The Acts of the Apostles

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- Chapter 26 -

(Acts 9:1–19; Acts 22:1–21)

So Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense.

“I regard myself as happy, King Agrippa, to make my case before you today against all the accusations of the Jews;

especially, because you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and questions. So I ask you to hear me patiently.

Truly, all the Jews know how I lived from my youth in my own nation and at Jerusalem.

They knew me from the beginning and they should admit that I lived as a Pharisee, a very strict sect of our religion.

Now I stand here to be judged because I look for the promise that God made to our fathers.

For this is the promise our twelve tribes hoped to receive as they earnestly worshiped God night and day. It is for this hope, King Agrippa, that the Jews accuse me.

Why should any of you think it is incredible that God raises the dead?

At one time I thought to myself that I should do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

I did these in Jerusalem. I locked up many of the believers in prison by the authority I received from the chief priests, and when they were killed, I cast my vote against them.

I punished them many times in all the synagogues and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was furiously enraged against them and I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

While I was doing this, I went to Damascus with authority and orders from the chief priests;

and on the way there, at midday, King, I saw a light from heaven that was brighter than the sun and it shone around both me and the men who were traveling with me.

When we all fell to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me that said in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick a goad.’

Then I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The Lord replied, ’I am Jesus whom you persecute.

Now get up and stand on your feet; because for this purpose I appeared to you, to appoint you to be a servant and a witness concerning the things that you know about me now and the things that I will show to you later;

and I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you,

to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive from God the forgiveness of sins and the inheritance that I give to them whom I set apart for myself by faith in me.’

Therefore, King Agrippa, I did not disobey the heavenly vision;

but, to those in Damascus first, and then at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God, doing deeds worthy of repentance.

For this cause the Jews arrested me in the temple and tried to kill me.

God has helped me until now, so I stand and testify to the common people and to the great ones about nothing more than what the prophets and Moses said would happen;

that Christ must suffer, and that he would be the first from the resurrection of the dead to rise and to proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

Festus Interrupts Paul’s Defense

As Paul completed his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are insane; your great learning makes you insane.”

But Paul said, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; but with courage I speak words of truth and soberness.

For the king knows about these things; and so, I speak freely to him, for I am persuaded that none of this is hidden from him; for this has not been done in a corner.

Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe.”

Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me and make me a Christian?”

Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether in a short or long time, not you only, but also all that hear me today, would be like me, but without these prison chains.”

Then the king stood up, and the governor, and Bernice also, and those who were sitting with them;

when they left the hall, they talked to one another and said, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.”

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

(Acts 9:1–19; Acts 22:1–21)

Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.

“I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you today concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews,

especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.

“Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem;

having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,

which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa!

Why is it judged incredible with you if God does raise the dead?

“I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

I also did this in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.

Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

“Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,

at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.

When we had all fallen to the earth, 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.’

“I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will reveal to you;

delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,

to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

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

but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.

Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen,

how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles.”

Festus Interrupts Paul’s Defense

As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”

But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.

For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner.

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

Agrippa said to Paul, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?”

Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these bonds.”

The king rose up with the governor and Bernice, and those who sat with them.

When they had withdrawn, they spoke to one another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.”

Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”