Acts 26

1Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak on your own behalf.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:

2Concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today,

3especially because you are knowledgeable about all the customs and disputes among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

4So then, all the Jews know my manner of life from my youth, which from the beginning took place among my own nation and also in Jerusalem,

5They have known me from the beginning, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion.

6And now I stand on trial because of the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,

7to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. It is concerning this hope that I am accused by the Jews, O king.

8Why is it judged unbelievable by you if God raises the dead?

9So I myself indeed thought that I ought to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.

10And this is what I did in Jerusalem: I not only locked up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also, when they were being put to death, I cast my vote against them.

11And in all the synagogues, punishing them many times, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I kept persecuting them even to the foreign cities.

12In this connection, as I was traveling to Damascus with authority and a commission from the chief priests,

13At midday, along the road, I saw, O king, a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me.

14And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It 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 rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you as a servant and witness both of the things in which you have seen me and of the things in which I will appear to you,

17delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you

18to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in me.

19Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

20but first to those in Damascus, then also in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, I proclaimed that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

21Because of these things the Jews seized me in the temple and were trying to kill me.

22Therefore, having received the help that is from God, I stand to this day, testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except what both the prophets and Moses said was going to happen,

23that the Messiah would suffer, and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.

24As he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “You are out of your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you into madness.”

25But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking words of truth and sound judgment.”

26For the king knows about these things, and I speak boldly to him. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, because this has not been done in a corner.

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

28Then Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time you are persuading me to become a Christian.”

29But Paul said, “I would pray to God that whether in a short time or in a long time, not only you but also all who hear me today might become such as I am—except for these chains.”

30Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those seated with them,

31And after they withdrew, they were speaking to one another, saying, “This man is doing nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”

32Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”