[1] Agrippa said to Paul, "You may speak for yourself." Then Paul
stretched out his hand, and made his defense. [2] "I think myself happy,
King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day concerning
all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews, [3] especially because you
are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore
I beg you to hear me patiently. [4] "Indeed, all the Jews know my way of
life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and
at Jerusalem; [5] having known me from the first, if they are willing to
testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
[6] Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God
to our fathers, [7] which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and
day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King
Agrippa! [8] Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the
dead? [9] "I most assuredly thought with myself that I ought to do many
things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. [10] This I also did in
Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received
authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my
vote against them. [11] Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried
to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I
persecuted them even to foreign cities. [12] "Whereupon as I journeyed to
Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests, [13] at
noon, O King, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun,
shining around me and those who traveled with me. [14] When we had all
fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language,
`Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against
the goad.` [15] I said, `Who are you, Lord?` He said, `I am Jesus, whom you
persecute. [16] But arise, and stand on your feet, for to this end have I
appeared to you, to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things
which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you; [17]
delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,
[18] to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from
the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an
inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.` [19]
"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
[20] but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout
all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent
and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance. [21] For this reason the
Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me. [22] Having therefore
obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to
small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say
should come, [23] how the Christ must suffer, and how he first by the
resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to these people and to
the Gentiles." [24] As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud
voice, "Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!"
[25] But he said, "I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but speak forth
words of truth and soberness. [26] For the king knows of these things, to
whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is
hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner. [27] King Agrippa,
do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe." [28] Agrippa said to
Paul, "With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?"
[29] Paul said, "I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not
only you, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am,
except for these bonds." [30] The king rose up, and the governor, and
Bernice, and those who sat with them. [31] When they had withdrawn, they
spoke one to another, saying, "This man does nothing worthy of death or of
bonds." [32] Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set free if
he had not appealed to Caesar."
