Acts 26

1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:

2 “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews,

3 especially since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me patiently.

4 Surely all the Jews know how I have lived from my earliest childhood among my own people in Jerusalem.

5 They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the strictest sect of our religion.

6 And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made to our fathers,

7 the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. It is because of this hope, O King Agrippa, that I am accused by the Jews.

8 Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

9 So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them.

11 I frequently had them punished in the synagogues, and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.

12 In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

13 About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions.

14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

15 ‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.

16 ‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and what I will show you.

17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them

18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’

19 So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

20 First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone throughout the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.

21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.

22 But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen:

23 that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”

24 At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!”

25 But he answered, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.

26 For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.

27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?”

29 “Short time or long,” Paul replied, “I wish to God that not only you but all who hear me this day may become what I am, except for these chains.”

30 When he had spoken these things, the king and the governor rose, along with Bernice and those seated with them.

31 On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”

32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

1 ¶ Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

3 Especially [because I know] thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

7 Unto which [promise] our twelve tribes, instantly serving [God] day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against [them].

11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled [them] to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted [them] even unto strange cities.

12 ¶ Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, ‹Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?› [it is] ‹hard for thee to kick against the pricks.›

15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, ‹I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.›

16 ‹But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;›

17 ‹Delivering thee from the people, and› [from] ‹the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,›

18 ‹To open their eyes,› [and] ‹to turn› [them] ‹from darkness to light, and› [from] ‹the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.›

19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and [then] to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill [me].

22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

23 That Christ should suffer, [and] that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

24 ¶ And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

29 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.

30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

1 And Agrippa said unto Paul, It is lawful for thee to speak for thyself. Then Paul answered and put forth his hand:

2 It is very dear unto me, O king Agrippa, that I should answer before thee this day for all that the Jews accuse me of,

3 Mostly because thou knowest all the customs and questions of the Jews. Therefore I pray thee, hear me patiently.

4 Though my life from my youth, as it hath been from the beginning among this people at Jerusalem, all the Jews know,

5 Who knew me before, if they would testify. For I was a Pharisee, which is the strictest sect of our worship.

6 And now I stand accused of the hope of the promise which was made of God unto our fathers.

7 To which the twelve generations of ours hope to come, diligently worshipping day and night. Because of this hope I, dear King Agrippa, am accused by the Jews.

8 Why is this judged incredible among you, that God raises the dead?

9 Though I thought also in myself, that I ought to do much to the name of JESUS of Nazareth,

10 As I did at Jerusalem, when I shut up many saints in prison, whereof I received power from the chief priests: and when they were slain, I helped to pronounce judgment.

11 And through all the synagogues I tormented them oftentimes, and compelled them to blaspheme, and was exceedingly senseless against them, persecuting them even unto strange cities.

12 Over which also I journeyed to Damascus with power and commandment from the chief priests,

13 In the midst of the day, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, brighter than the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that journeyed with me.

14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speak unto me, saying in the ibex, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It shall be hard for thee to lick against the sting.

15 And I said, Lord, who art thou? And he said: I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest: but arise, and stand upon thy feet.

16 For to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness of those things which thou hast seen, and which I will yet make to appear unto thee.

17 And I will deliver thee from the people, and from the heathen, among whom I send thee now,

18 Open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God, to receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance with them which are sanctified by faith toward me.

19 Therefore, dear King Agrippa, I was not incredulous of the heavenly appearance,

20 But preached first to them that were in Damascus, and in Jerusalem, and in all the coasts of Judaea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent, and turn unto God, and do righteous works of repentance.

21 For this cause the Jews took me in the temple, and subjected me to death.

22 But by the help of GOD I have succeeded, and stand to this day witnessing to both small and great, and saying nothing save that which the prophets said should come to pass, and Moses:

23 That Christ should suffer, and be first in the resurrection from the dead, and should preach a light unto the people and to the Gentiles.

24 And when he had given this charge, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; the great art maketh thee mad.

25 And he said, My dear Festus, I do not run, but I speak true and reasonable words.

26 For the king knoweth these things, to whom I speak gladly: for I know that it is not hid from him, because it is not done in the corner.

27 Dost thou believe, O king Agrippa, the prophet? I know that thou believest.

28 And Agrippa said unto Paul, It lacketh not much, that thou persuadest me to become a Christian.

29 And Paul said: I desired before God, lacking much or little, that not thou alone,. but all they which hear me this day, should become such as I am, except these bands.

30 And when he had said this, the king arose, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them,

31 And they departed, and talked together, and said: This man hath done nothing worthy of death or bondage.

32 And Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been let go, if he had not appealed to Caesar.