Agrippa

Agrippa is the family name of two members of the Herodian dynasty prominent in the New Testament. Herod Agrippa I (died AD 44), grandson of Herod the Great, was the last Jewish king to rule over a substantial portion of Palestine under Roman sanction. He persecuted the early church, executing James the son of Zebedee with the sword and imprisoning Peter (Acts 12:1–3), intending to execute him after Passover. His dramatic death — struck down by an angel in Caesarea because he accepted divine honors from the crowd (Acts 12:23) — is treated by Luke as a divine judgment on his pride.

Herod Agrippa II (born AD 28), his son, appeared before Paul during Paul's imprisonment at Caesarea, presiding with the Roman governor Festus and his sister Bernice over an extended hearing in Acts 25–26. Paul's eloquent testimony of his conversion and apostolic commission drew the famous response: "In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?" (Acts 26:28). Agrippa concluded with Festus that Paul had done nothing deserving death or imprisonment and could have been freed had he not appealed to Caesar, making him the last royal figure to hear Paul's defense in Judea before his voyage to Rome.