Acts 26:8

George Lamsa Translation

How can you judge? Is it improper to believe that God can raise the dead?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Why do any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

King James Version (1611)
Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

King James Version
Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

English Standard Version
Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

New American Standard Bible
"Why is it considered incredible among you people if God raises the dead?

New Century Version
Why do any of you people think it is impossible for God to raise people from the dead?

Amplified Bible
"Why is it thought incredible by [any of] you that God raises the dead?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?

Legacy Standard Bible
Why is it considered unbelievable among all of you if God does raise the dead?

Berean Standard Bible
Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

Contemporary English Version
Why should any of you doubt that God raises the dead to life?

Complete Jewish Bible
Why do you people consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

Darby Translation
Why should it be judged a thing incredible in your sight if God raises the dead?

Easy-to-Read Version
Why do you people think it is impossible for God to raise people from death?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Why should it be thought a thing incredible vnto you, that God should raise againe the dead?

Good News Translation
Why do you who are here find it impossible to believe that God raises the dead?

Lexham English Bible
Why is it thought incredible by you people that God raises the dead?

Literal Translation
Why is it judged unbelievable by you if God raises the dead?

American Standard Version
Why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?

Bible in Basic English
Why, in your opinion, is it outside belief for God to make the dead come to life again?

Hebrew Names Version
Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?

International Standard Version
Why is it thought incredible by all of youby you (pl.)">[fn] that God should raise the dead?

Etheridge Translation
What judge you; ought we not to believe that Aloha will raise the dead ?

Murdock Translation
How judge ye? Are we not to believe, that God will raise the dead?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Why shoulde it be thought a thyng incredible vnto you, that God shoulde rayse agayne the dead?

English Revised Version
Why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?

World English Bible
Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
What? Is it judged by you an incredible thing, that God should raise the dead?

Weymouth's New Testament
Why is it deemed with all of you a thing past belief if God raises the dead to life?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
What vnbileueful thing is demed at you, if God reisith deed men?

Update Bible Version
Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?

Webster's Bible Translation
Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

New English Translation
Why do you people think it is unbelievable that God raises the dead?

New King James Version
Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?

New Living Translation
Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead?

New Life Bible
Why do you think it is hard to believe that God raises people from the dead?

New Revised Standard
Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
What! incredible, is it judged with you, that, God the dead doth raise?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Why should it be thought a thing incredible that God should raise the dead?

Revised Standard Version
Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Why shuld it be thought a thinge vncredible vnto you that god shuld rayse agayne the deed?

Young's Literal Translation
why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore is this iudged amonge you not to be beleued, that God rayseth vp the deed?

Mace New Testament (1729)
you may think it something incredible that God should raise the dead:

Simplified Cowboy Version
Why is so hard to believe God can bring someone dead back to life?

Contextual Overview

¹ THEN A-grip''pa said to Paul, You have permission to speak in your own behalf. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and answered, saying, ² In view of all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself blessed, O King A-grip''pa, to defend myself today before you. ³ Especially because I know you are familiar with all the customs and questions and laws of the Jews: wherefore, I beg you to hear me patiently. ⁴ Even the Jews themselves, if they would be willing to testify, know well my manner of life from my childhood which started first among mine own people at Jerusalem. ⁵ For they have been acquainted with me a long time, and know that I was brought up with the excellent doctrine of the Phar''i-sees. ⁶ And now I stand and am on trial for the hope of the promise made of God to our fathers. ⁷ It is to the fulfillment of this hope that our twelve tribes expect to come, by means of earnest prayers day and night. And for this very hope''s sake, I am accused by the Jews, O King A-grip''pa. ⁸ How can you judge? Is it improper to believe that God can raise the dead? ⁹ For I at the very beginning was determined that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰ Which I also did at Jerusalem: I cast many of the saints into prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when some were put to death, I took part with those who condemned them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Acts 4:2, Acts 10:40-42, Acts 13:30, Acts 13:31, Acts 17:31, Acts 17:32, Acts 25:19, Genesis 18:14, Matthew 22:29-32, Luke 1:37, Luke 18:27, John 5:28, John 5:29, 1 Corinthians 15:12-20, Philippians 3:21

Reciprocal: Job 14:14 - shall he live Ezekiel 37:3 - O Lord God John 5:21 - as Acts 26:6 - am Acts 26:23 - the first Ephesians 1:20 - when Hebrews 6:2 - resurrection

Cross-References

Genesis 26:18
And Isaac digged again the wells of water which had been dug by the servants of his father in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had polluted them after the death of Abraham; and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.

