He altered his behavior in their presence. ¹  Since he was in their power, ²  he pretended to be insane, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting his saliva run down his beard.

As Paul ¹  was saying these things in his defense, Festus ²  exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind, ³  Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!”

Written by David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, causing the king to send him away. ²  I will praise ³  the Lord at all times; my mouth will continually praise him. ⁴ 

Many of them were saying, “He is possessed by a demon and has lost his mind! ¹  Why do you listen to him?”

You will go insane from seeing all this.

I said of partying, ¹  “It is folly,” and of self-indulgent pleasure, ²  “It accomplishes nothing!” ³ 

Achish said to his servants, “Look at this madman! Why did you bring him to me?

But Paul replied, ¹  “I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, ²  but am speaking ³  true and rational ⁴  words.

At the beginning his words ¹  are foolish and at the end ²  his talk ³  is wicked madness, ⁴ 

When they have drunk it, they will stagger to and fro ¹  and act insane. For I will send wars sweeping through them.” ² 

Do I have a shortage of fools, that you have brought me this man to display his insanity in front of me? Should this man enter my house?”

For I hear what so many are saying, ¹  the terrifying news that comes from every direction. ²  When they plot together against me, they figure out how they can take my life.

I tried ¹  to understand, examine, and comprehend ²  the role of ³  wisdom in the scheme of things, ⁴  and to understand the stupidity of wickedness ⁵  and the insanity of folly. ⁶ 

A drought will come upon her land; her rivers and canals will be dried up. ¹  All of this will happen because her land is filled with idols. ²  Her people act like madmen because of ³  those idols they fear. ⁴ 

This is the unfortunate fact ¹  about everything that happens on earth: ²  the same fate awaits ³  everyone. In addition to this, the hearts of all people ⁴  are full of evil, and there is folly in their hearts during their lives – then they die. ⁵ 

Then ¹  the Judeans ²  responded, ³  “Now we know you’re possessed by a demon! ⁴  Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yet ⁵  you say, ‘If anyone obeys ⁶  my teaching, ⁷  he will never experience ⁸  death.’ ⁹ 

But again I ask, didn’t Israel understand? ¹  First Moses says, “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; with a senseless nation I will provoke you to anger.” ² 

Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking like I am out of my mind!) I am even more so: with much greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with more severe beatings, facing death many times.

The time of judgment ¹  is about to arrive! ²  The time of retribution ³  is imminent! ⁴  Let Israel know! ⁵ The prophet is considered a fool ⁶  – the inspired man ⁷  is viewed as a madman ⁸  – because of the multitude of your sins and your intense ⁹  animosity.