Acts 26 · Verse 24

Acts 26:24

And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
Acts 26:24, King James Version

Acts 26:24 in other translations

BSBAt this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!”
WEBAs he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”
ASVAnd as he thus made his defence, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning is turning thee mad.
YLTAnd, he thus making a defence, Festus with a loud voice said, ‘Thou art mad, Paul; much learning doth turn thee mad;'
DARBYAnd as he answered for his defence with these things, Festus says with a loud voice, Thou art mad, Paul; much learning turns thee to madness.
BBEAnd when he made his answer in these words, Festus said in a loud voice, Paul, you are off your head; your great learning has made you unbalanced.
WebsterAnd as he was thus speaking for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee insane.

What does Acts 26:24 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
24. Festus said with a loud voice--surprised and bewildered. Paul, thou art beside thyself, much learning doth make thee mad--"is turning thy head." The union of flowing Greek, deep acquaintance with the sacred writings of his nation, reference to a resurrection and other doctrines to a Roman utterly unintelligible, and, above all, lofty religious earnestness, so strange to the cultivated, cold-hearted skeptics of that day--may account for this sudden exclamation.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 24. Festus said with a loud voice. Amazed at the zeal and ardour of Paul. Paul doubtless evinced deep interest in the subject, and great earnestness in the delivery of his defence.

Thou art beside thyself. Thou art deranged; thou art insane. The reasons why Festus thought Paul mad were, probably,

(1.) his great earnestness and excitement on the subject.

(2.) His laying such stress on the gospel of the despised Jesus of Nazareth, as if it were a matter of infinite moment. Festus despised it; and he regarded it as proof of derangement that so much importance was attached to it.

(3.) Festus regarded, probably, the whole story of the vision that Paul said had appeared to him, as the effect of an inflamed and excited imagination; and as the proof of delirium. This is not an uncommon charge against those who are Christians, and especially when they evince any unusual zeal. Sinners regard them as under the influence of delirium and fanaticism; as terrified by imaginary and superstitious fears; or as misguided by fanatical leaders. Husbands often thus think their wives deranged, and parents their children, and wicked men the ministers of the gospel. The gay think it proof of derangement that others are serious, and anxious, and prayerful; the rich, that others are willing to part with their property to do good; the ambitious and worldly, that others are willing to leave their country and home, to go among the Gentiles to spend their lives in making known the unsearchable riches of Christ. The really sober and rational part of the world--they who fear God, and keep his commandments; who believe that eternity is before them, and who strive to live for it--are thus charged with insanity by those who are really deluded, and who are thus living lives of madness and folly. The tenants of a madhouse often think all others deranged but themselves; but there is no madness so great, no delirium so awful, as to neglect the eternal interest of the soul for the sake of the poor pleasures and honours which this life can give.

Much learning. It is probable that Festus was acquainted with the fact that Paul had been well instructed, and was a learned man. Paul had not, while before him, manifested particularly his learning. But Festus, acquainted in some way with the fact that he was well educated, supposed that his brain had been turned, and that the effect of it was seen by devotion to a fanatical form of religion. The tendency of long-continued and intense application to produce mental derangement, is everywhere known.

Doth make thee mad. Impels, drives, or excites thee περιτρεπει to madness.

