What Does Acts 26:25 Mean in the King James?
But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse answers “madness” with its opposite: words spoken from a sound mind and grounded in truth.
THE MEANING
Being called irrational does not make a statement irrational. This verse holds truth and sound-minded speech together, so the accusation of madness does not settle what the words mean.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that speech which unsettles someone must come from a disordered mind.
THE ROOT
σωφροσύνης
sōphrosýnēs
GROWS FROM
σωφρον-
sōphron-
Soundness of mind; clear judgment and self-command.
“Soberness” here reaches beyond not being drunk: it names a mind in sound order. The related Greek word σωφρονισμός (sōphronismós, “sound judgment”) appears in “a sound mind” in 2 Timothy 1:7, linking this verse’s denial of madness to its claim of clear-minded speech.
ALSO GROWS
sṓphrōn: Sound-minded, self-controlled
σώφρων
It makes the verse’s “soberness” a quality of clear judgment, not merely a restrained tone.
sōphronismós: Sound judgment, self-discipline
σωφρονισμός
Its use for “a sound mind” in 2 Timothy 1:7 echoes the same answer to the charge of madness.
μαίνομαι
maínomai
GROWS FROM
μαιν-
main-
To be mad or rave.
“mad” in this verse is maínomai. This is the same Greek verb Festus uses in the preceding verse. The reply meets the accusation directly, setting madness against words characterized by truth and a sound mind.
ALSO GROWS
manía: Madness, frenzy
μανία
This related noun makes clear that the accusation concerns supposed mental frenzy.
mainómenos: Raving, being mad
μαινόμενος
This participial form shows the same root describing someone as mad, as in the accusation Paul answers.
THE PATTERN
When a speaker’s words cannot be received, hearers can dismiss the speaker by calling them mad.
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.And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.THE THREAD
And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.The Greek verb μαίνομαι (maínomai, “to be mad”) appears in the accusation here and in the answer that follows. The repeated word lets you hear the reply turn directly toward the charge and name the speech instead as truthful and sound-minded.
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