Acts 26
Paul's Defense before Agrippa
1 Agrippa said to Paul, "It is permitted for you to speak for yourself."
Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: 2 "I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that today I am going to make a defense before you about everything I am accused of by the Jews,
3 especially since you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 "All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem. 5 They had previously known me for quite some time, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand on trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 [the promise] our 12 tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve Him night and day. King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews because of this hope. 8 Why is it considered incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? 9 In fact, I myself supposed it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. 10 I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.
11 In all the synagogues I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them. I even pursued them to foreign cities since I was greatly enraged at them.
Paul's Account of His Conversion and Commission
12 "I was traveling to Damascus under these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests. 13 King Agrippa, while on the road at midday, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me.
14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'
15 "Then I said, 'Who are You, Lord?'
"And the Lord replied: 'I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and of what I will reveal to you. 17 I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles. I now send you to them
18 to open their eyes so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that by faith in Me they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified.'
19 "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. 20 Instead, I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple complex and were trying to kill me. 22 To this very day, I have obtained help that comes from God, and I stand and testify to both small and great, saying nothing else than what the prophets and Moses said would take place-
23 that the Messiah must suffer, and that as the first to rise from the dead, He would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles."
Not Quite Persuaded
24 As he was making his defense this way, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, "You're out of your mind, Paul! Too much study is driving you mad!"
25 But Paul replied, "I'm not out of my mind, most excellent Festus. On the contrary, I'm speaking words of truth and good judgment. 26 For the king knows about these matters. It is to him I am actually speaking boldly. For I am convinced that none of these things escapes his notice, since this was not done in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe."
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?"
29 "I wish before God," replied Paul, "that whether easily or with difficulty, not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am-except for these chains."
30 So the king, the governor, Bernice, and those sitting with them got up,
31 and when they had left they talked with each other and said, "This man is doing nothing that deserves death or chains."
32 Then Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar."
Acts 26
1 And Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defence:2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before thee this day touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews:3 especially because thou art expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.4 My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;5 having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify, that after the straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.6 And now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers;7 unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king!8 Why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth 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 And this I also did in Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.11 And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.12 Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,13 at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, above 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 saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the goad.15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.16 But arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee;17 delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee,18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.19 Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:20 but declared both to them of Damascus first and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judaea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.21 For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and assayed to kill me.22 Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand unto this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come;23 how that the Christ must suffer, and how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.24 And as he thus made his defense, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning is turning thee mad.25 But Paul saith, I am not mad, most excellent Festus; but speak forth words of truth and soberness.26 For the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hath not been done in a corner.27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.28 And Agrippa said unto Paul, With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a Christian.29 And Paul said, I would to God, that whether with little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except these bonds.30 And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:31 and when they had withdrawn, they spake one to another, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.32 And Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.