(&) "spake for himself" "Made his defence" (o) "make thee mad" 2Kgs 9:11

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 24 Paul, thou art beside thyself - "Thou art mad, Paul!" "Thy great learning hath turned thee into a madman." As we sometimes say, thou art cracked, and thy brain is turned. By the τα πολλα γραμματα it is likely that Festus meant no more than this, that Paul had got such a vast variety of knowledge, that his brain was overcharged with it: for, in this speech, Paul makes no particular show of what we call learning; for he quotes none of their celebrated authors, as he did on other occasions; see Act 17:28. But he here spoke of spiritual things, of which Festus, as a Roman heathen, could have no conception; and this would lead him to conclude that Paul was actually deranged. This is not an uncommon case with many professing Christianity; who, when a man speaks on experimental religion, on the life of God in the soul of man - of the knowledge of salvation, by the remission of sins - of the witness of the Spirit, etc., etc., things essential to that Christianity by which the soul is saved, are ready to cry out, Thou art mad: he is an enthusiast: that is, a religious madman; one who is not worthy to be regarded; and yet, strange to tell, these very persons who thus cry out are surprised that Festus should have supposed that Paul was beside himself!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 26:24-32
It becomes us, on all occasions, to speak the words of truth and soberness, and then we need not be troubled at the unjust censures of men. Active and laborious followers of the gospel often have been despised as dreamers or madmen, for believing such doctrines and such wonderful facts; and for attesting that the same faith and diligence, and an experience like their own, are necessary to all men, whatever their rank, in order to their salvation. But apostles and prophets, and the Son of God himself, were exposed to this charge; and none need be moved thereby, when Divine grace has made them wise unto salvation. Agrippa saw a great deal of reason for Christianity. His understanding and judgment were for the time convinced, but his heart was not changed. And his conduct and temper were widely different from the humility and spirituality of the gospel. Many are almost persuaded to be religious, who are not quite persuaded; they are under strong convictions of their duty, and of the excellence of the ways of God, yet do not pursue their convictions. Paul urged that it was the concern of every one to become a true Christian; that there is grace enough in Christ for all. He expressed his full conviction of the truth of the gospel, the absolute necessity of faith in Christ in order to salvation. Such salvation from such bondage, the gospel of Christ offers to the Gentiles; to a lost world. Yet it is with much difficulty that any person can be persuaded he needs a work of grace on his heart, like that which was needful for the conversion of the Gentiles. Let us beware of fatal hesitation in our own conduct; and recollect how far the being almost persuaded to be a Christian, is from being altogether such a one as every true believer is.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Acts 26:24 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΤαῦταTautaThese thingsG3778
δὲdenowG1161
αὐτοῦautouwhen heG846
ἀπολογουμένουapologoumenouis presenting a defenseG626
ὁho<the>G3588
ΦῆστοςPhēstosFestusG5347
μεγάλῃmegalēin a loudG3173
τῇtēa<the>G3588
φωνῇphōnēavoiceG5456
φησιν·phēsinsaid;G5346
μαίνῃmainēYou are insaneG3105
Παῦλε·PaulePaul!G3972
τὰtaTheG3588
πολλάpollagreatG4183
σεseof youG4771
γράμματαgrammatalearningG1121
εἰςeistoG1519
μανίανmanianinsanityG3130
περιτρέπει.peritrepeiturns [you]!G4062

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 26:24

  • 1 Corinthians 2:13-14

    Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:23

    But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

  • 2 Corinthians 5:13

    For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:10

    We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

  • Mark 3:21

    And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

  • Jeremiah 29:26

    The Lord hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the Lord, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.

  • 2 Kings 9:11

    Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication.

  • Acts 17:32

    And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

  • Acts 26:11

    And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

  • Hosea 9:7

    The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.

  • John 10:20-21

    And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

  • John 8:48

    Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
spake.
22:1
Festus.
17:32; 24:25; 25:19,20
Paul.
11; 2Ki 9:11; Jer 29:26; Ho 9:7; Mr 3:21; Joh 8:48,52; 10:20,21
1Co 1:23; 2:13,14; 4:10; 2Co 5:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 26:23

    That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

  • Acts 26:24

    And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

  • Acts 26:25

    But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

Read all of Acts 26

Acts 26:24 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y diciendo él estas cosas en su defensa, Festo á gran voz dijo: Estás loco, Pablo: las muchas letras te vuelven loco.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et comme il parlait ainsi pour sa défense, Festus dit à haute voix: Tu es hors de sens, Paul; ton grand savoir te met hors de sens.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Während er aber dieses zur Verantwortung sagte, spricht Festus mit lauter Stimme: Du rasest, Paulus! Die große Gelehrsamkeit bringt dich zur Raserei.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Hæc loquente eo, et rationem reddente, Festus magna voce dixit: Insanis, Paule: multæ te litteræ ad insaniam convertunt.