Acts 26 6

Acts 26:6 kjv

And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God, unto our fathers:

Acts 26:6 nkjv

And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers.

Acts 26:6 niv

And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today.

Acts 26:6 esv

And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers,

Acts 26:6 nlt

Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God's promise made to our ancestors.

Acts 26 verses

Acts 26 6 Meaning

Paul declares before King Agrippa that his present trial and judgment stem directly from his belief in, and proclamation of, the hope tied to the divine promises made by God to the patriarchs of Israel. This hope, for Paul, culminates in the resurrection of the dead, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, which forms the bedrock of both Jewish expectation and Christian faith. He frames his alleged crimes as an adherence to Israel's ancient spiritual heritage.

Acts 26 6 Context

Acts chapter 26 records Paul's eloquent defense before King Agrippa II, Bernice, Governor Festus, and other dignitaries in Caesarea. Paul, imprisoned for his evangelistic work, leverages this occasion not merely to escape charges, but to powerfully witness to his faith. His accusers, the Jewish leaders, had leveled various charges against him, including stirring up sedition and desecrating the Temple. Paul meticulously recounts his Jewish background as a Pharisee, his zealous persecution of Christians, his Damascus road conversion, and his divine commission to preach to Gentiles. Verse 6 marks a pivotal point where Paul connects his current "crime" to the fundamental hope of Israel. He frames his "problem" as being aligned with a central tenet of Jewish belief — the promises of God to their ancestors and the expectation of their fulfillment, particularly the resurrection of the dead. This masterstroke redefines the accusations, challenging his accusers and judges to consider whether persecuting him is tantamount to persecuting God's own promised future for Israel.

Acts 26 6 Word analysis

• And now (Καὶ νῦν - kai nyn): The phrase marks a transition, highlighting the present moment of Paul's standing trial. "Now" (νῦν) emphasizes the immediate significance of his defense in relation to timeless truths. It connects his contemporary situation directly to the historical, God-given promises.
• I stand (ἕστηκα - hestēka): This is a perfect active indicative verb, meaning "I have taken my stand and continue to stand" or "I am standing firm." It denotes a settled position or a state of being on trial. It implies a posture of unwavering conviction, not merely the physical act of standing up. It carries the legal nuance of presenting oneself before a court for judgment.
• and am judged (κρίνομαι - krinomai): A present passive indicative verb, meaning "I am being judged" or "I am under trial." This verb signifies the ongoing legal process. Paul acknowledges the reality of his predicament—he is accused and stands before a human court—but immediately contextualizes it within a deeper, theological reality.
• for (περί - peri): This preposition means "concerning," "about," or "with respect to." It indicates the subject matter of the judgment. Paul is judged concerning this particular hope, shifting the focus from political or legal offenses to a spiritual one.
• the hope (τῆς ἐλπίδος - tēs elpidos): "Hope" (ἐλπίς) in biblical Greek is not mere wishful thinking but a confident, certain expectation or assurance, particularly concerning God's future action. It signifies a deeply rooted conviction about a promised future. For Paul, this hope primarily concerns the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:6, 24:15), a core tenet he shares with Pharisees and a central truth of Christianity.
• of the promise (τῆς ἐπαγγελίας - tēs epangelias): This refers to a divine declaration or assurance. It is God's unwavering commitment. The singular form emphasizes the unified nature of God's overarching redemptive promise, even though it manifests in many specific instances (e.g., land, seed, blessing, Messiah, Spirit). This promise is divinely initiated and guaranteed.
• made by God (γενομένης ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ - genomenēs hypo tou Theou): The participle "made" (γενομένης, genomenēs, "having come into being") denotes the origin and active source of the promise. It highlights the divine authorship. "By God" (ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ) leaves no ambiguity: this is a divine, immutable pledge, not a human invention. This strengthens the authority and certainty of the promise.
• to our fathers (πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν - pros tous pateras hēmōn): Refers collectively to the patriarchs of Israel—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—and by extension, Moses and David. By identifying with "our fathers," Paul skillfully aligns himself with the esteemed foundational figures of Jewish history, appealing to a shared heritage and underscoring the ancient roots of the promise. He positions himself not as a radical innovator but as a faithful inheritor of ancestral belief.

Words-group analysis

• "I stand and am judged for the hope": This phrase succinctly states Paul's defense: his legal standing is entirely due to his firm belief in and declaration of "the hope." He claims he is not on trial for breaking Roman or even Jewish law in its essence, but for affirming a core spiritual truth.
• "the hope of the promise made by God": This emphasizes that the hope is not subjective or wishful, but grounded objectively in God's specific, historical, and unchangeable promise. Its divine origin (made by God) provides its ultimate certainty and power, differentiating it from any human ideology or philosophy.
• "the promise made by God to our fathers": This phrase ties the Christian message directly back to the covenant history of Israel. Paul connects Jesus Christ and the resurrection, not as something foreign, but as the anticipated fulfillment of ancient divine commitments to Israel's revered ancestors. This challenges the Jewish accusers who deny this fulfillment in Christ, ironically rejecting the very hope of their fathers.

Acts 26 6 Bonus section

Paul's rhetorical strategy here is profound. He recontextualizes his trial from a legal-political issue (as Festus viewed it) to a theological one. He implicitly argues that if the promised resurrection, particularly of the Messiah, is fundamental to the hope of Israel, then to prosecute him for believing and proclaiming its fulfillment in Jesus is illogical and ultimately a rejection of God's own faithful character. The paradox lies in his standing trial before a Jewish king (Agrippa II) for a hope rooted in Jewish scripture, which was partially affirmed by Pharisees (resurrection belief). Paul sets up a shared premise, creating an entry point for Agrippa to consider his full testimony. The phrase "hope of the promise" is rich; it suggests that the promise itself engenders hope, and this hope, in turn, awaits the promise's consummation. It underscores the active, forward-looking nature of faith grounded in God's fidelity.

Acts 26 6 Commentary

In Acts 26:6, Paul masterfully pivots his legal defense into a theological declaration, framing his indictment not as a charge of sedition or heresy, but as a judgment concerning the ultimate fulfillment of God's age-old promises to Israel. The core of his "crime" is "the hope," which he explicitly identifies with the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:6; 24:15). This was a belief Paul shared with the Pharisees, though his understanding of its fulfillment in Jesus separated him from those who rejected Christ. By rooting his defense in "the promise made by God to our fathers," Paul invokes the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, the very foundations of Jewish identity and expectation.

He highlights the divine origin of these promises ("made by God"), underscoring their unimpeachable authority and ultimate certainty. Paul's message is not an invention but the culmination of God's steadfast redemptive plan. His reference to "our fathers" is a direct appeal to Agrippa and the Jewish leaders present, challenging them to recognize that his testimony regarding Christ's resurrection is not a deviation from Judaism, but its ultimate fulfillment. He is asserting that the Christian belief in Jesus' resurrection and the future general resurrection is the true inheritor and living embodiment of Israel's greatest aspirations. He positions himself as a faithful Jew proclaiming the promised salvation, implicitly critiquing those who cling to a hope whose substance they refuse to acknowledge in Jesus Christ.