AC-26:1  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself.

Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

AC-26:2  I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself

this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

AC-26:3  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.

AC-26:4  My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own

nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

AC-26:5  Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after

the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

AC-26:6  And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God

unto our fathers:

AC-26:7  Unto which [promise] our twelve tribes, instantly serving [God] day

and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of

the Jews.

AC-26:8  Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should

raise the dead?

AC-26:9  I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary

to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

AC-26:10  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].

AC-26:11  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.

AC-26:12  Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from

the chief priests,

AC-26:13  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 which journeyed with me.

AC-26:14  And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking

unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

[it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

AC-26:15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou

persecutest.

AC-26:16  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;

AC-26:17  Delivering thee from the people, and [from] the Gentiles, unto whom

now I send thee,

AC-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 inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

AC-26:19  Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly

vision:

AC-26:20  But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and

throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and [then] to the Gentiles, that they

should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

AC-26:21  For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to

kill [me].

AC-26:22  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:

AC-26:23  That Christ should suffer, [and] that he should be the first that

should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the

Gentiles.

AC-26:24  And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice,

Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

AC-26:25  But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the

words of truth and soberness.

AC-26:26  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; for

this thing was not done in a corner.

AC-26:27  King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou

believest.

AC-26:28  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a

Christian.

AC-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.

AC-26:30  And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and

Bernice, and they that sat with them:

AC-26:31  And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves,

saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

AC-26:32  Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at

liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

~~~~~~