Acts 26
1
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted
to speak for yourself.”
So Paul stretched out his hand and answered
for himself:
2
“I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because
today I shall answer for myself before you
concerning all the things of which I am accused
by the Jews,
3
especially because you are expert in all customs
and questions which have to do with the Jews.
Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
4
“My manner of life from my youth, which was
spent from the beginning among my own nation at
Jerusalem, all the Jews know.
5
They knew me from the first, if they were
willing to testify, that according to the
strictest sect of our religion I lived a
Pharisee.
6
And now I stand and am judged for the hope of
the promise made by God to our fathers.
7
To this promise our twelve tribes,
earnestly serving God night and day, hope to
attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am
accused by the Jews.
8
Why should it be thought incredible by you that
God raises the dead?
9
“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many
things contrary to the name of Jesus of
Nazareth.
10
This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the
saints I shut up in prison, having received
authority from the chief priests; and when they
were put to death, I cast my vote against
them .
11
And I punished them often in every synagogue and
compelled them to blaspheme; and
being exceedingly enraged against them, I
persecuted them
even to foreign cities.
12
“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to
Damascus with authority and commission from the
chief priests,
13
at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light
from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining
around me and those who journeyed with me.
14
And when we all had fallen to the ground, I
heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the
Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you
persecuting Me? It is hard for you
to kick against the goads.’
15
So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I
am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
16
But rise and stand on your feet; for I have
appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a
minister and a witness both of the things which
you have seen and of the things which I will yet
reveal to you.
17
I will deliver you from the Jewish
people, as well as from the
Gentiles, to whom I now send you,
18
to open their eyes, in order to
turn them from darkness to light,
and from the
power of Satan to God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among
those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
19
“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not
disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20
but declared first to those in Damascus and in
Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of
Judea, and then to the Gentiles,
that they should repent, turn to God, and do
works befitting repentance.
21
For these reasons the Jews seized me in the
temple and tried to kill me .
22
Therefore, having obtained help from God, to
this day I stand, witnessing both to small and
great, saying no other things than those which
the prophets and Moses said would come—
23
that the Christ would suffer, that He would be
the first to rise from the dead, and would
proclaim light to the Jewish
people and to the Gentiles.”
24
Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said
with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside
yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”
25
But he said, “I am not mad, most noble
Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason.
26
For the king, before whom I also speak freely,
knows these things; for I am convinced that none
of these things escapes his attention, since
this thing was not done in a corner.
27
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I
know that you do believe.”
28
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost
persuade me to become a Christian.” 29
And Paul said, “I would to God that not only
you, but also all who hear me today, might
become both almost and altogether such as I am,
except for these chains.”
30
When he had said these things, the king stood
up, as well as the governor and Bernice and
those who sat with them;
31
and when they had gone aside, they talked among
themselves, saying, “This man is doing nothing
deserving of death or chains.”
32
Then Agrippa said to
Festus, “This man might have been set free if he
had not appealed to Caesar.”
