Acts 26
1. Then Agrippa said * unto Paul, Thou art permitted * to speak * for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth * the hand, and answered for himself * :
2. I 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:
3. Especially 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.
4. My manner of life from my youth, which was * at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know * all the Jews;
5. Which knew * me from the beginning,if they would * testify * , that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived * a Pharisee.
6. And now I stand * and am judged * for the hope of the promise made * of God unto our fathers:
7. Unto 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.
8. Why should it be thought a thing * incredible with you, that God should raise * the dead?
9. I verily thought * with myself, that I ought * to do * many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10. Which 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.
11. And 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.
12. Whereupon as I went * to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
13. At 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.
14. And 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.
15. And I said * , Who art thou * , Lord? And he said * , I am * Jesus whom thou persecutest * .
16. But 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;
17. Delivering * thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send * thee,
18. To 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.
19. Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was * not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
20. But shewed * first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent * and turn * to God, and do * works meet for repentance.
21. For these causes the Jews caught * me in the temple, and went about * to kill * me.
22. Having * 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 * :
23. That 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.
24. And as he thus spake for himself * , Festus said * with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself * ; much learning doth make * thee mad.
25. But he said * , I am * not mad * , most noble Festus; but speak forth * the words of truth and soberness.
26. For 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.
27. King Agrippa, believest thou * the prophets? I know * that thou believest * .
28. Then Agrippa said * unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest * me to be * a Christian.
29. And 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.
30. And when he had * thus spoken * , the king rose up * , and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with * them:
31. And when they were gone aside * , they talked * between themselves, saying * , This man doeth * nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
32. Then said * Agrippa unto Festus, This man might * have been set at liberty * , if * he had * not appealed unto * Caesar.
