2 Bible Verses about Defense

Then Paul directing himself to the council, thus said, "hitherto I have liv'd strictly conscientious, as God knows." at which the high priest Ananias order'd those that were near him to strike him on the face: which made Paul say, "may God strike thee, thou plaister'd wall: you sit to judge me according to law, and in defiance of the law you order me to be struck!" read more.
what, said the standers-by, do you revile the high priest of God? Paul replied, I did not consider, brethren, that he was the high priest. it is indeed written, "thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people." But as Paul knew that one part of the Sanhedrim were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out, my brethren, "I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, and I am now prosecuted for believing the resurrection of the dead."

Then the governour sign'd to Paul to reply; who said, I enter upon my defence with the greater confidence, by considering you have govern'd this nation several years: possibly you are appriz'd, that it is not above twelve days since, that I went to Jerusalem to worship. they neither found me in conference with any one in the temple, nor working up the people either in the assemblies or in the streets: read more.
so far are they from proving what they lay to my charge. I do indeed own, that I serve the God of our nation according to the discipline they call sect: and believe whatever is written in the law and in the prophets. I have the same expectations from the DEITY, which they themselves entertain, that of the resurrection both of the just and of the unjust. and 'tis my endeavour to preserve a conscience free from reproach both with respect to God, and with respect to men. after several years absence I came to Jerusalem, with contributions for my brethren, and oblations for the temple: there religiously employ'd some Asiatic Jews found me, without crowd or tumult: and here they ought to have appear'd, if they had any thing to object against me. or let these now declare, if they could convict me of any misdemeanor, when I was brought before the Sanhedrim: unless it be, that I did indeed break out into this expression, it "is for the resurrection of the dead, that I am now call'd into question."

Then Agrippa said to Paul, you are at liberty to make your defence. upon which Paul disengaging his hand from his cloak, thus made his plea. I think myself happy, king Agrippa, in having this opportunity of vindicating myself in your presence, from every thing the Jews have laid to my charge: for I know you are fully acquainted with the Jewish customs and controversies: and therefore I beg the indulgence of your attention. read more.
what course of life I led at Jerusalem, where I was brought up from my youth among those of my own nation, is known to all the Jews. they can testify, if they will, that I early profess'd myself a Pharisee, a member of the most rigorous sect of our religion: and now I stand arraign'd for expecting the accomplishment of the divine promise made to our fathers, which our twelve tribes by their continual services, night and day, hope themselves to obtain: yet for that hope, king Agrippa, do the Jews now accuse me. you may think it something incredible that God should raise the dead: I myself too once thought myself oblig'd strenuously to oppose the professors of Jesus the Nazarene, as I actually did at Jerusalem, where numbers of converts I threw into jail, by warrant from the high priests: and when they were put to death, I myself was an accomplice. it was I that persecuted them from synagogue to synagogue, and tortured them even to blaspheme: and in the transport of my rage I pursued them to foreign cities. with such views, authorized by commission from the high priests, I was on the road to Damascus: when at mid-day, O king, a light from heaven exceeding the splendor of the sun, broke all around me, and those that accompanied me. we were all struck down: when I heard a voice directed to me pronounce these words in the Hebrew tongue, "Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me? it is dangerous for thee to kick against the goad." I answer'd, who art thou, Lord? he said, "I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. but rise upright upon thy feet: for I have appear'd to thee in order to establish you my minister in testifying both what you have seen, and what I shall hereafter show to you, by delivering you from this people, and from the Gentiles to whom I now send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and partake of the inheritance of the saints, by believing on me." this heavenly vision, king Agrippa, I presently obey'd: first I warn'd the people of Damascus, of Jerusalem, of all Judea, and then the Gentiles, to repent, and turn to God, by acting suitably to their repentance. for such a conduct the Jews seiz'd upon me in the temple, designing to assassinate me; but by the divine favour I am still preserv'd alive, testifying to the small and to the great nothing but what Moses and the prophets have predicted should happen: "that Christ should suffer: that he should be the first that was to rise from the dead: and that he should enlighten both the Jews and the Gentiles."

then Peter filled with the holy spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people, and senators of Israel, since we are this day to be examined about the cure of a cripple, and by what means he was recovered; be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you entirely recover'd. read more.
this is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but is become the chief of the angle. salvation is not to be had by any other: for there is no other name under heaven given to men whereby we can be saved. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were illiterate, and of the lower rank of men, they were surpriz'd; but tho' they knew that they had been Jesus's disciples,

the prison we found shut very secure, and the keepers posted before the doors: but when we had opened it, we found no body within. Upon hearing this, the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests wonder'd bow this could be. when somebody came and told them, the men whom ye order'd to prison, are standing in the temple, and teaching the people. read more.
upon which the captain went with his officers, and brought them, without offering any violence, for fear of being stoned, he and his men by the people. when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, saying, did not we strictly command you, not to teach in this name? and yet you have spread your doctrine through Jerusalem, and you endeavour to make us responsible for this man's blood. then Peter and the other apostles made answer, we ought to obey God rather than men.