2 Bible Verses about Defense

And Paul, looking intently at the council, said, "Brethren, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day." The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, "God shall strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?" read more.
Those who stood by said, "Would you revile God's high priest?" And Paul said, "I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'" But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead I am on trial."

When the governor had motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: "Realizing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. Since you can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. They did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues, or in the city. read more.
Neither can they prove to you the charges they are now making against me. But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do worship the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there will certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. And so I do my best always to have a clear conscience before God and men. Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. As I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or uproar. But there were some Jews from Asia who ought to be here before you and to make accusation, if they should have anything against me. Or else let these men themselves tell what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the Council, except this one thing which I shouted out while standing among them, 'With respect to the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.'"

Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: "I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, because you are especially familiar with all customs and controversies of the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. read more.
So then, all the Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem. They have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion. And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers; the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews. Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And that is just what I did in Jerusalem; I not only shut up many of the saints in prison, by authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. "On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness to the things which you have seen of me, and also to the things in which I will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' "So, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and perform deeds worthy of their repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen: that the Christ must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles."

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today for a good deed done to a cripple, as to how this man has been healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man stands before you healed. read more.
He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which has become the chief cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

"We found the prison securely locked, and the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside." Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed about them, wondering what would come of this. And someone came and told them, "Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people." read more.
Then the captain went along with the officers and brought them back without violence, for they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned. When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man's blood upon us." But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.