Acts 26:7 kjv
Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
Acts 26:7 nkjv
To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.
Acts 26:7 niv
This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me.
Acts 26:7 esv
to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!
Acts 26:7 nlt
In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope!
Acts 26 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 26:7 | "...to which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day..." | Paul's defense before Agrippa |
| Genesis 1:14 | "...and let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years," | God's creation of celestial bodies |
| Psalm 1:2 | "...but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." | The righteous meditate on God's word |
| Isaiah 27:13 | "And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem." | A future ingathering of Israel |
| Isaiah 58:2 | "Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if it were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God..." | Israel's outward show of piety |
| Jeremiah 3:15 | "Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding." | God's promise of faithful shepherds |
| Jeremiah 31:7 | "For thus says the Lord: Sing with gladness, praise Jacob! cry aloud for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel!" | Prophecy of Israel's restoration |
| Luke 2:37 | "...and she never left the temple, but devoted herself to prayer and fasting night and day." | Anna's devotion |
| John 4:24 | "God is a Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." | True worship |
| Acts 2:46 | "And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts," | Early church devotion |
| Acts 2:39 | "For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”" | The promise to all |
| Acts 3:21 | "...whom heaven must receive until the time for all restoration of which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago." | Christ's exaltation and future restoration |
| Acts 17:2-3 | "And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead..." | Paul's custom of reasoning from Scripture |
| Romans 9:4-5 | "...to them belong the adoption as sons, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen." | Israel's unique privileges |
| 1 Corinthians 15:10 | "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me." | Paul's labor by God's grace |
| Philippians 3:5 | "...circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;" | Paul's Jewish heritage |
| 2 Timothy 2:15 | "Do your best to present yourself to God as a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." | Handling the word of truth |
| Hebrews 4:14 | "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession." | Jesus as our High Priest |
| Revelation 7:15 | "Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them." | Servants serving God in heaven |
Acts 26 verses
Acts 26 7 Meaning
The twelve tribes of Israel, constantly serving God day and night, hope to receive the fulfillment of God's promises through their faithfulness. This hope is the reason for their constant devotion and diligent service to God.
Acts 26 7 Context
Paul is defending himself before King Agrippa and a large assembly of officials and notable citizens. He recounts his conversion experience and the divine commission he received. He highlights his Jewish heritage and the consistency of his message with Old Testament prophecy. The phrase about the "twelve tribes" connects his present ministry and the gospel's offer to all of Israel with the historical covenantal promises God made to His chosen people. Paul is emphasizing that his faith in Jesus as the Messiah is not a departure from true Israelite hope but its fulfillment. His purpose is to show Agrippa that he has not acted against the Jewish faith or its fundamental expectations but rather preaches the very thing Israel has waited for.
Acts 26 7 Word Analysis
- "To which": Refers back to the hope Paul has previously mentioned.
- "Our": Paul identifies with Israel in his heritage, though now he is a servant of Christ.
- "Twelve": Refers to the original twelve tribes of Israel, representing the entirety of God's covenant people.
- "Tribes": Signifies the distinct yet united lineage of Israel, emphasizing their shared history and divine promises.
- "Earnestly" (Greek: spoudē - σπουδῇ): This word conveys eagerness, diligence, zeal, and hastening. It implies an active and fervent commitment.
- "Serving" (Greek: latreuw - λατρεύω): This verb primarily means to worship, serve, or minister, often in a religious context. It speaks of devoted service to God, encompassing worship and obedience.
- "God": The singular, supreme, and creator God of the universe, as known by the Israelites.
- "Night and day": An idiom signifying continuous, constant, and unceasing service. It implies a life wholly dedicated to God.
- "Hope" (Greek: elpís - ἐλπίς): This refers to expectation, trust, and desire for something to come, grounded in God's promises.
- "to attain" (Greek: kateidō - κατεῖδον): This word means to look down upon, behold, or discern. In this context, it implies the hope for God's promised blessings and the ultimate fulfillment of His plans for Israel.
Words Group Analysis:
- "Our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day": This phrase paints a picture of consistent, dedicated worship and service from the entire nation of Israel. It emphasizes a zealous, unwavering commitment to God, looking towards His promises. Paul aligns himself with this, indicating his past Jewish devotion.
Acts 26 7 Bonus Section
The concept of serving "night and day" echoes the constant service expected in the Old Testament Tabernacle and Temple worship, where priests and Levites ministered without ceasing. It also finds parallel in the persistent prayers of devout individuals like Anna in the New Testament. This perpetual service was intrinsically linked to their waiting for the Messiah and the restoration of Israel. Paul, by referencing this, emphasizes that his own dedicated life, now in Christ, is a continuation and ultimate expression of this ancient Israelite hope. The "twelve tribes" represents the unity and completeness of God's people, underscoring that the promise of salvation through Christ is for all of Israel.
Acts 26 7 Commentary
Paul reminds Agrippa of Israel's foundational dedication to God, a devotion characterized by continuous service and unwavering hope. He posits that this fervent commitment to worship and service, maintained day and night across all twelve tribes, was precisely aimed at receiving God's promised blessings. Paul is asserting that the hope of Israel, centered on God's faithfulness to His covenants and prophecies, is fundamentally what he preaches through Jesus Christ. He uses this point to validate his own apostleship and the gospel message by connecting it directly to the deepest aspirations of the Jewish people. This demonstrates that the Gospel is not a deviation from, but the ultimate fulfillment of, God’s long-standing plan for Israel.