Acts 26:1-18 ▼

1 And Agrippa said to Paul, It is permitted to thee to speak for thyself. Then Paul reaching forth his hand, proceeded with his defence:

2 O king Agrippa, I consider myself happy, being about this day to make my defence before thee concerning all those things of which I am accused by the Jews:

3 especially as thou art acquainted with all the customs and questions among the Jews: therefore I pray you to hear me patiently.

4 Moreover indeed all the Jews know my life from my youth; being from the beginning in my nation and in Jerusalem,

5 knowing me originally, if they may be willing to testify, that according to the most rigid sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

6 And now for the hope of the promise which is from God to our fathers, I stand being judged:

7 unto which our twelve tribes constantly worshiping night and day, hope to attain: concerning which hope I am accused by the Jews, O king.

8 Why is it judged by you incredible, if God shall raise the dead?

9 Moreover indeed, I thought to myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene:

10 which I did also in Jerusalem, and shut up many of the saints in prison; and having received authority from the chief priests, and they being slain, I gave my vote against them;

11 and throughout all the synagogues, frequently punishing them, I compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceeding mad against them, I was persecuting them even also unto foreign cities.

12 Meanwhile journeying to Damascus with power and authority of the chief priests, I saw on the way, O king,

13 about midday, a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me;

14 and we all having fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against goads.

15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou art persecuting.

16 But rise up, and stand upon thy feet: for unto this have I appeared unto thee, to make thee a minister and a martyr both of those things which thou hast seen, and of which I will appear unto thee;

17 delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

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