These small group Bible studies of Acts 26 contain commentary, discussion questions, and practical application. Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.
Acts 26 Bible Study Guide – Sharing Testimony
Outline
I. Paul’s testimony: life before conversion (1-11)
II. Paul’s testimony: conversion and life after (12-23)
III. Festus and Agrippa respond (24-32)
I. Paul’s testimony: life before conversion (1-11)
Discussion Questions
• What was Paul’s life like before Christ?
• Why does he start sharing about things so long in the past?
• What can you learn from Paul about boldness?
• What can you learn about effectively sharing your testimony?
• What was your life like before Christ?
• How have you changed?
• Why was Paul so furious toward Christians?
Cross-References
Philippians 3:5-6 – 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; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Daniel 4:2 – It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.
1 Chronicles 16:8 – Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
Luke 12:12 – For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Paul’s intro –
Paul spoke graciously to Agrippa. While we should not engage in flattery, being polite is encouraged! King Agrippa was a Jew and evidently was quite familiar with many aspects of Judaism. This was not a legal trial with a sentencing on the line, but more like a private conference. From the beginning, Paul sought to make use of this opportunity to witness to Agrippa.
2. Paul’s testimony of his life before Christ –
On Paul sharing his testimony, please see our notes on Acts 22.
Application – We should be ready in season and out of season to share what God has done in our lives. Keep your eyes open for God at work. Practice sharing that with others, whether it seems big or small. Doing so will help you develop a lifestyle of sharing your testimony.
We are called to make known His deeds among the people.
1 Chronicles 16:8 – Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
3. Is it incredible that God raises the dead? –
Acts 26:8 – Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
Paul raised a good question. Festus and Agrippa were likely religious to some extent. At that time in history, there were very few atheists. Virtually everyone believed in a god of some type.
If God can create the universe, is raising a man from the dead more difficult?
Many people choose to believe in a distant God who created the world, but who is functionally not involved in it. Thomas Jefferson was one of these people. He went through the Bible and cut out all of the miracles, disbelieving that God could or would do that. What was left was dubbed the Jefferson Bible. He was creating a god in his own image, one severely limited in power and scope.
Nothing is impossible with God. The God who created the billions of stars and galaxies can easily raise someone from the dead. In fact, I would expect such a God to do miracles.
When people doubt the miracles in the Bible, the real question is their view of God. If there is no God, then the supernatural would not be possible. But if there is, the supernatural is expected.
Application – When people cast doubt on miracles, go back to the beginning. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. It will likely be more productive to discuss God’s existence than to debate each miracle He has done.
II. Paul’s testimony: conversion and life after (12-23)
Discussion Questions
• What stands out to you about Paul’s conversion?
• What seemed to stand out to Paul about his experience?
• Why does he mention that he heard the voice in Hebrew?
• How did he react to the vision?
• Based on verse 22, how was he able to keep going in the face of so much opposition?
• When have you deeply felt that God was a help to you?
• What does Paul mean that Jesus was the “first to rise from the dead” since Jesus Himself raised people from the dead and it also happened in the Old Testament?
• What are the implications of Jesus’ resurrection for us today? How does it give us hope?
• Have you prepared your salvation testimony so that you would be ready to share like Paul does?
Cross-References
Psalms 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Isaiah 41:10 – Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
1 Corinthians 15:20-23 – But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Paul’s conversion –
See notes on Acts 9.
2. Darkness vs light and Satan vs God –
Acts 26:17-18 – I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
This verse reminds us of the stakes involved in fulfilling the Great Commission. Revelation 12 talks about the cosmic scale of this war, which has been raging for millennia. It is important for us to understand the nature of the spiritual battle we are involved in, as well as the wicked determination of our enemy.
Let’s zoom out for a moment and look at the big picture of this war.
Genesis 1:31 – God saw all that He had made and behold it was very good.
When God created the world, everything was good. It was perfect. There was no darkness, no evil. But it didn’t take long for things to change. Only a few chapters later, after Adam and Eve rebelled against Him, people’s sin had become “great on the earth” (Genesis 6:5-6).
