Acts 26:24
New International Version
At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.”

New Living Translation
Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!”

English Standard Version
And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.”

Berean Standard Bible
At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!”

Berean Literal Bible
Now of him saying these things in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, "You are insane, Paul! The great learning turns you to insanity!"

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

New King James Version
Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”

New American Standard Bible
While Paul was stating these things in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you insane.”

NASB 1995
While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.”

NASB 1977
And while Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Now while Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Great learning is driving you out of your mind.”

Amplified Bible
While Paul was making this defense, Festus said loudly, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great education is turning you toward madness.”

Christian Standard Bible
As he was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You’re out of your mind, Paul! Too much study is driving you mad.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
As he was making his defense this way, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You’re out of your mind, Paul! Too much study is driving you mad!”

American Standard Version
And as he thus made his defence, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning is turning thee mad.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“When Paulus had thus rendered a defense, Festus cried out with a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Much study has made you insane!”

Contemporary English Version
Before Paul finished defending himself, Festus shouted, "Paul, you're crazy! Too much learning has driven you out of your mind."

Douay-Rheims Bible
As he spoke these things, and made his answer, Festus said with a loud voice: Paul, thou art beside thyself: much learning doth make thee mad.

English Revised Version
And as he thus made his defence, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning doth turn thee to madness.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
As Paul was defending himself in this way, Festus shouted, "Paul, you're crazy! Too much education is driving you crazy!"

Good News Translation
As Paul defended himself in this way, Festus shouted at him, "You are mad, Paul! Your great learning is driving you mad!"

International Standard Version
As he continued his defense, Festus shouted, "You're out of your mind, Paul! Too much education is driving you crazy!"

Literal Standard Version
And he thus making a defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “You are mad, Paul; much learning turns you mad!”

Majority Standard Bible
At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!”

New American Bible
While Paul was so speaking in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “You are mad, Paul; much learning is driving you mad.”

NET Bible
As Paul was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed loudly, "You have lost your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!"

New Revised Standard Version
While he was making this defense, Festus exclaimed, “You are out of your mind, Paul! Too much learning is driving you insane!”

New Heart English Bible
As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are crazy. Your great learning is driving you insane."

Webster's Bible Translation
And as he was thus speaking for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee insane.

Weymouth New Testament
As Paul thus made his defence, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, "You are raving mad, Paul; and great learning is driving you mad."

World English Bible
As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”

Young's Literal Translation
And, he thus making a defence, Festus with a loud voice said, 'Thou art mad, Paul; much learning doth turn thee mad;'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Festus Interrupts Paul's Defense
23that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.” 24At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!” 25But Paul answered, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 29:26
The LORD has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada, to be the chief officer in the house of the LORD, responsible for any madman who acts like a prophet--you must put him in stocks and neck irons.

Mark 3:21
When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, "He is out of His mind."

John 7:15
The Jews were amazed and asked, "How did this man attain such learning without having studied?"

Acts 24:27
After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.

1 Corinthians 4:10
We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.

2 Timothy 3:15
From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.


Treasury of Scripture

And as he thus spoke for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, you are beside yourself; much learning does make you mad.

spake.

Acts 22:1
Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.

Festus.

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 24:25
And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

Acts 25:19,20
But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive…

Paul.

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.

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.

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.

Jump to Previous
Crazy Defence Defense Driving Exclaimed Festus Great Head Insane Learning Loud Mad Mad Madness Making Mind Paul Paul's Point Raving Speaking Thyself Turning Turns Unbalanced Voice Words
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Crazy Defence Defense Driving Exclaimed Festus Great Head Insane Learning Loud Mad Mad Madness Making Mind Paul Paul's Point Raving Speaking Thyself Turning Turns Unbalanced Voice Words
Acts 26
1. Paul, in the presence of Agrippa, declares his life from his childhood;
12. and how miraculously he was converted, and called to his apostleship.
24. Festus charges him with being insane, whereunto he answers modestly.
28. Agrippa is almost persuaded to be a Christian.
31. The whole company pronounces him innocent.














(24) Festus said with a loud voice.--The description may be noted as one of the touches of vividness indicating that the writer relates what he had actually heard. The Roman governor forgot the usual dignity of his office, and burst, apparently, into a loud laugh of scorn.

