Day 347: Convicted, Curious, but Not Convinced (Acts 24-26)

²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” ²⁸ And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” ²⁹ And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.” 

Acts 26:27–29 (ESV)

Through the Bible: Acts 24-26

Reading Acts 24–26 is a little like binging Law & Order. Three trials. Three courtroom scenes. Three opportunities for Paul to offer compelling testimony. But unlike Law & Order, where each episode ends with a verdict, Paul goes 0 for 3.

Or at least, that’s how it looks on the surface.

What Luke gives us instead is a study in how different people respond to the same gospel—and what faithfulness looks like when obedience seems to stall.

Felix — Convicted, but Not Converted

Felix is the most emotionally affected of the three. When Paul reasons with him about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Luke tells us Felix was afraid (Acts 24:25). The gospel lands. His conscience is stirred. Luke also notes that Felix had an informed understanding of “the Way” already (Acts 24:22), which means this was not his first encounter with Christian teaching.

But fear does not equal repentance. Felix sends Paul away, promising to summon him again when the timing is more convenient (Acts 24:25). That moment never comes. Instead, Felix continues to call for Paul in hopes of a bribe (Acts 24:26) and eventually leaves him imprisoned to gain favor with the Jews (Acts 24:27). Conviction, delayed, becomes avoidance. Felix feels the weight of the truth but never surrenders to it.

Festus — Curious, but Clueless

Festus approaches the case more pragmatically. After hearing Paul’s defense, he concludes—correctly—that Paul has done nothing deserving death or imprisonment (Acts 25:25). Yet he struggles to even explain the charges to Caesar.

To Festus, the heart of the dispute is “a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive” (Acts 25:19). The resurrection is reduced to an odd theological claim rather than a world-altering reality. Festus hears the facts but never grapples with their meaning. There is curiosity here, but not comprehension—and without understanding, there is no movement toward faith.

Agrippa — Close, But Not Convinced

Agrippa is the most informed listener in the room. Paul addresses him as someone familiar with Jewish customs and the prophets (Acts 26:2–3) and presses the logic of the resurrection directly: “Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?” (Acts 26:8).

Paul’s testimony traces a straight line—from persecutor to witness—rooted firmly in the promises of Scripture (Acts 26:22–23). Agrippa follows the argument, but stops short of surrender. “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” he asks (Acts 26:28). Almost persuaded is still unpersuaded. Agrippa leaves convinced of Paul’s innocence (Acts 26:31–32), but unconvinced of Christ’s lordship.

Paul — Chained, Yet Free

The great irony of Acts 24–26 is that the prisoner is the only one in the room who is truly free.

Felix is trapped by greed and political calculation.
Festus is boxed in by confusion and expediency.
Agrippa is constrained by status, reputation, and the cost of belief.

Paul alone speaks without fear or hedging. When he says, “I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains” (Acts 26:29), he reveals the quiet strength beneath the hearings. Paul does not resent his captors, flatter his judges, or dilute the call of the gospel. He simply bears witness.

What is most striking about this season is what Luke does not record. There are no miracles. No angelic jailbreaks. No earthquakes. No named converts. Instead, there are delays, postponements, and years of waiting (Acts 24:27). From a human perspective, it could easily have felt like wasted time—like being shuffled around as a pawn in a political chess game.

But if Paul is discouraged, Luke gives us no indication of it. Jesus had already promised that Paul would testify in Rome (Acts 23:11). So Paul waits. He speaks when summoned. He tells his story again and again. Faithfulness, not outcomes, defines success.

Acts 24–26 offers a quiet word of encouragement for seasons when obedience feels slow and fruit feels invisible. God’s purposes are not thwarted by delays, detours, or unresolved court cases. The gospel is still moving forward—even when it seems, for a time, to be standing still.

Is the Jury Still Out for You?

Acts 24–26 leaves the verdict hanging—not just for Felix, Festus, and Agrippa, but for us.

Are you convicted, but always waiting for a more convenient time?
Are you curious, interested in Jesus but unwilling to wrestle with what his resurrection demands?
Or are you close—so near the kingdom, yet hesitating at the cost of surrender?

Luke never tells us what these men decided in the end. But he presses the question on every reader.

The gospel has been heard.
The testimony has been given.
The only verdict left is yours.

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