Acts 26:1-18

1

AgrippaG67 saidG5346 toG4314 PaulG3972, “YouG4771 have permissionG2010 to speakG3004 forG5228 yourselfG4572.”

ThenG5119 PaulG3972 stretched outG1614 his handG5495 and began his defenseG626: 2“KingG935 AgrippaG67, I considerG2233 myselfG1683 fortunateG3107 to standG3195 beforeG1909 youG4771 todayG4594 to defend myselfG626 againstG4012 allG3956 the accusationsG3739G1458 ofG5259 the JewsG2453, 3especiallyG3122 since youG4771 areG1510 acquaintedG1109 with allG3956 theG3588 JewishG2596G2453 customsG1485 andG5037 controversiesG2213. I begG1189 you, thereforeG1352, to listen toG191 meG1473 patientlyG3116.

4SurelyG3767G3303 allG3956 theG3588 JewsG2453 knowG1492 how I have livedG1473G3588G981 fromG575 my earliestG746 childhoodG3503 amongG1722 my ownG1473G3588 peopleG1484, and alsoG5037 inG1722 JerusalemG2414. 5They have knownG4267 meG1473 for a long timeG509 and can testifyG3140, ifG1437 they are willingG2309, thatG3754 I lived asG2198 a PhariseeG5330, adhering toG2596 theG3588 strictestG196 sectG139 of ourG2251 religionG2356.

6AndG2532 nowG3568 I standG2476 on trialG2919 because ofG1909 my hopeG1680 in theG3588 promiseG1860 that GodG2316 madeG1096 toG1519 ourG1473 fathersG3962, 7the promise ourG1473 twelve tribesG1429 are hopingG1679 to see fulfilledG2658 as they earnestly serveG3000G1722G1616 God dayG2250 andG2532 nightG3571. It is because ofG4012 this hopeG1680, O kingG935, that I am accusedG1458 byG5259 the JewsG2453. 8Why wouldG5101 any of youG4771 consider itG2919 incredibleG571 thatG1487 GodG2316 raisesG1453 the deadG3498?

9So thenG3767G3303, IG1473 too was convinced thatG1380 I oughtG1163 to doG4238 allG4183 I could to opposeG1727 theG3588 nameG3686 of JesusG2424 of NazarethG3480. 10AndG2532 that is whatG3739 I didG4160 inG1722 JerusalemG2414. WithG2983 authorityG1849 fromG3844 theG3588 chief priestsG749 IG1473 putG2623 manyG4183 of theG3588 saintsG40 inG1722 prisonG5438, andG5037 when theyG846 were condemned to deathG337, I cast my vote againstG2702G5586 them. 11I frequently had them punishedG4178G846G5097 inG2596 theG3588 synagoguesG4864, and I tried to makeG315 them blasphemeG987. In my raging furyG1693G4057 against themG846, I evenG2532 went toG1519 foreignG1854 citiesG4172 to persecuteG1377 them.

12InG1722 thisG3739 pursuit I was on my wayG4198 toG1519 DamascusG1154 withG3326 the authorityG1849 andG2532 commissionG2011 ofG3588 theG3588 chief priestsG749. 13About noonG3319G2250, O kingG935, as I was onG2596 theG3588 roadG3598, I sawG3708 a lightG5457 from heavenG3771G5228, brighter thanG2987 theG3588 sunG2246, shining aroundG4034 meG1473 andG2532 my companionsG3588G4198G4862G1473. 14WeG1473 allG3956 fellG2667 toG1519 theG3588 groundG1093, and I heardG191 a voiceG5456 sayG3004 toG4314 meG1473 inG3588 HebrewG1446G1258,1 ‘SaulG4549, SaulG4549, whyG5101 do you persecuteG1377 MeG1473? It is hardG4642 for youG4771 to kickG2979 againstG4314 the goadsG2759.’

15‘WhoG5101 are YouG1510, LordG2962?’ IG1473 askedG2036.

‘IG1473 amG1510 JesusG2424, whomG3739 youG4771 are persecutingG1377,’ theG3588 LordG2962 repliedG2036. 16‘ButG235 get upG450 andG2532 standG2476 onG1909 yourG4771 feetG4228. ForG1063 I have appearedG3708 to youG4771 toG1519 appointG3778G4400 youG4771 as a servantG5257 andG2532 as a witnessG3144 of whatG3739 you have seenG3708 from MeG1473 andG5037 whatG3739 I will showG3708 youG4771. 17I will rescueG1807 youG4771 fromG1537 your own peopleG2992 andG2532 fromG1537 theG3588 GentilesG1484. IG1473 am sendingG649 youG4771 toG1519 them 18to openG455 theirG846 eyesG3788, so thatG3588 they may turnG1994 fromG575 darknessG4655 toG1519 lightG5457 andG2532 from theG3588 powerG1849 of SatanG4567 toG1909 GodG2316, that theyG846 may receiveG2983 forgivenessG859 of sinsG266 andG2532 an inheritanceG2819 amongG1722 thoseG3588 sanctifiedG37 by faithG4102 inG1519 MeG1473.’