God promised to redeem the world. Through Abraham’s descendant, He would bring blessing to all the nations of the earth (Genesis 12:3). The same promise was made in front of the snake in Eden (Genesis 3:15). It is a promise that would be fulfilled in the Messiah.
Satan is not dumb. He knows Scripture. And he is aware of God’s plan to send a Messiah. He also knew that this Messiah would come through God’s chosen people, the nation of Israel (the woman).
From the beginning, Satan has attempted to block God’s plan by preventing Christ from ever being born. The best tacticians wage war on many levels. And knowing God’s plan ahead of time, Satan, being the skilled terrorist that he is, has tried to sabotage this plan over and over through the millennia.
He tries to corrupt the goodness in God’s creation. He tries to destroy the line of Christ to even prevent Jesus’ birth.
Reflect: How has Satan tried to thwart God’s plan of sending the Messiah?
Below, we will see a quick overview of how Satan has tried to block God’s plan and how God has won each time.
• Satan attempted to corrupt the human race (Genesis 2). If mankind is corrupted and fathers pass down original sin to their children, then how can a perfect Savior be born? God defeated this by the miracle of the virgin birth.
• Satan attempts to kill the godly line (Able). God raised up another godly line in Seth (Genesis 4:25).
• Satan attempted to pollute all the bloodlines of the human race (Genesis 6). God instead sends the flood and preserves one chosen family.
• A famine comes that threatens the fledgling family of Israel. God protects His people by sending Joseph ahead to Egypt (Genesis 38-50).
• In Egypt, Satan tries to kill all of the male children (Exodus 1:15-16). The midwives disobey because they feared God and the nation continues. Later, the idol-worshiping king tried to wipe out the Israelites when they were on the border of the Red Sea. But God flipped the script, protected His people, and wiped out the attacking armies.
• Satan attempted to use Haman the Agagite to exterminate all Jews from the planet. He got so far as to get the Persian king’s royal seal of approval (Esther 3:6, 13). God again flipped the script. He elevated Mordecai and Esther, putting them in the exact place and the exact time they needed to be to deliver His people.
• Through Herod, Satan attempted to have Jesus killed along with all the male children in Bethlehem under two (Matthew 2:16). God miraculously delivered the child and his family (Matthew 2:13-14).
• Satan attempted to tempt Jesus and cause Him to sin. If he was successful, Jesus could not save us. But Jesus resisted the temptation (1 Peter 1:18-19).
• Finally, Satan had Jesus killed, thinking this could stop Jesus from reigning as king (Luke 22:3). But this was part of God’s plan all along and the method by which He accomplished salvation for all.
We see that Satan has been opposed to the Messiah who brought God’s redemption plan all along. Like a skilled tactician, he began long before Jesus was actually born. But God is a far greater tactician. He told us exactly what He was going to do ahead of time. He even declared it to the enemy. Then He made it happen, using the very responses of the enemy to further His plan and reveal His sovereign power for all to see.
One of the most famous plays in baseball history is when Babe Ruth pointed out exactly where he was going to homer the pitch, and then did it.
That is what God did. Nothing can thwart His plan.
Job 42:2 – I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
Application – You are in a war. It is good versus evil, light versus dark, God versus Satan. You are called by God to share the message of forgiveness with the lost. This is a war that God is going to win, in fact, has already won. Yet we still have the privilege of being part of it. You have the opportunity to stake your name forever on the side of the righteous Victor. How will you fight that battle for Him this week?
2. Coming to Jesus changes our lives –
Reflect and Share – How has your life been changed since coming to Christ? Will the people around you see as dramatic a change as they did in Paul?
III. Festus and Agrippa respond (24-32)
Discussion Questions
• Why does Festus think Paul is crazy? Which aspects of Paul’s testimony would have been strange to a “worldly” person?
• Was Paul bothered by the accusation?
