Worsley - Acts - 26

26:1  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretching forth his hand, thus made his defence,

26:2  "O king Agrippa, I think myself happy, that I am this day to make my defence before thee, concerning all the things which I am accused of by the Jews:

26:3  especially as thou art acquainted with all the customs and questions which are among the Jews; wherefore I intreat thee to hear me patiently.

26:4  My manner of life then from my youth, as it has been from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews are acquainted with,

26:5  knowing me before, (if they would testify it,) that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a pharisee.

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

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

26:8  What! is it judged incredible by you, that God should raise the dead?

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

26:10  which I also did in Jerusalem; and I shut up many of the saints in prison, having received authority for it from the chief priests; and when they were put to death I gave my voice against them.

26:11  And often punishing them in all the synagogues, I compelled them to blaspheme, and being excessively enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

26:12  On which accounts as I was going to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests---at mid-day,

26:13  O king, as I was on the way thither I saw a light from heaven exceeding the splendor of the sun, shining round about me and those that were going 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 tongue, Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goads.

26:15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest.

26:16  But rise, and stand on thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things which thou hast seen, and of those for which I shall hereafter appear unto thee:

26:17  delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I now send thee,

26:18  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 an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.

26:19  Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision:

26:20  but declared first to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, and through all the country of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, and turn unto God, performing works suitable to repentance.

26:21  For these things the Jews seized me in the temple, and attempted to kill me.

26:22  But having obtained help of God, I continue until this day, testifying both to small and great, and saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses declared should come to pass; even that the Messiah should suffer,

26:23  and being the first of the resurrection from the dead should bring light to the people and to the Gentiles."

26:24  And as he was saying these things in his defence, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself: much learning turns thy brain.

26:25  But he replied, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but I speak the words of truth and of a sound mind.

26:26  For the king knoweth of these things, to whom also I speak with freedom; because I am persuaded that none of them are unknown to him; for this was not done in a corner.

26:27  O king Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?

26:28  I know that thou believest them. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou almost persuadest me to be a Christian.

26:29  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.

26:30  And when he had said this, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and those that sat with them.

26:31  And when they were retired, they spake to each other, saying, this man hath 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.