Acts 26:7

Verse

the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to realize as they earnestly serve God day and night. It is because of this hope, O king, that I am accused by the Jews.

American Standard Version (1901)

unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king!

Bible in Basic English

For the effecting of which our twelve tribes have been working and waiting night and day with all their hearts. And in connection with this hope I am attacked by the Jews, O king!

Douay-Rheims 1899

Unto which, our twelve tribes, serving night and day, hope to come. For which hope, O king, I am accused by the Jews.

Free Bible Version

that our twelve tribes hoped to receive as they continually dedicated themselves in God's service. Yes, it's because of this hope that I'm accused by the Jews, Your Majesty!

Geneva Bible 1599

Whereunto our twelue tribes instantly seruing God day and night, hope to come: for the which hopes sake, O King Agrippa, I am accused of the Iewes.

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

Translation for Translators

Our twelve tribes are also confidently waiting for God to do for us what he promised, as they respectfully worship him, day and night. Respected king, I confidently expect that God will do what he promised, and they also believe that! But that is the reason that these Jewish leaders [SYN] are accusing me!

Unlocked Literal Bible

For this is the promise that our twelve tribes sought to receive as they earnestly worshiped God night and day. It is for this certain hope, King Agrippa, that the Jews accuse me.

Noah Webster Bible

To which promise our twelve tribes, assiduously serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.

World English Bible

which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa!

Young's Literal Translation

to which our twelve tribes, intently night and day serving, do hope to come, concerning which hope I am accused, king Agrippa, by the Jews;

Context

Paul’s Testimony to Agrippa

⁶And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made to our fathers,⁷the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to realize as they earnestly serve God day and night. It is because of this hope, O king, that I am accused by the Jews.⁸Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

Summary

In Acts 26:7, Paul is addressing King Agrippa and highlighting the hope of the promise made by God to the twelve tribes of Israel. This promise refers to the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who would fulfill the prophecies and bring salvation to both Jews and Gentiles. Paul's mention of this promise underscores the continuity of God's plan throughout history and the fulfillment of His covenant through Jesus. It serves as a reminder of the faithfulness of God in keeping His word and the significance of Jesus in the redemption of all people.

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Unto which promise--the fulfilment of it. our twelve tribes-- (Jam 1:1; and see on Luk 2:36). instantly--"intently"; see on Act 12:5. serving God--in the sense of religious worship; on "ministered," see on Act 13:2. day and night, hope to come--The apostle rises into language as catholic as the thought--representing his despised nation, all scattered thought it now was, as twelve great branches of one ancient stem, in all places of their dispersion offering to the God of their fathers one unbroken worship, reposing on one great "promise" made of old unto their fathers, and sustained by one "hope" of "coming" to its fulfilment; the single point of difference between him and his countrymen, and the one cause of all their virulence against him, being, that his hope had found rest in One already come, while theirs still pointed to the future. For which hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews--"I am accused of Jews, O king" (so the true reading appears to be); of all quarters the most surprising for such a charge to come from. The charge of sedition is not so much as alluded to throughout this speech. It was indeed a mere pretext.

John Gill Bible Commentary

Unto which promise,.... Of the Messiah, and salvation by him; and of the resurrection of the dead and eternal glory, as following upon it: our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night hope to come; and enjoy the Messiah, and all blessings along with him; and the happy state of the resurrection and eternal life: the people of Israel were distinguished into twelve tribes, according to the names of the twelve patriarchs, the sons of Jacob; and though ten of the tribes had been carried captive, and had not returned as tribes, yet there were many of the several tribes, who either were left in the land, or returned along with the two tribes, and were mixed with them: and this way of speaking here used by Paul, and also by James, Jam 1:1 is justified by Jewish writers: the Misnic doctors say (c), "the twelve tribes bring twelve heifers, and for idolatry they bring twelve heifers and twelve goats:'' compare with this Ezr 6:17, yea, they say (d). ""twelve tribes" are called, "a congregation", eleven tribes are not called a congregation.'' This suggests a reason of the apostle's use of this phrase, for he here represents the Israelites as a worshipping assembly, serving God continually, night and day, as they were by their representatives, the priests and stationary men in the temple; and that with intenseness, ardour, and fervency, as the word rendered "instantly" signifies being in a longing and earnest expectation of the coming of the Messiah, and of his world to come, and of the resurrection of the dead, and a future state of happiness. For which hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews: for preaching that the Messiah, the twelve tribes hope for, is already come and that there is salvation in him, and in no other, and that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both just and unjust; and that there is another world and state after this, in which men will be happy and miserable; and these were the charges and accusations, or the sum of what were exhibited against him. (c) Misn. Horayot, c. 1. sect. 5. (d) T. Bab. Horayot, fol. 5. 2.