Acts 26:4-32

4“So then, all Jews know 1my 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 2Pharisee 3according to the strictest 4sect of our religion. 6And now I am standing trial 5for the hope of 6the promise made by God to our fathers; 7the promise 7to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. For this 8hope, O king, I am being 9accused by Jews. 8Why is it considered incredible among you people 10if God raises the dead?

9“So 11I thought to myself that I had to act in strong opposition to 12the name of Jesus 13of Nazareth. 10And this is 14just what I 15did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the 16saints in prisons, after 17receiving authority from the chief priests, but I also 18cast my vote against them when they were being put to death. 11And 19as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and since I was 20extremely 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 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 as a 32servant and 33a witness not only to the things in which you have seen Me, but also to the things in which I will appear to you, 1734rescuing you 35from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18to 36open their eyes so that they may turn from 37darkness to light, and from the 38power 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“For that reason, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20but continually proclaimed 43to those in Damascus first, and 44in Jerusalem, and then all the region of Judea, and even 45to the Gentiles, that they are to 46repent and turn to God, performing deeds 47consistent with repentance. 21For these reasons some Jews 48seized me in the temple and tried 49to murder me. 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, 23as to 52whether the 53Christ was 54to suffer, and whether, as 55first from the resurrection of the dead, He would proclaim 56light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

24While 57Paul was stating these things in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! 58Your great 59learning is 60driving you insane.” 25But Paul said, “I am not insane, 61most excellent Festus; on the contrary, I am speaking out with 62truthful and rational words. 26For the king 6364knows 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 65corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you believe.” 28Agrippa replied to Paul, “66In a short time you are going to persuade me to 67make a 68Christian of myself.” 29And Paul said, “I would 69wish to God that even 70in 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 71chains.”

3072The 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, “73This man is not doing anything deserving death or 74imprisonment.” 32And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been 75set free if he had not 76appealed to Caesar.”