Acts 26

¹Yet truly, Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted for you to speak for yourself.” Then Paul, extending his hand, began to offer his defense.

²“I consider myself blessed, O king Agrippa, that I am to give my defense today before you, about everything of which I am accused by the Jews,

³especially since you know everything that pertains to the Jews, both customs and questions. Because of this, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴And certainly, all the Jews know about my life from my youth, which had its beginning among my own people in Jerusalem.

⁵They knew me well from the beginning, (if they would be willing to offer testimony) for I lived according to the most determined sect of our religion: as a Pharisee.

⁶And now, it is in the hope of the Promise which was made by God to our fathers that I stand subject to judgment.

⁷It is the Promise that our twelve tribes, worshiping night and day, hope to see. About this hope, O king, I am accused by the Jews.

⁸Why should it be judged so unbelievable with you all that God might raise the dead?

⁹And certainly, I myself formerly considered that I ought to act in many ways which are contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.

¹⁰This is also how I acted at Jerusalem. And so, I enclosed many holy persons in prison, having received authority from the leaders of the priests. And when they were to be killed, I brought the sentence.

¹¹And in every synagogue, frequently while punishing them, I compelled them to blaspheme. And being all the more maddened against them, I persecuted them, even to foreign cities.

¹²Thereafter, as I was going to Damascus, with authority and permission from the high priest,

¹³at midday, O king, I and those who were also with me, saw along the way a light from heaven shining around me with a splendor greater than that of the sun.

¹⁴And when we had all fallen down to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goad.’

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

¹⁶But rise up and stand on your feet. For I appeared to you for this reason: so that I may establish you as a minister and a witness concerning the things that you have seen, and concerning the things that I will show to you:

¹⁷rescuing you from the people and the nations to which I am now sending you,

¹⁸in order to open their eyes, so that they may be converted from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive the remission of sins and a place among the saints, through the faith that is in me.’

¹⁹From then on, O king Agrippa, I was not unbelieving to the heavenly vision.

²⁰But I preached, first to those who are at Damascus and at Jerusalem, and then to the entire region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, so that they would repent and convert to God, doing the works that are worthy of repentance.

²¹It was for this reason that the Jews, having apprehended me when I was in the temple, attempted to kill me.

²²But having been aided by the help of God, even to this day, I stand witnessing to the small and the great, saying nothing beyond what the Prophets and Moses have said would be in the future:

²³that the Christ would suffer, and that he would be the first from the resurrection of the dead, and that he would bring light to the people and to the nations.”

²⁴While he was speaking these things and presenting his defense, Festus said with a loud voice: “Paul, you are insane! Too much studying has turned you to insanity.”

²⁵And Paul said: “I am not insane, most excellent Festus, but rather I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.

²⁶For the king knows about these things. To him also, I am speaking with constancy. For I think that none of these things are unknown to him. And neither were these things done in a corner.

²⁷Do you believe the Prophets, O king Agrippa? I know that you believe.”

²⁸Then Agrippa said to Paul, “To some extent, you persuade me to become a Christian.”

²⁹And Paul said, “I hope to God that, both to a small extent and to a great extent, not only you, but also all those who hear me this day will become just as I also am, except for these chains.”

³⁰And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them.

³¹And when they had withdrawn, they were speaking among themselves, saying, “This man has done nothing worthy of death, nor of imprisonment.”

³²Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released, if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Acts 26

¹Then Agrippa said to Paul: Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul, stretching forth his hand, began to make his answer.

²I think myself happy, O king Agrippa, that I am to answer for myself this day before thee, touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews.

³Especially as thou knowest all, both customs and questions, that are among the Jews. Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

⁴And my life indeed from my youth, which was from the beginning among my own nation in Jerusalem, all the Jews do know:

⁵Having known me from the beginning (if they will give testimony) that according to the most sure sect of our religion I lived, a Pharisee.

⁶And now for the hope of the promise that was made by God to the fathers, do I stand subject to judgment:

⁷Unto which, our twelve tribes, serving night and day, hope to come. For which hope, O king, I am accused by the Jews.

⁸Why should it be thought a thing incredible that God should raise the dead?

⁹And I indeed did formerly think that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

¹⁰Which also I did at Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority of the chief priests. And when they were put to death, I brought the sentence.

¹¹And oftentimes punishing them, in every synagogue, I compelled them to blaspheme: and being yet more mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.

¹²Whereupon, when I was going to Damascus with authority and permission of the chief priest,

¹³At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that were in company with me.

¹⁴And when we were all fallen down on 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 the good.

¹⁵And I said: Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord answered: I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

¹⁶But rise up and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared to thee, that I may make thee a minister and a witness of those things which thou hast seen and of those things wherein I will appear to thee,

¹⁷Delivering thee from the people and from the nations unto which now I send thee:

¹⁸To open their eyes, that they may be converted from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a lot among the saints, by the faith that is in me.

¹⁹Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not incredulous to the heavenly vision.

²⁰But to them first that are at Damascus and at Jerusalem, and unto all the country of Judea, and to the Gentiles did I preach, that they should do penance and turn to God, doing works worthy of penance.

²¹For this cause, the Jews, when I was in the temple, having apprehended me, went about to kill me.

²²But being aided by the help of God, I stand unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other thing than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come to pass:

²³That Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead and should shew light to the people and to the Gentiles.

²⁴As he spoke these things and made his answer, Festus said with a loud voice: Paul, thou art beside thyself: much learning doth make thee mad.

²⁵And Paul said: I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but I speak words of truth and soberness.

²⁶For the king knoweth of these things, to whom also I speak with confidence. For I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him. For neither was any of these things done in a corner.

²⁷Believest thou the prophets, O king Agrippa? I know that thou believest.

²⁸And Agrippa said to Paul: In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian.

²⁹And Paul said: I would to God that both in a little and in much, not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, should become such as I also am, except these bands.

³⁰And the king rose up, and the governor and Bernice and they that sat with them.

³¹And when they were gone aside, they spoke among themselves, saying: This man hath done nothing worthy of death or of bands.

³²And Agrippa said to Festus: This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.