Acts 26:4-8

Verses 4-5: Paul begins by asserting that the facts about his life are generally known to all Jews. His first training in his youth began at Jerusalem (at the feet of Gamaliel, Acts 22:3). If they would honestly testify, they would admit to this knowledge of Paul (Saul) from the first being trained and conversant as a Pharisee – “the straitest sect of our religion.” Note: strait (ακριβεστατην) here refers to the Pharisees being narrow (cf. Mark 3:6), exacting (cf. Luke 11:42), and strict (John 7:47-48). Their trait was to carefully follow, at least outwardly, their beliefs to the letter. Obviously, they all did not rise to the level of sincerity of Paul (cf. Acts 24:16). Compare also Philippians 3:4-7 and Galatians 1:13-14.

Verses 6-7: Paul mentions “our twelve tribes,” indicating he did not see “ten lost tribes” as taught in various shades of British Israelism.[1] Cf. also Matthew 19:28 Luke 22:30 James 1:1; Revelation 21:12. “The myth of the ten lost tribes plays no part in the biblical record.”[2]

Verse 8: “with you” – Paul begins by addressing Agrippa directly (“thee,” singular, vs. 2-3), but expands to the entire audience (“you,” plural, v. 8; cf. 25:23-27; Agrippa, Bernice, Festus, chief captains, principal men of the city) when he brings up belief in the resurrection of the dead.

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[1] British Israelism (also called Anglo-Israelism) is an ahistorical teaching that the people of Great Britain are genetic, racial, and linguistic descendants of the “Ten Lost Tribes” of (northern) Israel. For example, Worldwide Church of God founder Herbert W. Armstrong teaches this in his book (The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy, Pasadena, CA: Ambassador College Press, pp. 88, 111-128).
[2] F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts (Revised Edition), Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Company, 1988, p. 463.