LO - Acts - 26

26:1  Then Agrippa said to Paul, It is granted to you to speak for yourself. Then Paul, stretching forth his hand, made his defense.

26:2  I esteem myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am this day to make my defense before you, concerning all those things of which I am accused by the Jews;

26:3  especially as you are acquainted with all the customs and questions among the Jews: wherefore, I entreat you, that you will hear me with patience.

26:4  The manner of my life, from my youth, which, from the beginning, was spent among my own nation, in Jerusalem, is known to all the Jews;

26:5  who knew me from the first, (if they would testify,) that, according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.

26:6  And now I stand in judgment for the hope of that promise, which was made by God to our fathers:

26:7  to which promise, our twelve tribes, worshiping continually, night and day, hope to attain: concerning which hope, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.

26:8  Why should it be judged an incredible thing, by you, that God should raise the dead?

26:9  I, indeed, thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus, the Nazarene.

26:10  Which, accordingly, I did in Jerusalem; and I shut up many of the saints in prison, having received authority from the chief priests. And when some of them were killed, I gave my vote against them:

26:11  and frequently punishing them in all the synagogues, I compelled them to blaspheme: and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

26:12  With this view, I was going to Damascus, with authority and commission from the chief priests;

26:13  at mid-day, on the road, King Agrippa, I saw a light from heaven, exceeding the splendor of the sun, shining about me, and those who traveled with me.

26:14  And when we were all fallen down to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying, in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.

26:15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus, whom you persecute.

26:16  But arise, and stand upon your feet, for to this purpose I have appeared to you, to ordain you a minister and a witness, both of the things which you have seen, and of those which I will hereafter show you:

26:17  delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles; to whom I now send you--

26:18  to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; that they may receive forgiveness of sons, and an inheritance amongst the sanctified, through faith in me.

26:19  From that time, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision:

26:20  but declared, first to them at Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and through all the country of Judea; and then to the Gentiles, that they should reform, and return to God, performing deeds worthy of reformation.

26:21  On account of these things, the Jews seizing me in the temple, attempted to have killed me with their own hands.

26:22  Having, therefore, obtained help from God, I continue, till this day, testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses have declared would be;

26:23  that the Messiah would be a sufferer--would be first of a resurrection from the dead--would give light to the people, and to the Gentiles.

26:24  And as he was thus making his defense, Festus said, with a loud voice, Paul, you are distracted: much learning drives you to madness.

26:25  But he replied, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but utter the words of truth and soberness.

26:26  For the king knows of these things; to whom, also, I speak with freedom: for I am persuaded none of these things are hid from him, for this was not done in a corner.

26:27  King Agrippa! do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.

26:28  Then Agrippa said to Paul, You almost persuade me to be a Christian.

26:29  And Paul said, I would to God that, not only you, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these chains.

26:30  And as he said this, the king arose, and the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them.

26:31  And when they had retired, they spoke one with another, saying, This man has done nothing worthy of death, or of bonds.

26:32  And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Cesar.