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Chapter 26 |
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1 | Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art
permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and
answered for himself: |
| 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: |
| 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 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. |
| 8 | Why should it be thought a thing incredible
with you, that God should raise the dead? |
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9 | I verily thought with
myself, 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.
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| 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. |
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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 which journeyed with me. |
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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. |
| 15 | And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he 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 from 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 which 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 Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to
God, and do works meet for repentance. |
| 21 | For these causes 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: |
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23 | That Christ should suffer, and 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 for
himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much
learning doth make thee mad. |
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25 | But he 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; for this thing was not
done in a corner. |
| 27 | King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I
know that thou believest. |
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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 when he
had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that
sat with them: |
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31 | And when they were gone aside, they talked between
themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
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| 32 | Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty,
if he had not appealed unto Caesar. |
