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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_26:4-8
4"So then, all Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem; 5since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion. 6"And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers; 7the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews. 8"Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?
Act_26:4 "all Jews know my manner of life" Paul has repeated this several times (cf. Act_22:3-5; Act_23:1; Act_24:16; Act_25:8). Paul had lived an exemplary life among the Jews in Jerusalem (cf. Act_26:5).
▣ "my own nation" It is uncertain where Paul grew up. This could refer to (1) Tarsus in Cilicia or (2) Jerusalem.
Act_26:5 "if" This is a third class conditional sentence which means potential action. In this context Paul knows they could testify about his past, but they would not.
▣ "Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion" This was a theological sect of Judaism which emerged during the Maccabean Period. It was committed to the oral and written tradition. See Special Topic at Act_5:34.
Act_26:6 "the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers" This refers to the OT prophecy of (1) the coming of the Messiah or (2) the resurrection of the dead (cf. Act_23:6; Act_24:15; Job_14:14-15; Job_19:25-27; Dan_12:2). Paul saw "the Way" as the fulfillment of the OT (cf. Mat_5:17-19; Galatians 3).
For "hope" see Special Topic at Act_2:25 and the Special Topic: The Kerygma at Act_2:14.
Act_26:7 "our twelve tribes" The tribal lineage (children of Jacob) was still very important to the Jews. Many of the ten northern tribes never came back from Assyrian exile (722 b.c.). We know some tribal information from the NT.
1. Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were from the tribe of Judah (cf. Mat_1:2-16; Luk_3:23-33; Rev_5:5)
2. Anna's tribe is identified as Asher (cf. Luk_2:36)
3. Paul's tribe is identified as Benjamin (cf. Rom_11:1; Php_3:5)
Herod the Great was jealous of this and had the Temple records, which showed genealogies, burned.
For "twelve" see Special Topic at Act_1:22.
▣ "hope" One wonders exactly which hope Paul is referring to. From the larger context one would assume the resurrection (cf. Act_26:8). See hyperlink at Act_2:25.
▣ "as they earnestly serve God night and day" Paul loved his racial group (cf. Rom_9:1-3). He knew how hard they tried to serve YHWH. He also uniquely knew the danger of legalism, dogmatism, and elitism.
"Night and day" was an idiom of intensity and regularity (cf. Act_20:31; Luk_2:37).
Act_26:8 "Why is it considered incredible among you people" Paul is speaking to two groups:
1. Agrippa and other Jews present
2. the Gentiles present, such as Festus
▣ "if" This is a first class conditional sentence which is assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes.
▣ "God does raise the dead" This phrase speaks of the Jewish hope of a general resurrection (see Job_14:14-15; Job_19:25-27; Isa_25:8; Isa_26:19; Dan_12:2-3), but Paul had Christ's resurrection specifically in mind (cf. 1Co_15:1-28). These Sadducean accusers would be getting very nervous at this point (cf. Act_23:1-10).