Acts 26:8 (KJV)

What does Acts 26:8 mean?

Acts 26:8 asks why it should be considered unbelievable that God could raise the dead, suggesting that such an act is not beyond God's power. The verse challenges the audience’s doubts about resurrection by pointing to the nature of God as all-powerful.

In this verse, Paul is speaking before King Agrippa and others, defending his faith and explaining why he preaches the resurrection of Jesus. Paul frames the resurrection not as something strange or impossible, but as something consistent with belief in God’s power. The question is meant to make the listeners reconsider their assumptions about what God can do.

The Greek behind Acts 26:8

• ἄπιστον (apiston) — often translated as "incredible" or "unbelievable." The Greek here carries the sense of something not worthy of belief, highlighting that Paul is challenging the idea that resurrection is too far-fetched for God.
• ἐγείρειν (egeirein) — meaning "to raise" or "to awaken." This word is used for both literal waking and for resurrection, emphasizing the act of bringing the dead back to life.
• νεκρούς (nekrous) — meaning "dead ones" or "dead people." The use of the plural makes clear Paul is speaking about the general resurrection, not just one person.

Why Acts 26:8 matters

• Acts 26:8 clears up the idea that belief in resurrection is irrational for those who already believe in God’s power, directly confronting skepticism among Paul’s Jewish and Gentile listeners.
• The verse emphasizes the consistency between belief in God and belief in resurrection, showing that Paul’s message is rooted in the same faith tradition as his audience.
• This question sets up Paul’s defense of his faith in the resurrection of Jesus, connecting his personal story to the broader hope of resurrection found in Jewish belief.