KING UNDER ROME, OF LANDS NORTH AND EAST OF GALILEE · NEW TESTAMENT

Agrippa II. The king who heard Paul's defence at Caesarea.

RULEDi

Not given c. AD 50–100 (dates vary)

SEAT

Not stated

HOUSE

Herod's family 13th of 17 in Rome

SCRIPTURE SAYS

“King Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus." Festus laid Paul's case before him: a man…”

PROPHETS

None named

ROME: 17 RULERS HEROD THE GREAT → PORCIUS FESTUS

THE HERODS

Which Herod this is

SUCCESSION

Before and after

WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS

What Scripture says of him

  • "King Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus." Festus laid Paul's case before him: a man "left in bonds by Felix", accused over questions "of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive". Acts 25:13–19
  • Agrippa said, "I would also hear the man myself." Acts 25:22
  • Next day Agrippa and Bernice came "with great pomp" into the place of hearing. Festus said he had "no certain thing to write unto my lord" and had brought Paul "specially before thee, O king Agrippa". Acts 25:23–26
  • "Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself." Paul called himself happy to answer before him, "because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews". Acts 26:1–3
  • Paul told of his life as a Pharisee, his persecuting, the light and voice on the road to Damascus, and his preaching; he said, "the king knoweth of these things ... for this thing was not done in a corner." Acts 26:4–26
  • "King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Acts 26:27–28
  • Rising with the governor and Bernice, they agreed, "This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds", and Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar." Acts 26:30–32

THE KINGDOM

The places Scripture names

Rome. Only places Scripture names are shown, each where the Atlas puts it.

EVENTS

Wars, works and turning points

UNDATED IN SCRIPTURE

THE NATION

What the nation did

  • He came to Caesarea to greet the new governor Festus, who consulted him about Paul. Acts 25:13–14
  • Scholars' viewSchürer (1890): through the war of 66–70 he stood on the Roman side; he hosted Vespasian at Caesarea Philippi and was with Titus.[13]

ON THE WORLD STAGE

The powers of the day

ROME'S GOVERNOR OF JUDAEA

Festus · Felix

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · REIGN YEARS TO 35

His coins

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · ABOUT AD 120

Suetonius on Berenice and Titus

DATES DIFFER

When was it?

SCRIPTURE'S NUMBERS

No years given

None.

SCHÜRER (1890)

c. AD 50–100[13]

King of Chalcis from about AD 50; of Philip's former tetrarchy from AD 53, with parts of Galilee and Perea added by Nero; died in the third year of Trajan, AD 100, by the report of Justus of Tiberias preserved by Photius.

Almost persuaded, and in earnest

the KJV's rendering, following Chrysostom; J. A. Bengel (1742); John Gill (1746–1748); Jamieson, Fausset and Brown (1871)

They read the words as a real admission that Paul had nearly won him; Bengel sees "a motion towards good in him", and Jamieson, Fausset and Brown argue that Paul's reply ("both almost, and altogether") suits only that sense. Acts 26:28–29 [26][28][33]

"With little persuasion": a dismissive answer

H. A. W. Meyer (English 1877–1879); C. J. Ellicott's commentary (about 1880); J. R. Lumby (1882)

They hold that the Greek means "with little" (effort, words or time), not "almost", and read the reply as mockery: Ellicott calls it "a cynical sneer", and Lumby cites the Revised Version's "With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a Christian". Acts 26:28 [22][3][27]

IN SCRIPTURE

Every passage

CHAPTERS · 2

Acts 25 Acts 26

PASSAGES · 1

Acts 25:13–26:32

WHAT SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SAY

  • Acts never calls him Herod, and does not say whose son he was.
  • Acts does not say how Bernice was related to him.
  • Acts records his words to Paul but says nothing of his faith beyond them.