Much learning doth make thee mad.--The Greek gives a neuter plural: Thy many writings are turning thee to madness. The word was one which was used by the Jews for the collected body of their sacred writings and traditions, as in the "letters" of John 7:15 and the "holy Scriptures" of 2Timothy 3:15. Festus had probably heard the Law and the Prophets of Israel so described, and knew that St. Paul had with him "books and parchments" (2Timothy 4:13), which he was continually studying. That one who had been crucified should rise from the dead and give light to the Gentiles seemed to him the very hallucination of insanity. So have men at all times thought of those who lived after a higher law than their own, whether their faith rested, as in St. Paul's case, on an outward objective fact, or, as in Wisdom Of Solomon 5:4, on a true faith in the Unseen.

Verse 24. - Made his defense for spake for himself, A.V. (ἀπολογουμένου, as ver. 2); saith for said, A.V.; mad for beside thyself, A.V.; thy much for much, A.V.; turn thee to madness for make thee mad, A.V. With a loud voice. Another detail, betraying the eyewitness of the scene described. Thou art mad (μαίνῃ); Acts 12:15; John 10:20; 1 Corinthians 14:23. Much learning (τὰ πολλά γράμματα). So John 7:15, "How knoweth this man letters (γράμματα)?" is equivalent to Whence hath this man this wisdom? (Matthew 13:54). And ἀγράμματος ιν Acts 4:13 is "unlearned." The excited interruption by Festus shows that he was unable to accept the truths enunciated by the apostle. The ideas of fulfilled prophecy, and of the resurrection of the dead, and of a crucified Jew giving light to the great Roman world, were" foolishness unto him," because he lacked spiritual discernment. He thought the apostle's glowing words must be the outcome of a disordered mind. Turn thee to madness (εἰς μανίαν περιτρέπει). The word μανία (mania) occurs only here in the New Testament. But it is the technical name in medical writers for the disease of μανία, mania, and is also common in classical writers. The verb for "doth turn" (περιτρέπει) is also peculiar to St. Luke, being found only in this place. It is used by Plato, but specially by medical writers, as is also the substantive formed from it, περιτροπή, spoken of the "turn" taken by a disease, and the simple verb τρέπει and τρέπεται: e.g. ἔτρεψε γνώμην ἐς μανίην: ἐς σκυθρωππὸν ἡ μανίη τρέπεται: τοῖς μαινομένοισι ἄλλοτε μὲν ἐς ὀῤγὴν ἄλλοτε δὲ ἐς θυμηδίαν (mirth) ἡγνώμη τρέπεται, etc. (Hobart, p. 468).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
At this stage
Ταῦτα (Tauta)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

of [Paul’s]
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

defense,
ἀπολογουμένου (apologoumenou)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 626: To give a defense, defend myself (especially in a law court): it can take an object of what is said in defense.

Festus
Φῆστος (Phēstos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5347: Festus. Of Latin derivation; festal; Phestus, a Roman.

exclaimed
φησιν (phēsin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5346: To say, declare. Properly, the same as the base of phos and phaino; to show or make known one's thoughts, i.e. Speak or say.

in a loud
μεγάλῃ (megalē)
Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3173: Large, great, in the widest sense.

voice,
φωνῇ (phōnē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5456: Probably akin to phaino through the idea of disclosure; a tone; by implication, an address, saying or language.

“You are insane,
Μαίνῃ (Mainē)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 3105: To be raving mad, speak as a madman. Middle voice from a primary mao; to rave as a 'maniac'.

Paul!
Παῦλε (Paule)
Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3972: Paul, Paulus. Of Latin origin; Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle.

[Your]
τὰ (ta)
Article - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

great
πολλά (polla)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

learning
γράμματα (grammata)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1121: From grapho; a writing, i.e. A letter, note, epistle, book, etc. plural learning.

is driving
περιτρέπει (peritrepei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4062: To turn round, turn, change. From peri and the base of trope; to turn around, i.e. to craze.

you
σε (se)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

madness!”
μανίαν (manian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3130: Raving madness, frenzy, insanity. From mainomai; craziness.


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NT Apostles: Acts 26:24 As he thus made his defense Festus (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 26:23
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