26:1 So Agrippa 1 said to Paul, “You have permission 2 to speak for yourself.” Then Paul held out his hand 3 and began his defense: 4
26:2 “Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, 5 I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 26:3 because you are especially 6 familiar with all the customs and controversial issues 7 of the Jews. Therefore I ask 8 you to listen to me patiently. 26:4 Now all the Jews know the way I lived 9 from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people 10 and in Jerusalem. 11 26:5 They know, 12 because they have known 13 me from time past, 14 if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party 15 of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. 16 26:6 And now I stand here on trial 17 because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, 18 26:7 a promise 19 that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God 20 night and day. Concerning this hope the Jews are accusing me, 21 Your Majesty! 22 26:8 Why do you people 23 think 24 it is unbelievable 25 that 26 God raises the dead? 26:9 Of course, 27 I myself was convinced 28 that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. 26:10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons by the authority I received 29 from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote 30 against them when they were sentenced to death. 31 26:11 I punished 32 them often in all the synagogues 33 and tried to force 34 them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged 35 at them, I went to persecute 36 them even in foreign cities.
26:12 “While doing this very thing, 37 as I was going 38 to Damascus with authority and complete power 39 from the chief priests, 26:13 about noon along the road, Your Majesty, 40 I saw a light from heaven, 41 brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around 42 me and those traveling with me. 26:14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 43 ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself 44 by kicking against the goads.’ 45 26:15 So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord replied, 46 ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 26:16 But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance 47 as a servant and witness 48 to the things 49 you have seen 50 and to the things in which I will appear to you. 26:17 I will rescue 51 you from your own people 52 and from the Gentiles, to whom 53 I am sending you 26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn 54 from darkness to light and from the power 55 of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share 56 among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
26:19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, 57 I was not disobedient 58 to the heavenly 59 vision, 26:20 but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, 60 and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, 61 performing deeds consistent with 62 repentance. 26:21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts 63 and were trying to kill me. 26:22 I have experienced 64 help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except 65 what the prophets and Moses said 66 was going to happen: 26:23 that 67 the Christ 68 was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people 69 and to the Gentiles.” 70
26:24 As Paul 71 was saying these things in his defense, Festus 72 exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind, 73 Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!” 26:25 But Paul replied, 74 “I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, 75 but am speaking 76 true and rational 77 words. 26:26 For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely 78 to him, 79 because I cannot believe 80 that any of these things has escaped his notice, 81 for this was not done in a corner. 82 26:27 Do you believe the prophets, 83 King Agrippa? 84 I know that you believe.” 26:28 Agrippa 85 said to Paul, “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?” 86