IDENTIFICATIONS THIS PAGE RELIES ON

  • From the textActs calls him "king Agrippa" and sets him beside Bernice in the time of the governor Festus. Acts never calls him Herod and does not say who his father was. Acts 25:13 Acts 25:23 Acts 26:30
  • Scholars' viewSchürer (1890) places the visit of Acts 25:13 in AD 60, when Agrippa and Bernice came "with great pomp" to welcome the new procurator Festus. Acts 25:13 Acts 25:23 [13]

SOURCES

Where this page comes from

  • A. B. Bruce, The Expositor's Greek Testament: Luke (1897), note on Luke 19:12–27 (read on Bible Hub).
  • A. C. McGiffert, Notes to Eusebius, Church History (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 1) (1890), book 2, chapter 10, notes 7 and 8, pp. 111–112.
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Acts 26:28 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Luke 19:12 (read on Bible Hub).
  • E. Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, Division I, vol. 1 (tr. J. Macpherson) (1890), §14, p. 393 and note 3 (Herod made king by the Senate).
  • E. Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, Division I, vol. 1 (tr. J. Macpherson) (1890), §15, pp. 400–401 (heading 'Herod the Great, B.C. 37–4'; sources).
  • E. Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, Division I, vol. 1 (tr. J. Macpherson) (1890), §15, pp. 409–410 and note 12 (the temple begun in B.C. 20–19).
  • E. Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, Division I, vol. 1 (tr. J. Macpherson) (1890), §15, pp. 463–466 and note 165 (the last will, death and date).
  • E. Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, Division I, vol. 2 (tr. J. Macpherson) (1890), §17a, pp. 10–16 (Philip, B.C. 4 – A.D. 34).
  • E. Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, Division I, vol. 2 (tr. J. Macpherson) (1890), Excursus I, pp. 131–133 (the census and Herod's lifetime).
  • E. Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, Division I, vol. 2 (tr. J. Macpherson) (1890), §18, pp. 150–165 and notes (Herod Agrippa I, A.D. 37, 40, 41–44).
  • E. Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, Division I, vol. 2 (tr. J. Macpherson) (1890), §17b, pp. 17–20 (Antipas: title, territory, cities).
  • E. Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, Division I, vol. 2 (tr. J. Macpherson) (1890), §19 Supplement, pp. 191–206 and notes (Agrippa II, A.D. 50–100).
  • E. Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, Division I, vol. 2 (tr. J. Macpherson) (1890), §17b, pp. 21–28 and notes (Herodias; John the Baptist).
  • E. Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, Division I, vol. 2 (tr. J. Macpherson) (1890), §17b, pp. 29–32 (Jesus and Antipas; the chronology).
  • E. Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, Division I, vol. 2 (tr. J. Macpherson) (1890), §17b, pp. 32–38 and notes (Aretas; banishment).
  • E. Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, Division I, vol. 2 (tr. J. Macpherson) (1890), Appendix II, pp. 356–358 (Aretas IV, B.C. 9 – A.D. 40).
  • E. Schürer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, Division I, vol. 2 (tr. J. Macpherson) (1890), §17c, pp. 38–42 and notes (Archelaus, B.C. 4 – A.D. 6).
  • Eusebius, tr. A. C. McGiffert, Church History (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 1) (1890), 2.10.1–10, pp. 111–112.
  • F. W. Farrar, The Gospel according to St Luke (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1880), note on Luke 19:12 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Acts of the Apostles (English translation) (1877–1879), note on Acts 23:35 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Acts of the Apostles (English translation) (1877–1879), note on Acts 26:28 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospels of Mark and Luke (English translation) (1880), note on Luke 19:12–13 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospels of Mark and Luke (English translation) (1880), note on Mark 6:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (quoting F. W. Farrar, The Life of Christ, 1874) (1880–1897), note on Matt 2:16 (read on Bible Hub).
  • J. A. Bengel, Gnomon of the New Testament (Latin 1742; English translation) (1742), note on Acts 26:28 (read on Bible Hub).
  • J. R. Lumby, The Acts of the Apostles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1882), note on Acts 26:28 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Acts 26:28 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Matt 2:16 (read on Bible Hub).
  • M. R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887), note on Acts 23:35 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Macrobius (Latin text, ed. L. von Jan), Saturnalia (1852), 2.4.11 (our translation of the Latin).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Acts 23:35 (read on Bible Hub).
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on Acts 26:28 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Suetonius, tr. J. C. Rolfe, The Lives of the Caesars: Titus (1914), Titus 7.1–2.
  • W. M. Ramsay, Was Christ Born at Bethlehem? (1898), pp. 201, 219–221, 245.

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