Acts 26:4-32

4“So then, all Jews know 1my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem; 5since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a 2Pharisee 3according to the strictest 4sect of our religion. 6And now I am 5standing trial 6for the hope of 7the promise made by God to our fathers; 7the promise 8to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this 9hope, O King, I am being 10accused by Jews. 8Why is it considered incredible among you people 11if God does raise the dead?

9“So then, 12I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to 13the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10And this is 14just what I 15did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the 16saints in prisons, having 17received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I 18cast my vote against them. 11And 19as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being 20furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them 21even to 22foreign cities.

12“23While so engaged 24as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, 25brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. 14And when we had 26all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the 2728Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? 29It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16But get up and 30stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to 31appoint you a 32minister and 33a witness not only to the things which you have 34seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; 1735rescuing you 36from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18to 37open their eyes so that they may turn from 38darkness to light and from the dominion of 39Satan to God, that they may receive 40forgiveness of sins and an 41inheritance among those who have been sanctified by 42faith in Me.’

19“So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20but kept declaring both 43to those of Damascus first, and also 44at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even 45to the Gentiles, that they should 46repent and turn to God, performing deeds 47appropriate to repentance. 21For this reason some Jews 48seized me in the temple and tried 49to put me to death. 22So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day 50testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what 51the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; 235253that 54the Christ was 55to suffer, and 56that 57by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim 58light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

24While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! 59Your great 60learning is 61driving you mad.” 25But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, 62most excellent Festus, but I utter words 63of sober truth. 26For the king 6465knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a 66corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you 67do.” 28Agrippa replied to Paul, “68In a short time you 69will persuade me to 70become a 71Christian.” 29And Paul said, “72I would wish to God, that whether 73in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these 74chains.”

3075The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, 31and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, “76This man is not doing anything worthy of death or 77imprisonment.” 32And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been 78set free if he had not 79appealed to Caesar.”