Acts 26:1-32 - Paul Makes His Defense Before King Agrippa
1 And Agrippa said to Paul, It is permitted thee to speak for thyself. Then Paul, having stretched forth his hand, made a defense. 2 Concerning all things of which I am accused by the Jews, king Agrippa, I consider myself blessed, being about to make my defense before thee today. 3 Especially thee, being an expert of all things regarding Jews, both habits and issues. Therefore I beg thee to hear me patiently.
4 Indeed therefore, my manner of life from youth, having developed from the beginning among my nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know, 5 having known me previously from the beginning, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6 And now for the hope of the promise made by God to the fathers, I stand being judged, 7 to which our twelve tribes, serving in earnestness night and day, hope to attain, about which hope, king Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews! 8 Why is it judged incredible with you, if God raises the dead? 9 Indeed therefore I thought it necessary for myself to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene, 10 which also I did at Jerusalem. And I locked up many of the sanctified in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests. And when they were killed, I gave a vote against them. 11 And punishing them often at all the synagogues, I compelled them to blaspheme. And being extraordinarily furious toward them, I persecuted them even as far as to outside cities.
12 And during which, while going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, I saw on the road a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, which shone around me and those who went with me. 14 And when we all fell to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why do thou persecute me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goads.
15 And I said, Who are thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecute. 16 But arise, and stand upon thy feet, for I appeared to thee for this, to appoint thee an assistant and a witness both of things that thou saw, and of the things that I will make visible to thee, 17 delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send thee, 18 to open their eyes to turn about from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, for them to receive remission of sins and a lot among those who have been sanctified by faith in me.
19 Whereupon, king Agrippa, I did not become disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declaring first to those at Damascus and then at Jerusalem, and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, to repent and return to God, doing works worthy of repentance. 21 Because of these things the Jews, having seized me in the temple, tried to grasp and kill me. 22 Having therefore experienced the help from God, I stand to this day solemnly declaring both to small and great, saying nothing apart from what both the prophets and Moses said was going to happen, 23 that the suffering Christ, since first from a resurrection of the dead, is going to proclaim light to our people and to the nations.
24 And while he made a defense by these things, Festus said in a loud voice, Paul, thou are mad. Much scholarship is driving thee into madness.
25 But Paul says, I am not mad, eminent Festus, but I speak forth sayings of truth and soberness. 26 For the king knows about these things, before whom I also speak boldly. For I am convinced not any of these things, nothing, to be hidden from him. For this was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do thou believe the prophets? I know that thou believe.
28 And Agrippa said to Paul, By a little thou persuade me to become a Christian.
29 And Paul said, I ever pray to God, both by little and by much, not only thee, but also all who hear me this day, to become such kind as I also am, apart from these bonds.
30 And when he spoke these things, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them. 31 And having withdrawn, they spoke to each other, saying, This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
32 And Agrippa said to Festus, This man could have been released, if he had not appealed Caesar.