Genesis 26:19
And Isaacs servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of living water.

Judges 5:28
The mother of Sisera looked out of the window and cried through the lattice, Why are the chariots of my son so long in coming? Why tarries the clatter of his chariots?

Proverbs 7:6
For from the window of her house and from the balcony she looked out,

Ecclesiastes 9:9
Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life, because she is your portion in life, and in your labor which you labor under the sun.

Song of Solomon 2:9
My beloved is like a gazelle or a young roe; behold, he stands behind our wall, he looks through the windows, bending himself over the lattice.

Isaiah 62:5
For as a young man husbands a virgin, so shall your sons husband you; and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you,.... You Heathens and Sadducees; for the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead was thought an incredible doctrine by the Heathens in general, and therefore was laughed at by the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers at Athens, when preached by the apostle there; and by a particular sect among the Jews, the Sadducees; and the apostle may be thought either to address himself to Festus, the Roman governor, and to the chief captains, who were present, and, being Heathens, disbelieved this doctrine; or else to King Agrippa, who might be a Sadducee, and to such of the Sadducees as were in court, and expostulate with them, why it should be looked upon as a thing by no means to be credited,

that God should raise the dead; which may be understood both of the particular resurrection of Christ from the dead, which was not believed, neither by the Romans nor by the Jews, and neither by Pharisees nor Sadducees; or of the general resurrection of the dead, which was judged from the nature of things to be impracticable, and impossible by the latter, as well as by the Heathens: but since God is omniscient and omnipotent, and just and true, knows where every particle of a dead body lies, and can gather all together, and inspire with life; which he can as easily do, as to form all things out of nothing, as he did; and his justice and veracity seem to require, that the same bodies which have been partners with their souls in sinning, or in sufferings should share with them in woe or in happiness; it can neither be absurd, unreasonable, nor incredible, to suppose that God will raise them from the dead.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Why should it be thought ... - The force of this question will be better seen by an exclamation point after why τί ti. “What! is it to be thought a thing incredible?” etc. It intimates surprise that it should be thought incredible, or implies that no reason could be given why such a doctrine should be unworthy of belief.

A thing incredible - A doctrine which cannot be credited or believed. Why should it be regarded as absurd?

With you - This is in the plural number, and it is evident that Paul here addressed, not Agrippa alone, but those who sat with him. There is no evidence that Agrippa doubled that the dead could be raised, but Festus, and those who were with him, probably did, and Paul, in the ardor of his speech, turned and addressed the entire assembly. It is very evident that we have only an outline of this argument, and there is every reason to suppose that Paul would dwell on each part of the subject at greater length than is here recorded.

That God should raise the dead - Why should it be regarded as absurd that God - who has all power, who is the creator of all, who is the author of the human frame should again restore man to life and continue his future existence? The resurrection is no more incredible than the original creation of the body, and it is attended with no greater difficulties. And as the perfections of God will be illustrated by his raising up the dead; as the future state is necessary to the purposes of justice in vindicating the just and punishing the unjust, and as God is a righteous moral governor, it should not be regarded as an absurdity that he will raise up those who have died, and bring them to judgment.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 26:8. That God should raise the dead? — As Agrippa believed in the true God, and knew that one of his attributes was omnipotence, he could not believe that the resurrection of the dead was an impossible thing; and to this belief of his the apostle appeals; and the more especially, because the Sadducees denied the doctrine of the resurrection, though they professed to believe in the same God. Two attributes of God stood pledged to produce this resurrection: his truth, on which his promise was founded; and his power, by which the thing could be easily affected, as that power is unlimited.

Some of the best critics think this verse should be read thus: What! should it be thought a thing incredible with you, if God should raise the dead?