Acts:26

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* Agrippa said to Paul , "You may speak for yourself ." Then Paul stretched out his hand , and made his defense . * "I think myself happy , King Agrippa , that I am to make my defense before you this day concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews , * especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews . Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently . * "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 ; * having known me from the first , if they are willing to testify , that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee . * Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers , * which our twelve tribes , earnestly serving night and day , hope to attain . Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews , King Agrippa ! * Why is it judged incredible with you , if God does raise the dead ? * "I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth . * 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 . * 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 . * "Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests , * 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 . * When we had all fallen to the earth , I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language , 'Saul , Saul , why are you persecuting me ? It is hard for you to kick against the goads .' * "I said , 'Who are you , Lord ?' "He said , 'I am Jesus , whom you are persecuting . * But arise , and stand on your feet , for I have appeared to you for this purpose : 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 ; * delivering you from the people , and from the Gentiles , to whom I send you , * 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 .' * "Therefore , King Agrippa , I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision , * 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 . * For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple , and tried to kill me . * 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 said would happen , * how the Christ must suffer , and how , by the resurrection of the dead , he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles ." * As he thus made his defense , Festus said with a loud voice , "Paul , you are crazy ! Your great learning is driving you insane !" * But he said , "I am not crazy , most excellent Festus , but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness . * 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 . * King Agrippa , do you believe the prophets ? I know that you believe ." * Agrippa said to Paul , "With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian ?" * 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 ." * The king rose up with the governor , and Bernice , and those who sat with them . * When they had withdrawn , they spoke one to another , saying , "This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds ." * Agrippa said to Festus , "This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar ."

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