ACTS 26:29 — KING JAMES VERSION 1
“And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.”
'Paul replied, 'Short time or long-I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.' - Paul's response shows his pastoral heart and his confidence in the gospel's power: he prays that 'not only you but all who are listening to me today' become Christians. His phrase 'except for these chains' (plēn tōn desmōn toutōn, plēn tōn desmōn toutōn) is poignant: he wishes for them his faith but not his suffering. His imprisonment is the cost of witness, not its essence. The prayer itself-directed to God-is prayer offered publicly before the king, an act of worship that positions God's will above Agrippa's authority.