Welcome and thank you for taking a bible beak to test your knowledge of God's word.
This week's question:

Jesus told His disciples, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be as shrewd as serpents, and as innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to the courts, and scourge you in their synagogues; and you shall even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles." (Matthew 10:16-18). Jesus knows the world will hate them as it has hated Him, (John 15:18-19). Ananias questions Jesus concerning Saul, "'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Thy saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Thy name.' But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake.'" (Acts 9:13-16).

That brings us to our question, "What king did Paul stand before?". Paul fulfilled this prophecy as he did stand before two governors and gave his defense against the false charges brought before both Felix and Festus by the Jews who hated him and desired to kill him (Acts 23:12). When Felix brought his wife, Drusilla, to hear Paul speak, Paul took this opportunity to teach them about faith in Jesus Christ, "And as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, 'Go away for the present, and when I find time, I will summon you.'" (Acts 24:25). Two years later Felix was then succeeded by Festus while Paul was left in prison.

When the king and his wife Bernice arrived to visit the governor, Festus told the king about Paul's case. So the king requested to hear Paul speak. And on the next day with great pomp and ceremony, the king and his wife along with commanders and prominent men of the city gathered to hear Paul who stretched out his hand and began making his defense by telling the king he is glad to speak before him, "especially because you are an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews;" (Acts 26:3). Paul then recounts to the king his story of persecuting the Christians because of Jesus the Nazarene and as he pursued them even to Damascus and while on route, he was approached By Jesus who told him, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But arise, and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness no only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things which I will appear to you; delivering you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me." (Acts 26:15-18).

And so for our answer to our question, we turn and read, "'And so, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; That the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He should be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.' And while Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, 'Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.' But Paul said, 'I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth. For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do. And Agrippa replied to Paul, 'In a short time you will persuade me to be a Christian.' And Paul said, 'I would to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I except for these chains.' And the king arose and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, and when they had drawn aside, they began talking to one another, saying, This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment.' And Agrippa said to Festus, 'This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.'" (Acts 26:22-32). So there we have the answer to our question, as the king who Paul stood before is King Herod Agrippa II!

May we be as brave as Paul and the other apostles who stood before men both great and small with courage to give a defense of the faith within them to teach them the way to live eternal through Christ Jesus the Nazarene!