated and foretold.
Acts 26 22 Commentary
Acts 26:22 encapsulates Paul's profound apologetic before Agrippa, functioning as a concise summary of his entire ministry and theology. The verse reveals two crucial pillars: the divine empowerment for his endurance and the scriptural grounding of his message. Paul's ability to "continue unto this day" despite imprisonments, beatings, and rejection is not a feat of human resilience but a testament to God's sustained help. This acknowledgment places his ministry firmly within God's sovereign plan. More importantly, Paul passionately defends the content of his preaching, stating that he proclaims "none other things" than what Moses and the Prophets foretold. This refutes the charge that Christianity is a radical departure from Judaism; instead, Paul demonstrates it as the rightful culmination and fulfillment of the Hebrew Scriptures. His emphasis on what "should come" points to specific messianic prophecies concerning Christ's suffering and, implicitly, His resurrection (as stated in v. 23). This demonstrates Paul's consistent method of presenting Jesus not as a new god, but as the long-awaited Messiah of Israel, attested to by all of God's prior revelation. It serves as a model for grounding the Gospel message firmly in biblical truth and connecting the Old and New Testaments seamlessly.