Who was Paul speaking to when he gave the first-person account in Acts 26?
Paul gave the first-person account in Acts 26 while addressing a crowded courtroom before Agrippa. He testified how he had formerly persecuted believers, shut up many saints in prison, received authority from the chief priests, and voted against them when they were put to death.
Les explains that Acts 26:9 is Paul speaking in the first person, addressing the crowded courtroom before Agrippa. Paul admits he thought he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, which he did in Jerusalem. He shut up many saints—believing Jews who had embraced Jesus of Nazareth—in prison, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death, he gave his vote against them. Les notes this was not nominal persecution; Paul persecuted them to the death and was cruel. When believers came before the Sanhedrin confessing Christ as Messiah, the Sanhedrin voted, and Paul voted to put them to death. He also punished them often in every synagogue, favoring the lash of 39 stripes, trying to make them deny their confession and blaspheme.
I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
More Questions
To whom was Paul speaking when he gave the account of his persecution in Acts 26?
Paul spoke the Acts 26 account in the first person, addressing a crowded courtroom before King Agrippa.