Acts 26

Paul’s Defense before Agrippa

11Now Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul extended his hand and proceeded to make his defense:

2“Regarding all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 32especially because you are an expert in all 3customs and 4questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

4“So then, all Jews know 5my way of life since my youth, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and in Jerusalem, 5since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a 6Pharisee 7according to the strictest 8sect of our religion. 6And now I am standing trial 9for the hope of 10the promise made by God to our fathers; 7the promise 11to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. For this 12hope, O king, I am being 13accused by Jews. 8Why is it considered incredible among you people 14if God raises the dead?

9“So 15I thought to myself that I had to act in strong opposition to 16the name of Jesus 17of Nazareth. 10And this is 18just what I 19did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the 20saints in prisons, after 21receiving authority from the chief priests, but I also 22cast my vote against them when they were being put to death. 11And 23as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and since I was 24extremely enraged at them, I kept pursuing them 25even to 26foreign cities.

12“27While so engaged, 28as 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, 29brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who were journeying with me. 14And when we had 30all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the 3132Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? 33It 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 34stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to 35appoint you as a 36servant and 37a witness not only to the things in which you have seen Me, but also to the things in which I will appear to you, 1738rescuing you 39from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18to 40open their eyes so that they may turn from 41darkness to light, and from the 42power of 43Satan to God, that they may receive 44forgiveness of sins and an 45inheritance among those who have been sanctified by 46faith in Me.’

19“For that reason, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20but continually proclaimed 47to those in Damascus first, and 48in Jerusalem, and then all the region of Judea, and even 49to the Gentiles, that they are to 50repent and turn to God, performing deeds 51consistent with repentance. 21For these reasons some Jews 52seized me in the temple and tried 53to murder me. 22So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day 54testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what 55the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place, 23as to 56whether the 57Christ was 58to suffer, and whether, as 59first from the resurrection of the dead, He would proclaim 60light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

24While 61Paul was stating these things in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! 62Your great 63learning is 64driving you insane.” 25But Paul said, “I am not insane, 65most excellent Festus; on the contrary, I am speaking out with 66truthful and rational words. 26For the king 6768knows about these matters, and I also speak to him with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a 69corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you believe.” 28Agrippa replied to Paul, “70In a short time you are going to persuade me to 71make a 72Christian of myself.” 29And Paul said, “I would 73wish to God that even 74in a short or long time not only you, but also all who hear me this day would become such as I myself am, except for these 75chains.”

3076The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, 31and when they had gone out, they began talking to one another, saying, “77This man is not doing anything deserving death or 78imprisonment.” 32And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been 79set free if he had not 80appealed to Caesar.”