Acts 26:1-25 ▼

1 And Agrippa was saying to Paul, “It is permitted you to speak for yourself.” Then Paul, having stretched out the hand, began his defense:

2 “Concerning all of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I esteem myself fortunate before you, being about to defend myself today,

3 you being especially acquainted with all the customs and also controversies of the Jews. Therefore I implore you to hear me patiently.

4 Then indeed my manner of life, which is from youth, having been from its beginning among my nation and in Jerusalem, all the Jews know—

5 knowing me from the first, if they would be willing to testify—that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee.

6 And now I stand, being judged for the hope of the promise having been made by God to our fathers,

7 to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, serving in earnestness night and day, the hope concerning which I am accused by the Jews, O king.

8 Why is it judged incredible by you? if God raises the dead?

9 Therefore I indeed in myself thought it to be necessary to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth,

10 which I also did in Jerusalem. And I also locked up many of the saints in prisons, having received the authority from the chief priests; and on their being put to death, I cast against them a vote.

11 And in all the synagogues, punishing them often, I was compelling them to blaspheme. And being exceedingly furious against them, I was persecuting them even as far as to foreign cities,

12 during which, going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

13 at midday on the road I saw, O king, a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun having shone around me and those going with me.

14 And all of us having fallen down to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

15 Then I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

16 But rise up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this, to appoint you as a servant and a witness both of that which you have seen of Me and of the things in which I will appear to you,

17 delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you

18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those having been sanctified by faith in Me.’

19 Hence, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

20 but also first to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, also to all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, I was declaring to repent and to turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

21 On account of these things the Jews, having seized me (being in the temple), were attempting to kill me.

22 Therefore, having obtained help from God up to this day, I have stood bearing witness both to small and to great, saying nothing other than that which both the prophets and Moses said was about to happen:

23 that the Christ would suffer and, as first through resurrection from the dead, He is about to proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

24 Now of him making this defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Much learning turns you to insanity!”

25 But Paul says, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus, but I declare forth words of truth and sobriety.