Acts 26

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Paul's defence before Agrippa

And Agrippa said to Paul, You may put your cause before us. Then Paul, stretching out his hand, made his answer, saying: Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
In my opinion I am happy, King Agrippa, to be able to give my answer before you today to all these things which the Jews say against me: I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
The more so, because you are expert in all questions to do with the Jews and their ways: so I make my request to you to give me a hearing to the end. Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
All the Jews have knowledge of my way of life from my early years, as it was from the start among my nation, and at Jerusalem; My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
And they are able to say, if they would give witness, that I was living as a Pharisee, in that division of our religion which is most regular in the keeping of the law. Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
And now I am here to be judged because of the hope given by God's word to our fathers; And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
For the effecting of which our twelve tribes have been working and waiting night and day with all their hearts. And in connection with this hope I am attacked by the Jews, O king! Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
Why, in your opinion, is it outside belief for God to make the dead come to life again? Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
For I, truly, was of the opinion that it was right for me to do a number of things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth. I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
And this I did in Jerusalem: and numbers of the saints I put in prison, having had authority given to me from the chief priests, and when they were put to death, I gave my decision against them. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
And I gave them punishment frequently, in all the Synagogues, forcing them to say things against God; and burning with passion against them, I went after them even into far-away towns. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

His turning to God and preaching to the Gentiles

Then, when I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and orders of the chief priests, Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
In the middle of the day, on the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining round me and those who were journeying with me. At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
And when we had all gone down on the earth, a voice came to me, saying in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you attacking me so cruelly? It is hard for you to go against the impulse which is driving you. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And I said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are attacking. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
But get up on your feet: for I have come to you for this purpose, to make you a servant and a witness of the things in which you have seen me, and of those in which you will see me; But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
And I will keep you safe from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
To make their eyes open, turning them from the dark to the light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may have forgiveness of sins and a heritage among those who are made holy by faith in me. 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 inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
So, then, King Agrippa, I did not go against the vision from heaven; Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
But I went about, first to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, and through all the country of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, preaching a change of heart, so that they, being turned to God, might give, in their works, the fruits of a changed heart. But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
For this reason, the Jews took me in the Temple, and made an attempt to put me to death. For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
And so, by God's help, I am here today, witnessing to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come about; Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
That the Christ would go through pain, and being the first to come back from the dead, would give light to the people and to the Gentiles. That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

Festus and Agrippa convinced of Paul's innocence

And when he made his answer in these words, Festus said in a loud voice, Paul, you are off your head; your great learning has made you unbalanced. And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
Then Paul said, I am not off my head, most noble Festus, but my words are true and wise. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
For the king has knowledge of these things, to whom I am talking freely; being certain that all this is common knowledge to him; for it has not been done in secret. For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
King Agrippa, have you faith in the prophets? I am certain that you have. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
And Agrippa said to Paul, A little more and you will be making me a Christian. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
And Paul said, It is my prayer to God that, in little or great measure, not only you, but all those hearing me today might be even as I am, but for these chains. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
And the king and the ruler and Bernice and those who were seated with them got up; And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
And when they had gone away they said to one another, This man has done nothing which might give cause for death or prison. And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have been made free, if he had not put his cause before Caesar. Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.
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