Acts 26

Pauls Early Life

1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, You are permitted to speak for yourself. Then Agrippa said to Paul, You are permitted to speak for yourself.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 hopes 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.

Paul Recounts His Conversion

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.

Pauls Post-Conversion Life

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 come23 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.

Agrippa Parries Pauls Challenge

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.

ACTS 26

Paul's Defense before Agrippa

1 Agrippa told Paul, “You may now speak for yourself.”
Paul stretched out his hand and said:
2 King Agrippa, I am glad for this chance to defend myself before you today on all these charges my own people have brought against me.

3 You know a lot about our religious customs and the beliefs that divide us. So I ask you to listen patiently to me.
4-5  t All the Jews have known me since I was a child. They know what kind of life I have lived in my own country and in Jerusalem. And if they were willing, they could tell you I was a Pharisee, a member of a group that is stricter than any other.

6 Now I am on trial because I believe the promise God made to our people long ago.
7 Day and night our twelve tribes have earnestly served God, waiting for his promised blessings. King Agrippa, because of this hope, some of our leaders have brought charges against me.

8 t Why should any of you doubt that God raises the dead to life?
9  t I once thought that I should do everything I could to oppose Jesus from Nazareth. 10 I did this first in Jerusalem, and with the authority of the chief priests I put many of God's people in jail. I even voted for them to be killed.

11 I often had them punished in our synagogues, and I tried to make them give up their faith. In fact, I was so angry with them, that I went looking for them in foreign cities.
12 King Agrippa, one day I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and permission of the chief priests. 13 About noon I saw a light brighter than the sun. It flashed from heaven on me and on everyone traveling with me.

14 We all fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice say to me in Aramaic, t “Saul, Saul, why are you so cruel to me? It's foolish to fight against me!”

15 “Who are you?” I asked.
Then the Lord answered, “I am Jesus! I am the one you are so cruel to.

16 Now stand up. I have appeared to you, because I have chosen you to be my servant. You are to tell others what you have learned about me and what I will show you later.”
17 The Lord also said, “I will protect you from the Jews and from the Gentiles that I am sending you to.

18 I want you to open their eyes, so they will turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then their sins will be forgiven, and by faith in me they will become part of God's holy people.”
19 King Agrippa, I obeyed this vision from heaven.

20 t First I preached to the people in Damascus, and then I went to Jerusalem and all over Judea. Finally, I went to the Gentiles and said, “Stop sinning and turn to God! Then prove what you have done by the way you live.”
21 That is why some men grabbed me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 But all this time God has helped me, and I have preached both to the rich and to the poor. I have told them only what the prophets and Moses said would happen.

23 t I told them how the Messiah would suffer and be the first to be raised from death, so he could bring light to his own people and to the Gentiles.

24 Before Paul finished defending himself, Festus shouted, “Paul, you're crazy! Too much learning has driven you out of your mind.”
25 But Paul replied, “Honorable Festus, I am not crazy. What I am saying is true, and it makes sense.

26 None of these things happened off in a corner somewhere. I am sure that King Agrippa knows what I am talking about. That's why I can speak so plainly to him.”

27 Then Paul said to Agrippa, “Do you believe what the prophets said? I know you do.”

28 Agrippa asked Paul, “In such a short time do you think you can talk me into being a Christian?”

29 Paul answered, “Whether it takes a short time or a long time, I wish you and everyone else who hears me today would become just like me! Except, of course, for these chains.”
30 Then King Agrippa, Governor Festus, Bernice, and everyone who was with them got up.

31 But before they left, they said, “This man isn't guilty of anything. He doesn't deserve to die or to be put in jail.”
32 Agrippa told Festus, “Paul could have been set free, if he had not asked to be tried by the Roman Emperor.”