Acts 26:1-12 ▼

1 Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted for you to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: “

2 I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that today I am going to make a defense before you about everything I am accused of by the Jews,

3 especially since you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.”

4 All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem.

5 They had previously known me for quite some time, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I lived as a Pharisee.

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

7 the promise our 12 tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve Him night and day. King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews because of this hope.

8 Why is it considered incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

9 In fact, I myself supposed it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.

10 I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.

11 In all the synagogues I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them. I even pursued them to foreign cities since I was greatly enraged at them.”

12 I was traveling to Damascus under these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests.