Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul isn't just asking if resurrection is possible; he's highlighting that the very notion of God raising the dead should be rooted in the foundational belief in God's power, something the Scriptures they shared already affirmed, making disbelief illogical. He's emphasizing that the core issue isn't a lack of evidence for resurrection, but a resistance to believing in God's power as demonstrated in the Scriptures they held in common.
Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is defending himself before King Agrippa, Festus, and other officials. Having just explained his life as a Pharisee and his zealous pursuit of Jesus' followers, he now pivots to the core of their accusations: his belief in the resurrection of Jesus. He challenges his accusers, questioning why the idea of God raising the dead, a concept rooted in their own scriptures, should be seen as unbelievable to them.
Paul appeals to Agrippa's knowledge of the Jewish Scriptures. What common ground did they share regarding resurrection?
Paul doesn't just bring up a random, unprovable idea. He grounds his argument in the shared understanding of the Jewish faith, specifically the Old Testament.
Old Testament Roots
Paul's point is clear: If the Scriptures already speak of God's power over death, why should the resurrection of Jesus, and the broader resurrection it signifies, be considered unbelievable?
Paul confronts the idea that resurrection is inherently impossible. What is the key difference in perspective?
The core of Paul's question lies in the contrast between human limited understanding and God's infinite power.
The Limit of Our Sight
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Paul isn't asking if resurrection seems likely based on human observation. He's challenging the notion that human logic alone can dictate what God can or cannot do. Resurrection is not unbelievable because it's impossible for God, but perhaps because it challenges our limited human perspective.
Understand the original words
egeirō · Greek Verb
The divine act of bringing the dead back to life, demonstrating God's sovereign power over death and the final hope of the believer.
Paul's question to Agrippa confronts the audience's potential disbelief by referencing the resurrection of Jesus, a central tenet rooted in the Old Testament promises and now a reality they are witnessing through the early Church's growth.
c. 30 AD
Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus
Jesus, believed by his followers to be the Messiah, is crucified in Jerusalem and, according to their testimony, rises from the dead three days later. This event is the central point of the Christian faith and a primary reason for the opposition Paul once held.
c. 30-34 AD
Early Persecution of Christians
Following Jesus' ascension, his disciples begin spreading the message of his resurrection. Paul, then known as Saul, becomes a fierce persecutor, actively participating in arresting and imprisoning believers in Jerusalem and synagogues.
c. 34-36 AD
Paul's Conversion on the Damascus Road
While en route to Damascus to arrest more followers of Jesus, Paul experiences a dramatic encounter with the resurrected Christ. This event transforms him from a persecutor into a fervent apostle for Christianity.
c. 50-52 AD
Council of Jerusalem
A major debate arises within the early church regarding the inclusion of Gentile believers and the necessity of adhering to Jewish law. The council, with apostles like Peter and Paul, affirms that salvation comes through faith in Christ, not through the Mosaic law.
c. 58 AD
Paul's Arrest in Jerusalem
Paul returns to Jerusalem and is arrested by Jewish authorities. He is accused of profaning the temple and inciting riots, leading to his imprisonment and subsequent trials.
c. 60 AD
Paul's Imprisonment and Appeals
Paul spends years in Roman custody, appealing his case. He appears before various officials, including Felix, Festus, and King Agrippa.
c. 62 AD— this verse
Paul's Defense Before King Agrippa
Paul stands trial before King Agrippa II and his consort Bernice, along with the Roman governor Festus. It is during this defense that Paul recounts his conversion and passionately argues that the resurrection of Jesus is not incredible but a central truth of God's promise to Israel.
This passage shows God raising a child from the dead through Elijah, demonstrating that resurrections were already recorded in Jewish scripture, making the concept less incredible.
2 Kings 4:18-37Similar to 1 Kings, this narrative recounts Elisha raising a boy from the dead, providing another Old Testament precedent that Paul could point to as evidence that God has the power to raise the dead.
Ezekiel 37:1-14This powerful vision of dry bones coming to life illustrates a future resurrection for Israel, a concept deeply rooted in the Old Testament that Paul could leverage to argue against the incredulity of God's power to raise the dead.
John 11:25-27Jesus declares Himself to be the resurrection and the life, and states that whoever believes in Him will live even if they die. This directly connects the concept of resurrection to faith in Christ, the very message Paul was proclaiming.
1 Corinthians 15:12-20Paul powerfully argues that if Christ has not been raised, then Christian preaching and faith are useless. This passage highlights the centrality of Christ's resurrection to the Christian message and counters the idea that resurrection is inherently unbelievable.
ellicottActs 26:8: "Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?"
(8) Why should it be thought a thing incredible . . .? —Some MSS. give a punctuation which alters the structure of the sentence: What! is it thought a thing incredible . . . ? The appeal is made to Agrippa as accepting the sacred books of Israel, in which instances of a resurrection were recorded ( 1Kings 17:17-23 ; 2Kings 4:18-37 ), and which ought to have hindered him from postulating the incred…
bensonActs 26:8: "Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?"
Acts 26:8-11 . Why should it be thought a thing incredible — (It was thought so by Festus, Acts 25:19 , to whom Paul answers as if he had heard him discourse;) that God — A Being of infinite perfections, and the original author of the human frame; should raise the dead — And continue their existence in a future state? Will not his Almighty power enable him to do it? and will not the honour of his…
Paul isn't just asking if resurrection is possible; he's highlighting that the very notion of God raising the dead should be rooted in the foundational belief in God's power, something the Scriptures they shared already affirmed, making disbelief illogical. He's emphasizing that the core issue isn't a lack of evidence for resurrection, but a resistance to believing in God's power as demonstrated in the Scriptures they held in common.
Paul is defending himself before King Agrippa, Festus, and other officials. Having just explained his life as a Pharisee and his zealous pursuit of Jesus' followers, he now pivots to the core of their accusations: his belief in the resurrection of Jesus. He challenges his accusers, questioning why the idea of God raising the dead, a concept rooted in their own scriptures, should be seen as unbelievable to them.
Paul is defending himself before King Agrippa, Festus, and other officials. Having just explained his life as a Pharisee and his zealous pursuit of Jesus' followers, he now pivots to the core of their accusations: his belief in the resurrection of Jesus. He challenges his accusers, questioning why the idea of God raising the dead, a concept rooted in their own scriptures, should be seen as unbelievable to them.
"Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?" — Paul isn't just asking if resurrection is possible; he's highlighting that the very notion of God raising the dead should be rooted in the foundational belief in God's power, something the Scriptur…
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Last reviewed October 2026