Acts 26:1-16 ▼

1 Then Agrippa sayd vnto Paul, Thou art permitted to speake for thy selfe. So Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himselfe.

2 I thinke my selfe happy, King Agrippa, because I shall answere this day before thee of all the things whereof I am accused of the Iewes.

3 Chiefly, because thou hast knowledge of all customes, and questions which are among the Iewes: wherefore I beseech thee, to heare me patiently.

4 As touching my life from my childhood, and what it was from the beginning among mine owne nation at Hierusalem, know all the Iewes,

5 Which knewe me heretofore, euen from my elders (if they would testifie) that after the most straite sect of our religion I liued a Pharise.

6 And now I stand and am accused for the hope of the promes made of God vnto our fathers.

7 Whereunto our twelue tribes instantly seruing God day and night, hope to come: for the which hopes sake, O King Agrippa, I am accused of the Iewes.

8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible vnto you, that God should raise againe the dead?

9 I also verely thought in my selfe, that I ought to doe many contrarie things against the Name of Iesus of Nazareth.

10 Which thing I also did in Hierusalem: for many of the Saints I shut vp in prison, hauing receiued authoritie of the hie Priests, and when they were put to death, I gaue my sentence.

11 And I punished them throughout all the Synagogues, and compelled them to blaspheme, and being more mad against them, I persecuted them, euen vnto strange cities.

12 At which time, euen as I went to Damascus with authoritie, and commission from the hie Priests,

13 At midday, O King, I sawe in the way a light from heauen, passing the brightnes of the sunne, shine round about mee, and them which went with me.

14 So when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voyce speaking vnto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kicke against pricks.

15 Then I sayd, Who art thou, Lord? And he sayd, I am Iesus whom thou persecutest.

16 But rise and stand vp on thy feete: for I haue appeared vnto thee for this purpose, to appoint thee a minister and a witnesse, both of the things which thou hast seene, and of the things in the which I will appeare vnto thee,