The Meaning of Acts 26:26 Explained

Acts 26:26

KJV: For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

YLT: for the king doth know concerning these things, before whom also I speak boldly, for none of these things, I am persuaded, are hidden from him; for this thing hath not been done in a corner;

Darby: for the king is informed about these things, to whom also I speak with all freedom. For I am persuaded that of these things nothing is hidden from him; for this was not done in a corner.

ASV: For the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hath not been done in a corner.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  the king  knoweth  of  these  things, before  whom  also  I speak  freely:  for  I am persuaded  that  none  of these things  are hidden  from him;  for  this thing  was  not  done  in  a corner. 

What does Acts 26:26 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 26:22-32 - Convincing His Inquisitors
Paul was in his element. He was delivering to kings and governors the testimony which it was the constant object of his life to give, when suddenly he was stopped by Festus, who, on hearing of the resurrection of the dead, accused Paul of madness. Paul addressed him with perfect respect, and then turned to King Agrippa for justification. But Agrippa did not choose to be entrapped in the discussion of these deep religious truths. With the contempt of a man of the world he smiled at the enthusiastic earnestness of this man who fancied that a wearer of purple would embrace faith in a crucified Messiah. It was as if he said, "In a little while you'll be making me-a Christian!"
Paul immediately caught up his words. With evident sincerity he broke in with, I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am (here he must have raised his fettered hands) except these bonds. He was no common criminal, as his judges were fain to admit, and the proceedings of that day probably, under God, saved Paul's life, for Nero could hardly condemn to death a man who had been pronounced innocent by such hearers as these. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 26

1  Paul, in the presence of Agrippa, declares his life from his childhood;
12  and how miraculously he was converted, and called to his apostleship
24  Festus charges him with being insane, whereunto he answers modestly
28  Agrippa is almost persuaded to be a Christian
31  The whole company pronounces him innocent

Greek Commentary for Acts 26:26

For the king knoweth of these things [επισταται γαρ περι τουτων ο βασιλευς]
Επισταται — Epistatai (present middle probably Ionic form of επιστημι — ephistēmi) is a literary word and suits well here (cf. Acts 24:10). [source]
Freely [παρρησιαζομενος]
Present middle participle, speaking fully, making a clean breast of it. From παρρησια — parrēsia Is hidden from him (πειτομαι — lanthanein auton). Escapes his notice. Infinitive in indirect discourse after peithomai (I am persuaded). [source]
Is hidden from him [πειτομαι]
Escapes his notice. Infinitive in indirect discourse after peithomai (I am persuaded). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 26:26

