By David Ettinger
Paul’s Famous Trial
I thought this title would get your attention. But, I can assure you, it’s absolutely true!

In Acts Chapters 23 through 26, we read of the apostle Paul’s prolonged trial in Caesarea before the Judean governor Felix, who was eventually replaced by Porcius Festus while Paul was imprisoned there. Paul’s case, however, baffled Festus, and he sought help from King Agrippa. Paul would deliver the Gospel to this monarch, who in turn mocked Paul. (You may want to take a few minutes and read the account.)
Who was King Agrippa – and Bernice, the woman who accompanied him? Let’s look at the cringe-inducing facts.
Another Herod Descendant
Agrippa II (Acts 25:13-26:32) was the son of Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:1) and great-grandson of Herod the Great (Matthew 2:1), whose many descendants ruled over Middle East provinces.
Agrippa II, who was only 30 years old when he heard Paul’s testimony, began his political life when he was appointed the tetrarch in Chalcis (modern-day northern Syria) in about A.D. 50. His reign (A.D. 50-70) was eventually extended to include Galilee and Jerusalem.
King Agrippa II was highly regarded by the Roman imperial family and was awarded the privilege of appointing the Jewish high priest AND was made the custodian of the temple treasury. Both responsibilities were odious to the Jews of Israel.
However, these duties also meant Agrippa was familiar with Jewish law, making him better qualified than Festus to judge Paul’s case.

A Loaded Verse
After Festus summoned the young king to Caesarea, we read in Acts 25:23: “The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul [who was in chains, Acts 26:29] was brought in.”
This may seem like a run-of-the-mill explanatory sentence, but going deeper, we realize it is loaded with meaning.
First, we read of Bernice, the woman who accompanied Agrippa. Without looking at her background, one would assume she was Agrippa’s wife. But – and this should not surprise us when it comes to the family of the Herods – this was not the case.
Bernice, a widow, was the sister of King Agrippa. A brother caring for his widowed sister is admirable, and had this been the only link between the two, King Agrippa would have been acting benevolently.
History, however, tells us otherwise. Though Bernice had a favorable relationship with the Jewish people and was familiar with their beliefs, she nonetheless lived a debauched life, its ugliest manifestation being her incestuous relationship with Agrippa. Though brother and sister, they shared the same bed, and she accompanied Agrippa to Paul’s trial as a wife would accompany her husband (as did Drusilla with Felix).
Pomp vs. Humility
Second, note in verse 23 how “Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room.” This godless couple used the occasion of Paul’s trial to display their position, stature, and wealth.

They made the trial about themselves, their arrogance a striking contrast to the shackled, God-fearing Paul. On display was pomp vs. humility, the deeds of godlessness vs. the fruits of faith in the God who created Heaven and Earth.
Ridiculing Response
When Paul came to the end of his testimony, he asked the monarch a direct question: “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do” (Acts 26:27).
Paul wished to engage in conversation with the purpose of bringing this man to faith in Christ (v. 29), but Agrippa returned Paul’s compassion with ridicule: “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” (v. 28). In essence, he was saying, “Paul, do really think you can lure a man like me to your faith based on such a brief conversation. It will take far more than that!”
We then read that Agrippa and Bernice left the premises with no hint that either ever engaged Paul again. To them, this was solely a judicial matter, but what Agrippa and Bernice failed to realize was that a righteous man of God could care enough about a sin-stained incestuous couple to share with them the way in which they might be saved.
Tragic negligence indeed!
Dee@Sealed in Christ
March 19, 2019
OMG, I never knew all this about Agrippa and Bernice. It’s a little nauseating. But, considering he’s part of the Herod family, I suppose it’s not at all surprising. Thanks for posting this bit of history!
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dettinger47
March 19, 2019
Thank you, Dee. I enjoy doing these occasional, brief historical studies of Bible personalities. One lesson I got out of this one, as noted at the end, is that no matter how sinful one is, if God gives us the opportunity to share the Gospel with him or her, we are to do it. More than anything, it is a great picture of God’s grace to sinners.
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Dee@Sealed in Christ
March 19, 2019
You know, recently God has been strongly placing on my heart to pray for salvation for people like AOC, Ilhan Omar, etc. And I have been doing it. These are people who I would normally only be enraged with and feel threatened by; but as I pray for them I see more clearly that they are only pawns of satan, taken captive to do his will. So, maybe I can’t share the gospel with them in words, but I can pray for them; because Jesus died for them too and wants them to be free – whether they currently believe in him or not.
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dettinger47
March 19, 2019
So true. I’ve written a blog on these two as well, saying that though we can intensely dislike their policies, we most certainly need to be praying for their salvation. Thank you for sharing your insights, Dee!
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Dee@Sealed in Christ
March 19, 2019
Hmm, I’ll have to look for that blog. I’d love to read it.
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dettinger47
March 19, 2019
https://ettingerwriting.wordpress.com/2019/01/07/we-must-pray-for-all-politicians/
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Dee@Sealed in Christ
March 19, 2019
Thanks!
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Raina Nightingale
March 19, 2019
Certainly! Pray for them. I mean, if you feel threatened by someone, isn’t that reason alone to pray for them?
Which is not to say that I understand feeling threatened by them (not that I know anything about them either, except that they probably have something to do with central American politics).
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Dee@Sealed in Christ
March 19, 2019
Thanks Raina. Threatened in the sense of the damage they could potentially inflict upon our nation. But this too is not of God, because He is in control of all things and therefore I shouldn’t feel threatened to begin with. 🙂
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seekingdivineperspective
March 19, 2019
So have I! Can you imagine the impact if some of these people got radically saved?! I pray that “they will have a powerful testimony to give the world, while the world is still interested in them.”
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dettinger47
March 19, 2019
Amen!
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Dee@Sealed in Christ
March 19, 2019
So true! It would be an amazing testimony, much like Paul’s.
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Vincent S Artale Jr
March 19, 2019
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
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heavensreef
March 19, 2019
Thanks David for another history lesson…….I didn’t know this either!
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dettinger47
March 19, 2019
Thank you, Maxine. I love researching these things … they’re just as much educational and eye-opening for me.
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heavensreef
March 19, 2019
I know……always in awe at what I learn when I am writing. But I give all the credit to HIS spirit leading me and so thankful for it too! Your posts are always so full of facts etc! And I so thank you for them……it does take time to research and write them.
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dettinger47
March 19, 2019
Thank you for the kind words, Maxine! And amen to giving credit to His Spirit and the leading He gives us!
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Bruce
March 19, 2019
I wasn’t aware of that! Thank you David.
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dettinger47
March 19, 2019
Not pretty stuff!
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bigskybuckeye
March 21, 2019
Your words have opened my eyes to the masquerade that Apostle Paul was subjected to during his many trials and imprisonments. It only strengthens the witness and writing of Paul. Christ snatched Saul on that lonely road to Damascus for His purpose.
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dettinger47
March 21, 2019
So well said, Big Sky. Excellent insights.
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bigskybuckeye
March 21, 2019
Thanks. I look forward to reading more.
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