Acts

Chapter 26

1 Then1161 Agrippa67 said5346 to Paul,3972 You are permitted2010 to speak3004 for yourself.4572 Then5119 Paul3972 stretched1614 forth1614 the hand,5495 and answered626 for himself:

2 I think2233 myself1683 happy,3107 king935 Agrippa,67 because I shall answer626 for myself this4594 day4594 before1909 you touching4012 all3956 the things whereof3739 I am accused1458 of the Jews:2453

3 Especially3122 because I know you to be expert1109 in all3956 customs1485 and questions2213 which are among2596 the Jews:2453 why1352 I beseech1189 you to hear191 me patiently.3116

4 My manner981 of life981 from my youth,3503 which3588 was at575 the first746 among1722 my3450 own nation1484 at1722 Jerusalem,2414 know2467 all3956 the Jews;2453

5 Which knew4267 me from the beginning,509 if1437 they would2309 testify,3140 that after2596 the most strait196 sect139 of our religion2356 I lived2198 a Pharisee.5330

6 And now3568 I stand2476 and am judged2919 for the hope1680 of the promise1860 made1096 of God,2316 to our fathers:3962

7 To which3739 promise our twelve1429 tribes,1429 instantly1722 1616 serving3000 God day2250 and night,3571 hope1679 to come.2658 For which3739 hope's1679 sake, king935 Agrippa,67 I am accused1458 of the Jews.2453

8 Why5101 should it be thought2919 a thing incredible571 with you, that God2316 should raise1453 the dead?3498

9 I truly3303 3767 thought1380 with myself,1683 that I ought1163 to do4238 many4183 things contrary1727 to the name3686 of Jesus2424 of Nazareth.3478

10 Which3739 thing I also2532 did in Jerusalem:2414 and many4183 of the saints40 did4160 I shut2623 up in prison,5438 having received2983 authority1849 from the chief749 priests;749 and when they were put337 to death,337 I gave2702 my voice5586 against2702 them.

11 And I punished5097 them oft4178 in every3956 synagogue,4864 and compelled315 them to blaspheme;987 and being exceedingly4057 mad1693 against1693 them, I persecuted1377 them even2532 to strange1854 cities.4172

12 Whereupon1722 3739 as I went4198 to Damascus1154 with authority1849 and commission2011 from the chief749 priests,749

13 At midday,2250 3319 O king,935 I saw1492 in the way3598 a light5457 from heaven,3771 above5228 the brightness2987 of the sun,2246 shining4034 round4034 about4034 me and them which journeyed4198 with me.

14 And when we were all3956 fallen2667 to the earth,1093 I heard191 a voice5456 speaking2980 to me, and saying3004 in the Hebrew1446 tongue,1258 Saul,4569 Saul,4569 why5101 persecute1377 you me? it is hard4642 for you to kick2979 against4314 the pricks.2759

15 And I said,2036 Who5101 are1488 you, Lord?2962 And he said,2036 I am1510 Jesus2424 whom3739 you persecute.1377

16 But rise,450 and stand2476 on your feet:4228 for I have appeared3700 to you for this5124 purpose, to make4400 you a minister5257 and a witness3144 both5037 of these things which3739 you have seen,1492 and of those things in the which3739 I will appear3700 to you;

17 Delivering1807 you from the people,2992 and from the Gentiles,1484 to whom3739 now3568 I send649 you,

18 To open455 their eyes,3788 and to turn1994 them from darkness4655 to light,5457 and from the power1849 of Satan4567 to God,2316 that they may receive2983 forgiveness859 of sins,266 and inheritance2819 among1722 them which are sanctified37 by faith4102 that is in me.

19 Whereupon,3606 O king935 Agrippa,67 I was not disobedient545 to the heavenly3770 vision:3705

20 But showed518 first4412 to them of Damascus,1154 and at Jerusalem,2414 and throughout1519 all3956 the coasts5561 of Judaea,2449 and then to the Gentiles,1484 that they should repent3340 and turn1994 to God,2316 and do4238 works2041 meet514 for repentance.3341

21 For these5130 causes1752 the Jews2453 caught4815 me in the temple,2411 and went3987 about3985 to kill1315 me.

22 Having therefore3767 obtained5177 help1947 of God,2316 I continue2476 to this5026 day,2250 witnessing3140 both5037 to small3398 and great,3173 saying3004 none3762 other1622 things than those which3739 the prophets4396 and Moses3475 did say2980 should3195 come:1096

23 That Christ5547 should suffer,3805 and that he should be the first4413 that should rise386 from the dead,3498 and should3195 show2605 light5457 to the people,2992 and to the Gentiles.1484

24 And as he thus5023 spoke626 for himself, Festus5347 said5346 with a loud3173 voice,5456 Paul,3972 you are beside3105 yourself; much4183 learning1121 does make4062 you mad.1519 3130

25 But he said,5346 I am not mad,3105 most2903 noble2903 Festus;5347 but speak669 forth669 the words4487 of truth225 and soberness.4997

26 For the king935 knows1987 of these5130 things, before4314 whom3739 also2532 I speak2980 freely:3955 for I am persuaded3982 that none5100 of these5130 things are hidden2990 from him; for this5124 thing was not done4238 in a corner.1137

27 King935 Agrippa,67 believe4100 you the prophets?4396 I know1492 that you believe.4100

28 Then1161 Agrippa67 said5346 to Paul,3972 Almost1722 3641 you persuade3982 me to be a Christian.5546

29 And Paul3972 said,2036 I would2172 to God,2316 that not only3440 you, but also2532 all3956 that hear191 me this4594 day,4594 were both2532 almost,1722 3641 and altogether1722 4183 such5108 as I am,1510 except3924 these5130 bonds.1199

30 And when he had thus5023 spoken,2036 the king935 rose450 up, and the governor,2232 and Bernice,959 and they that sat4775 with them:

31 And when they were gone402 aside,402 they talked2980 between4314 themselves,240 saying,3004 This3778 man444 does4238 nothing3762 worthy514 of death2288 or2228 of bonds.1199

32 Then1161 said5346 Agrippa67 to Festus,5347 This3778 man444 might1410 have been1096 set630 at630 liberty,630 if1487 he had not appealed1941 to Caesar.2541