Galatians 4:14 Ye despised not nor rejected [οὐκ ἐξουθενήσατε οὐδὲ ἐξεπτύσατε]
Commonly explained by making both verbs govern your temptation. Thus the meaning would be: “You were tempted to treat my preaching contemptuously because of my bodily infirmity; but you did not despise nor reject that which was a temptation to you.” This is extremely far fetched, awkward, and quite without parallel in Paul's writings or elsewhere. It does not suit the following but received me, etc. It lays the stress on the Galatians' resistance of a temptation to despise Paul; whereas the idea of a temptation is incidental. On this construction we should rather expect Paul to say: “Ye did despise and repudiate this temptation.” Better, make your temptation, etc., dependent on ye know (Galatians 4:13); place a colon after flesh, and make both verbs govern me in the following clause. Rend. “Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel to you the first time, and (ye know) your temptation which was in my flesh: ye did not despise nor reject me, but received me.” The last clause thus forms one of a series of short and detached clauses beginning with Galatians 4:10. Ὁυκ ἐξουθενήσατε yedid not set at nought, from οὐδέν nothingThe form οὐθέν occurs Luke 22:35; Luke 23:14; Acts 19:27; Acts 26:26; 1 Corinthians 13:2; 2 Corinthians 11:8. For the compound here, comp. Luke 18:9; Luke 23:11; Acts 4:11; 2 Corinthians 10:10. oClass. Ἑξεπτύσατε spurnedN.T.oLit. spat out. A strong metaphor, adding the idea of contempt to that of setting at nought. Comp. Hom. Od. v. 322; Aristoph. Wasps, 792. The two verbs express contemptuous indifference. Ἑμέσαι tovomit, as a figure of contemptuous rejection, is found in Revelation 3:16. The simple πτύειν tospit only in the literal sense in N.T. Mark 7:33; Mark 8:23; John 9:6, and no other compound occurs. [source]
1 Thessalonians 2:2 And been shamefully entreated in Philippi [και υβριστεντες εν Πιλιπποις]
First aorist passive participle of υβριζω — hubrizō old verb, to treat insolently. “More than the bodily suffering it was the personal indignity that had been offered to him as a Roman citizen” (Milligan), for which account see notes on Acts 16:16-40, an interesting example of how Acts and the Epistles throw light on each other. Luke tells how Paul resented the treatment accorded to him as a Roman citizen and here Paul shows that the memory still rankled in his bosom. We waxed bold in our God (επαρρησιασαμετα εν τωι τεωι ημων — eparrēsiasametha en tōi theōi hēmōn). Ingressive first aorist middle of παρρησιαζομαι — parrēsiazomai old deponent verb from παρρησια — parrēsia (full story, παν ρησια — pan-, παρρησιαζομενος λαλω — rēsia). In his reply to Festus (Acts 26:26) Paul uses επαρρησιασαμετα λαλησαι — parrēsiazomenos lalō being bold I speak, while here he has we waxed bold to speak (προς υμας — eparrēsiasametha lalēsai). The insult in Philippi did not close Paul‘s mouth, but had precisely the opposite effect “in our God.” It was not wild fanaticism, but determined courage and confidence in God that spurred Paul to still greater boldness in Thessalonica, unto you (το ευαγγελιον του τεου εν πολλωι αγωνι — pros humās), be the consequences what they might, the gospel of God in much conflict, (αγων — to euaggelion tou theou en pollōi agōni). This figure of the athletic games (agōn) may refer to outward conflict like Philemon 1:30 or inward anxiety (Colossians 2:1). He had both in Thessalonica. [source]
1 Thessalonians 2:2 We waxed bold in our God [επαρρησιασαμετα εν τωι τεωι ημων]
Ingressive first aorist middle of παρρησιαζομαι — parrēsiazomai old deponent verb from παρρησια — parrēsia (full story, παν ρησια — pan-, παρρησιαζομενος λαλω — rēsia). In his reply to Festus (Acts 26:26) Paul uses επαρρησιασαμετα λαλησαι — parrēsiazomenos lalō being bold I speak, while here he has we waxed bold to speak The insult in Philippi did not close Paul‘s mouth, but had precisely the opposite effect “in our God.” It was not wild fanaticism, but determined courage and confidence in God that spurred Paul to still greater boldness in Thessalonica, unto you This figure of the athletic games He had both in Thessalonica. [source]
2 Peter 3:5 For this they wilfully forget [λαντανει γαρ αυτους τουτο τελοντας]
Literally, “for this escapes them being willing.” See this use of λαντανω — lanthanō (old verb, to escape notice of, to be hidden from) in Acts 26:26. The present active participle τελοντας — thelontas (from τελω — thelō to wish) has almost an adverbial sense here. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 26:26 mean?

Understands for concerning these things the king to whom also using boldness I speak Are hidden from him any of these things not I am persuaded none for is in a corner done of these things
ἐπίσταται γὰρ περὶ τούτων βασιλεύς πρὸς ὃν καὶ παρρησιαζόμενος λαλῶ λανθάνειν αὐτὸν [τι] τούτων οὐ πείθομαι οὐθέν γάρ ἐστιν ἐν γωνίᾳ πεπραγμένον τοῦτο

ἐπίσταται  Understands 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐπίσταμαι  
Sense: to put one’s attention on, fix one’s thoughts on, to turn one’s self or one’s mind to, put one’s thought upon a thing.
περὶ  concerning 
Parse: Preposition
Root: περί 
Sense: about, concerning, on account of, because of, around, near.
τούτων  these  things 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
βασιλεύς  king 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: βασιλεύς  
Sense: leader of the people, prince, commander, lord of the land, king.
ὃν  whom 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
παρρησιαζόμενος  using  boldness 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: παρρησιάζομαι  
Sense: to use freedom in speaking, be free spoken.
λαλῶ  I  speak 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἀπολαλέω 
Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound.
λανθάνειν  Are  hidden  from 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: λανθάνω  
Sense: to be hidden, to be hidden from one, secretly, unawares, without knowing.
[τι]  any 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
τούτων  of  these  things 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
πείθομαι  I  am  persuaded 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐπισείω 
Sense: persuade.
οὐθέν  none 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
γωνίᾳ  a  corner 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: γωνία  
Sense: corner.
πεπραγμένον  done 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ἀναπράσσω 
Sense: to exercise, practise, to be busy with, carry on.
τοῦτο  of  these  things 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.