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.

Acts 26

¹Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

²I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

³Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

⁴My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

⁵Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

⁶And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

⁷Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

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

⁹I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

¹⁰Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

¹¹And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

¹²Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

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 which journeyed with me.

¹⁴And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

¹⁵And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

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

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

¹⁸To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

¹⁹Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

²⁰But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

²¹For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.

²²Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

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

²⁴And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

²⁵But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

²⁶For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

²⁷King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

²⁸Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

²⁹And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

³⁰And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

³¹And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

³²Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cesar.