Acts 26

1 And Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted for you to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: 2 “Concerning everything of which I am accused by Jews, King Agrippa, I count myself fortunate that it is before you I am about to make my defense today, [a] 3 and most of all because you are an expert in all the customs and disputed questions among Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.

4 “My way of life from my youth, lived from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, all Jews know, 5 since they have known me from the first — if they are willing to testify — that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. [b] 6 And now I stand being judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 which our twelve tribes hope to reach as they serve him earnestly night and day. It is about this hope that I am accused by Jews, king. [c] 8 Why is it judged unbelievable among you if God raises the dead?

9 “I myself, then, thought I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus the Nazorean, 10 which I also did in Jerusalem. I shut up many of the holy ones in prisons, having received the authority from the chief priests, and when they were being killed I cast my vote against them. [d] 11 And often, punishing them throughout all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I was pursuing them even as far as cities outside.

12 “In this business I was traveling to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 when at midday along the road I saw, king, a light out of heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and around those traveling with me. 14 And 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.’ [e] 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet; for this is why I appeared to you: to appoint you an attendant and a witness both of the things in which you have seen me and of the things in which I will appear to you, 17 rescuing you from the people and from the nations — to whom I send you, 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who have been made holy by trust in me.’ [g]

19 “And so, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but I announced, first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and through all the country of Judea, and to the nations, that they should have a change of mind and turn to God, doing works worthy of the change of mind. [h] 21 For these things Jews seized me in the temple and were trying to kill me with their own hands. 22 So, having obtained the help that comes from God, I stand to this day testifying to both small and great, saying nothing beyond what the prophets said would happen, and Moses — 23 whether the Christ was to suffer; whether he, first from a resurrection of the dead, was about to announce light both to the people and to the nations.” [i] †

24 And as he was making this defense, Festus says with a loud voice, “You are mad, Paul! Your great learning is turning you to madness!” 25 But Paul says, “I am not mad, most excellent Festus; I am speaking out words of truth and sound sense. 26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly; for I am not persuaded that any of this escapes him, since it has not been done in a corner. 27 Do you trust the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you trust them.” 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a little you are persuading me to make a Christian!” [j] 29 And Paul said, “I would pray to God that, whether in a little or in much, not only you but also all who hear me today might become such as I am — except for these chains.”

30 And the king stood up, and the governor, and Bernice, and those sitting with them; 31 and withdrawing they were speaking to one another, saying, “This man is doing nothing worthy of death or of chains.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”