Greek word · G67

Ἀγρίππας

agrippas

Agrippa

A personal name of Roman origin (from Marcus Agrippa, Augustus's general), carried by the Herodian dynasty.

Appears 11 times in 11 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

Ἀγρίππας, -α (Bl., §7, 2), ὁ

Agrippa (II): Acts 25:13, 22, 23, 24, 26 26:1, 2, 19, 27, 28, 32. (For Agrippa I, see: Ἡρῴδης, 3.) †

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Acts 26:1

Range of meaning

A personal name of Roman origin (from Marcus Agrippa, Augustus's general), carried by the Herodian dynasty.

Against the English

No translation issue. The trouble is identification: readers often confuse him with his father, Agrippa I, the 'King Herod' of Acts 12, or with other Herods.

Used elsewhere in the period

Marcus Julius Agrippa II (born c. AD 27/28) was the last Herodian king. He was raised at the imperial court in Rome and given territories in the north (Chalcis, then the former tetrarchy of Philip, with parts of Galilee). Rome also gave him oversight of the Jerusalem temple, including the power to appoint high priests (Josephus, Antiquities 20.179, 196–203, 213). In AD 66 he urged the Jerusalem population not to revolt (Josephus, Jewish War 2.344–407). His sister Bernice sat beside him (Acts 25:13, 23).

Where it appears

Acts · 11

  1. Acts 25:13 Ἀγρίππας Agrippa

    After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.

  2. Acts 25:22 Ἀγρίππας Agrippa

    Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” “Tomorrow you will hear him,” Festus declared.

  3. Acts 25:23 Ἀγρίππα Agrippa

    The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the auditorium, along with the commanders and leading men of the city. And Festus ordered that Paul be brought in.

    Here: Marcus Julius Agrippa II, the last Herodian king: a Jewish client king under Rome, great-grandson of Herod the Great and son of the Agrippa of Acts 12.

  4. Acts 25:24 Ἀγρίππα Agrippa

    Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him, both here and in Jerusalem, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.

  5. Acts 25:26 Ἀγρίππα, Agrippa,

    I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this inquiry I may have something to write.

  6. Acts 26:1 Ἀγρίππας Agrippa

    Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:

    Here: Herod Agrippa II, the Jewish client-king who was visiting the new Roman governor Festus. He is the one who formally opens the floor, though Festus holds the actual Roman authority.

  7. Acts 26:2 Ἀγρίππα, Agrippa,

    “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews,

  8. Acts 26:19 Ἀγρίππα, Agrippa,

    So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

    Here: Herod Agrippa II, a Jewish client king under Rome and great-grandson of Herod the Great. Rome gave him oversight of the Jerusalem temple, including the right to appoint high priests. He is the hearer Paul most wants to persuade.

  9. Acts 26:27 Ἀγρίππα, Agrippa,

    King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

  10. Acts 26:28 Ἀγρίππας Agrippa

    Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?”

    Here: Herod Agrippa II, the Jewish client king under Rome. Paul has just pressed him in public: 'Do you believe the prophets? I know you do.'

  11. Acts 26:32 Ἀγρίππας Agrippa

    And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.