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Paul’s Testimony to Agrippa

1Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:

2“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews,

3especially since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me patiently.

4Surely all the Jews know how I have lived from my earliest childhood among my own people, and also in Jerusalem.

5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the strictest sect of our religion.

6And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made to our fathers,

7the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. It is because of this hope, O king, that I am accused by the Jews.

8Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

9So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10And that is what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them.

11I frequently had them punished in the synagogues, and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.

12In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

13About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions.

14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew,‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

15‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.

16‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen from Me and what I will show you.

17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them

18to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’

19So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

20First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.

21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courtsand tried to kill me.

22But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen:

23that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”

Festus Interrupts Paul’s Defense

24At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!”

25But Paul answered, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.

26For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.

27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

28Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?”

29“Short time or long,” Paul replied, “I wish to God that not only you but all who hear me this day may become what I am, except for these chains.”

30Then the king and the governor rose, along with Bernice and those seated with them.

31On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”

32And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

1And Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defence:

2I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am to make my defence before thee this day touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews:

3especially because thou art expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

4My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

5having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify, that after the straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

6And now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers;

7unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king!

8Why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?

9I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10And this I also did in Jerusalem: and 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.

11And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.

12Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

13at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that journeyed with me.

14And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the goad.

15And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

16But arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee;

17delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee,

18to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.

19Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

20but declared both to them of Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judæa, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

21For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and assayed to kill me.

22Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand unto this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come;

23how that the Christ must suffer, and how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.

24And as he thus made his defence, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning is turning thee mad.

25But Paul saith, I am not mad, most excellent Festus; but speak forth words of truth and soberness.

26For the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hath not been done in a corner.

27King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

28And Agrippa said unto Paul, With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a Christian.

29And Paul said, I would to God, that whether with little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except these bonds.

30And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

31and when they had withdrawn, they spake one to another, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

32And Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cæsar.