Acts 26

 

1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, You are permitted to speak for yourself. Then Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself:

 

2 I consider myself blessed, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews:

 

3 Especially because I know you to be an expert (acquainted) with all customs and questions which are among the Jews: which is why I urge you to hear me patiently.

4 My way of life from my youth, which was at the beginning among my own nation in Jerusalem, all the Jews know this;

5 Who knew me from the beginning, if they could testify, (would confirm) that after the strictest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.

 

6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise (of eternal life) made by God, to our fathers (fulfilled in Jesus Christ):

 

7 To which (same) promise do our twelve tribes, earnestly worship God day and night, hope to attain. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews (this day).

 

8 Why is it judged an unbelievable thing to you, that God raises the dead (as you admit He has the power to do)?

 

9 I truly thought that I, myself, should do many things against (the way and) the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10 Which things I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I lock up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.

11 And I punished them often in every synagogue and pressed them to (make them) blaspheme; and being in a frenzy of rage against them, I persecuted them even (pursuing them) to foreign cities.

 

12 During one such time, as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

 

13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, greater than the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and (around) them which traveled with me.

 

14 And when we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard (and grievous) for you to kick against the pricks (even resisting the divine impulse of your heart).

15 And I said, Who are you, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom you persecute.

16 But arise, and stand on your feet: to this end have I appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of those things in which I will appear to you;

17 Delivering you from the (Jewish) people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send you,

 

18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from (the kingdom of) darkness to (the kingdom of His dear Son in the) light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and (rest in the) inheritance among those who are sanctified (once and for all time) by (the same) faith (of Jesus Christ) that is in me.

19 So then, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision:

20 But I showed (myself) first to those of Damascus, and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, (to whom I kept declaring) that they should repent (from the work to establish their own lives) and turn to God (looking unto Jesus), and do (the) work fitting for repentance (which is to believe on Him to serve them with His life).

21 For these reasons, the Jews seized me in the temple and attempted to kill me.

22 Having therefore obtained the help of God, I continue to this day, witnessing to both small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses (also) did say should come (in Christ):

 

23 That Christ should suffer (being put to death in the flesh), and that He should be the first that should rise from the dead, and (having triumphed over death) should show (the) light (of the glory of God) to the people, and to the Gentiles (in the face of Jesus Christ).

24 And as he spoke these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, you are crazy; your great learning has turned into insanity.

25 But he said, I am not crazy, most noble Festus; but speak the words of truth and a sound mind.

26 For the king knows of these things, before whom also I speak boldly: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in secret.

27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.

28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, You almost persuaded me (a little) to be a Christian.

 

29 And Paul said, My desire to God is that not only you, but also all that hear me this day, were both a little (persuaded), and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.

30 And when he finished speaking this, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them:

31 And when they had gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.

32 Then said Agrippa to Festus, This man could have been set free, if he had not appealed to Caesar.