Acts 26

Whiston^{(i) 1} Then Agrippa said unto Paul, thou art permitted to speak for thy self. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself, ² I think my self happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for my self 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 our twelve tribes serving day and night, hope to come: for which hopes 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 my self, 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 who journeyed with me. ¹⁴ And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [It] [is] hard for thee to kick against the goads. ¹⁵ And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord 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 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 who 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 Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent, and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. ²¹ For this cause 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, 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, and made his apology for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thy self: much learning doth make thee mad. ²⁵ But Paul 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: Nor was this thing done in a comer. 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 the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sate with them. ³¹ And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doth 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 Cesar.