Paul isn't just saying God helped him; he's emphasizing a specific kind of help, like an ally stepping in. This divine assistance is the very reason he's still standing and boldly proclaiming that Jesus is precisely what Moses and the prophets foretold.
To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is defending himself before King Agrippa, recounting his dramatic conversion and his subsequent ministry. He emphasizes that his message is not some new teaching but a fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies of Moses and the prophets, which foretold the suffering and resurrection of the Messiah.
Paul is facing down powerful accusers, including King Agrippa. How does he stand so confidently? It's not just about his own strength, but about the kind of help he's received.
Paul uses a powerful word for 'help' here – a help that comes from an ally, someone from outside stepping in to support.
An Ally, Not Just a Resource
This isn't just about God providing resources, but about Him actively partnering with Paul. It's the kind of aid that says, 'I'm with you in this fight.'
Standing Against the Odds
Paul acknowledges that he's 'continued' or 'stood' to this day because of this divine assistance. Think of all the plots and dangers he's faced – his survival and continued ministry are a testament to God's intervention, not just luck or his own cleverness.
Paul is accused of heresy and attacking the Law. But his defense hinges on something surprising: he's saying exactly what the ancient Scriptures predicted.
Paul makes a bold claim: he's testifying to 'nothing other than what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass.' This isn't just a rhetorical flourish; it's the core of his defense.
Connecting Past and Present
He's asserting that the events he experienced – particularly the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus – were not random occurrences but the fulfillment of God's long-announced plan. The 'prophets and Moses' represent the entirety of the Old Testament, showing that his message isn't new or radical, but a direct continuation of God's covenant history.
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For All People
This message, rooted in ancient prophecy, is for 'small and great' alike. It bridges social divides, political status, and any other barrier, emphasizing that God's plan of salvation, as foretold, is for everyone.
Understand the original words
epikouria · Greek Noun
Divine assistance, support, or grace provided by God to His servants to enable them to fulfill their calling, especially in times of trial, suffering, or mission.
marturomenos · Greek Verb
To bear witness or provide evidence based on personal knowledge or experience; in a biblical context, it refers to declaring the truth of God, particularly regarding Christ’s resurrection and message.
prophētai · Hebrew/Greek Noun
Those whom God chose to communicate His divine messages, warnings, and future revelations to His people. They functioned as the mouthpiece of God to call Israel to repentance and to point toward the coming Messiah.
Christos · Greek Noun
The central figure of God's redemptive plan, the 'Anointed One' (Messiah). He is the long-awaited King, Prophet, and Priest whose life, death, and resurrection fulfill the Old Testament promises.
anastasis · Greek Noun
The state of being restored to life after physical death. Biblically, it signifies the victory of Christ over death, serving as the foundational hope and guarantee of eternal life for believers.
phōs · Greek Noun
A metaphor for truth, salvation, holiness, and the revelation of God’s nature. Jesus is identified as this, coming to dispel the spiritual darkness of sin and ignorance in the world.
ethnē · Greek Noun
In the New Testament, all non-Jewish peoples (nations). The gospel is extended to them to fulfill God's covenant promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his offspring.
Paul emphasizes that his message is not a radical departure but the fulfillment of what Moses and the prophets foretold, grounding his revolutionary claims in the established Scriptures of Judaism. This is crucial as he stands before powerful leaders who view him as a threat to their religious traditions.
c. 30-33 AD
Paul's Conversion on the Road to Damascus
Saul of Tarsus, a zealous persecutor of Christians, has a dramatic encounter with the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus. This event radically transforms him into the Apostle Paul, a fervent advocate for the Gospel.
c. 45-49 AD
Paul's First Missionary Journey
Paul, alongside Barnabas, embarks on his first major mission, spreading the Gospel to Gentile communities in Asia Minor. This journey establishes the pattern of his ministry, facing both acceptance and intense opposition.
c. 50-52 AD
Paul's Second Missionary Journey
Paul travels through Asia Minor and into Greece, establishing churches in cities like Philippi, Thessalonica, and Corinth. This journey further solidifies his role as the apostle to the Gentiles, despite continued conflict with Jewish authorities.
c. 53-57 AD
Paul's Third Missionary Journey
Paul spends an extended period in Ephesus, solidifying churches and confronting opposition. His ministry continues to expand, but so does the hostility from those who reject his message.
c. 57 AD
Paul's Arrest in Jerusalem
Upon returning to Jerusalem, Paul is attacked by a Jewish mob in the temple and subsequently arrested by Roman soldiers. This marks the beginning of his long period of imprisonment and legal appeals.
c. 59-60 AD
Paul's Imprisonment in Caesarea
Paul is held in protective custody in Caesarea Maritima for about two years, facing preliminary hearings before governors like Felix and Festus. During this time, he repeatedly defends his faith and ministry.
c. 60 AD— this verse
Paul's Defense Before Agrippa II
Paul stands trial before King Agrippa II, Governor Festus, and other dignitaries in Caesarea. It is during this powerful and personal address that he recounts his conversion and explains his Gospel message, highlighting its continuity with the Old Testament.
This passage directly from Moses, quoted by Paul, foretells a prophet like him whom Israel should listen to, aligning with Paul's message about Christ being the fulfillment of God's word.
Isaiah 53:1-12This prophecy clearly outlines the suffering, death, and subsequent vindication of a Servant of God, which Paul would have seen as a core part of what Moses and the prophets 'said should come.'
Luke 24:27Jesus himself explains to the disciples on the road to Emmaus how he interpreted the Scriptures (starting with Moses and all the Prophets) as pointing to his own suffering and resurrection, directly echoing Paul's assertion.
Jesus tells the Pharisees that if they believed Moses, they would believe him, because Moses wrote about Jesus, showing the continuity of God's message from the Lawgiver to the Messiah.
Paul summarizes the core of the Gospel message—that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again—and explicitly states that this was 'in accordance with the Scriptures,' emphasizing the connection he's making in Acts.
ellicottActs 26:22: "Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:"
(22) Having therefore obtained help of God. —The Greek noun for “help” is not used elsewhere in the New Testament. It implies the kind of assistance which one friend or ally gives to another of inferior power. It is found in the Greek of Wisdom Of Solomon 13:18 . Here the word seems used as being…
henryActs 26:12-23: "Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,"
26:12-23 Paul was made a Christian by Divine power; by a revelation of Christ both to him and in him; when in the full career of his sin. He was made a minister by Divine authority: the same Jesus who appeared to him in that glorious light, ordered him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. A world that sits in darkness must be enlightened; those must be brought to know the things that belong t…
Paul isn't just saying God helped him; he's emphasizing a specific kind of help, like an ally stepping in. This divine assistance is the very reason he's still standing and boldly proclaiming that Jesus is precisely what Moses and the prophets foretold.
Paul is defending himself before King Agrippa, recounting his dramatic conversion and his subsequent ministry. He emphasizes that his message is not some new teaching but a fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies of Moses and the prophets, which foretold the suffering and resurrection of the Messiah.
Paul is defending himself before King Agrippa, recounting his dramatic conversion and his subsequent ministry. He emphasizes that his message is not some new teaching but a fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies of Moses and the prophets, which foretold the suffering and resurrection of the Messiah.
"To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first t…" — Paul isn't just saying God helped him; he's emphasizing a specific kind of help, like an ally stepping in. This divine assistance is the very reason he's still standing and boldly proclaiming that…
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Last reviewed October 2026