• Have you ever been called crazy or weird for following Jesus?
• Would that bother you if people said that about you?
• How should you respond if people accuse you of being mad for your faith in Christ?
• Why do many people have a strong desire to fit in with the crowd?
• What are some examples of “crazy” things characters in the Bible did in obedience to God?
• Do you have this desire? Why?
• Why does Paul seem to focus on Agrippa and not Festus?
Cross-References
2 Corinthians 5:13 – For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.
Galatians 1:10 – For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Matthew 5:11-12 – Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Festus believes Paul is out of his mind –
Acts 26:24 – And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.”
Festus knew Paul was a well-educated and intelligent individual. But Paul didn’t focus on defending himself according to the law. He simply shared his testimony and what God had been doing in his life.
That testimony included a heavenly vision, a resurrection, and a life spent not making money, but suffering to spread a message of forgiveness.
Roman men understand power, conquest, and victory. Strength, duty, and courage were virtues. Conquest was accomplished through military power. One of their most important gods was Mars, a god of war. Although they had various gods, essentially, they believed in themselves. Religion was largely pragmatic.
But there was very little that seemed pragmatic about Paul’s religion. Roman leaders like Festus would have likely thought, “What is the point of a religion that makes you weak, causes you to lose status, turns you into a victim, and results in suffering?”
It is easy to see how Festus thought Paul had gone insane. Following Christ seemed like lunacy to a politician like Festus.
1 Corinthians 1:18, 23, 25-29 – For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God… we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles…
For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
God’s wisdom ordained that salvation come through humble faith, not power or strength. He flipped the world’s order upside down. The cross is folly to the world. They look up to the successful elite, such as Hollywood celebrities or billionaires.
Jesus showed us a very different way. He was born in a stable, the adopted son of a carpenter. His parents were poor. When He grew up, Jesus reached out to the sick and outcast.
The cross was a symbol of shame, suffering, and death. God took this symbol of defeat and turned into a symbol of victory, hope, and eternal life. You can go to many far corners of the earth to remote villages deep in the jungle and see the cross there. It is a reminder that God has turned the world’s order upside down. God arranged things this way so that we would be humble.
Reflect – Why does God design such a counterintuitive redemption plan?
1 Corinthians 1:29 tells us it is because He did not want boasters in His presence. Every single person in heaven will be there because of God’s grace. The lowly generally see their sins and God’s holiness more clearly.
Paul was not out of his mind. On the contrary, he was the one who understood what was really important. Jesus came to Paul in a vision. That vision showed Paul a glimpse of the unseen, a truth that is not immediately tangible to all, but that is truer than anything we actually see.
Those who love the world focus on temporary things, money, pleasure, gadgets, and worldly achievements. Yet none of these things will last. Jesus will.
Isaiah 40:8 – The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
The crazy thing is to hold on to this world, which is fading away, instead of the eternal things of God.
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliot
Paul agreed. He said, “I am not out of my mind… but I am speaking true and rational words.”
Even so, it can be difficult for us to sell out for following Jesus because it puts us at odds with the world around us. Peer pressure is strong.
Reflect – What is it about fitting in that is so attractive?
Application – What is something “crazy” that God is calling you to do for Him?
2. Paul focuses on Agrippa –
For the entire conversation, Paul seems focused on sharing with Agrippa. It seems that he understands Agrippa is more open than Festus. After Festus interjects that Paul is going mad, Paul graciously answers him, but shifts his attention back to Agrippa again.
Acts 26:27-29 – King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”
Application – Invest your time and focus on those who are open to the gospel. If someone is hostile, it is generally better to move on and share with someone else who is more open. Jesus also taught the same principle.
Matthew 7:6 – Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
Reflect – Do you need to shift your focus of ministry to invest more in faithful and available people?
Meet the Author: Jason Dexter has been serving the Lord overseas in the 10/40 Window for more than twenty years, making disciples, teaching the Bible, and equipping believers to understand and apply God’s Word. These Bible studies were written by him, not by AI.
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