Acts 26
26
1Agrippa said to Paul, “You may now present your case.”
So Paul motioned with his hand. Then he began to present his case. 2“King Agrippa,” he said, “I am happy to be able to stand here today. I will answer all the charges brought against me by the Jews. 3I am very pleased that you are familiar with Jewish ways. You know the kinds of things they argue about. So I beg you to be patient as you listen to me.
4“The Jewish people all know how I have lived ever since I was a child. They know all about me from the beginning of my life. They know how I lived in my own country and in Jerusalem. 5They have known me for a long time. So if they wanted to, they could tell you how I have lived. I have lived by the rules of the Pharisees. Those rules are harder to obey than those of any other Jewish group. 6Today I am on trial because of the hope I have. I believe in what God promised our people of long ago. 7It is the promise that our 12 tribes are hoping to see come true. Because of this hope they serve God with faithful and honest hearts day and night. King Agrippa, it is also because of this hope that these Jews are bringing charges against me. 8Why should any of you think it is impossible for God to raise the dead?
9“I believed that I should oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. So I did everything I could to oppose his name. 10That’s just what I was doing in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests, I put many of the Lord’s people in prison. I agreed that they should die. 11I often went from one synagogue to another to have them punished. I tried to force them to speak evil things against Jesus. All I wanted to do was hurt them. I even went looking for them in the cities of other lands.
12“On one of these journeys I was on my way to Damascus. I had the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13About noon, King Agrippa, I was on the road. I saw a light coming from heaven. It was brighter than the sun. It was shining around me and my companions. 14We all fell to the ground. I heard a voice speak to me in the Aramaic language. ‘Saul! Saul!’ it said. ‘Why are you opposing me? It is hard for you to go against what you know is right.’
15“Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
“ ‘I am Jesus,’ the Lord replied. ‘I am the one you are opposing. 16Now get up. Stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you to serve me. And you must tell other people about me. You must tell others that you have seen me today. You must also tell them that I will show myself to you again. 17I will save you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18to open their eyes. I want you to turn them from darkness to light. I want you to turn them from Satan’s power to God. I want their sins to be forgiven. They will be forgiven when they believe in me. They will have their place among God’s people.’
19“So then, King Agrippa, I obeyed the vision that appeared from heaven. 20First I preached to people in Damascus. Then I preached in Jerusalem and in all Judea. And then I preached to the Gentiles. I told them to turn away from their sins to God. The way they live must show that they have turned away from their sins. 21That’s why some Jews grabbed me in the temple courtyard and tried to kill me. 22But God has helped me to this day. So I stand here and tell you what is true. I tell it to everyone, both small and great. I have been saying nothing different from what the prophets and Moses said would happen. 23They said the Messiah would suffer. He would be the first to rise from the dead. He would bring the message of God’s light. He would bring it to his own people and to the Gentiles.”
24While Paul was still presenting his case, Festus interrupted. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you crazy!”
25“I am not crazy, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26The king is familiar with these things. So I can speak openly to him. I am certain he knows everything that has been going on. After all, it was not done in secret. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
28Then Agrippa spoke to Paul. “Are you trying to talk me into becoming a Christian?” he said. “Do you think you can do that in such a short time?”
29Paul replied, “I don’t care if it takes a short time or a long time. I pray to God for you and all who are listening to me today. I pray that you may become like me, except for these chains.”
30The king stood up. The governor and Bernice and those sitting with them stood up too. 31They left the room and began to talk with one another. “Why should this man die or be put in prison?” they said. “He has done nothing worthy of that!”
32Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free. But he has made an appeal to Caesar.”
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Acts 26: NIrV
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Acts 26
26
Paul’s Defense Before Agrippa
1#Ac 9:15Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.”
So Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: 2“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that today I shall make my defense before you against all the accusations of the Jews, 3#Ac 6:14especially because you are an expert in all customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to patiently listen to me.
4#Gal 1:13“My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning in my own nation and at Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. 5#Ac 23:6; 22:3They knew me from the beginning and could testify, if they wished, how according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. 6#Ac 24:15; 28:20And now I stand on trial for hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, 7#Jas 1:1; Ezr 6:17to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God day and night. Concerning this hope, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. 8Why is it judged incredible by you that God raises the dead?
9#1Ti 1:13; Ac 22:8“I, too, thought that I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, 10#Ac 8:3; 9:13–14which I indeed did in Jerusalem and locked up many of the saints in prison by authority from the chief priests. And when they were killed, I cast my vote against them. 11#Mt 10:17; Ac 22:19I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme. And being extremely enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
Paul Tells of His Conversion
Ac 9:1–19; 22:6–16
12“So I went to Damascus with authority and a commission from the chief priests. 13At midday, O King, I saw along the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. 14#Ac 21:40; 9:7When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15“I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’
“He said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16#Ac 22:14–15; Eze 2:1But rise and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness both of what you have seen and of what I will yet reveal to you. 17#Ac 9:15; Jer 1:8I will deliver you from your people and from the Gentiles to whom I now send you, 18#Ac 20:32; 1Pe 2:9; Isa 35:5to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
Paul’s Testimony to Jews and Gentiles
19“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20#Mt 3:8; Ac 3:19but declared first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do works proving their repentance. 21#Ac 21:30–31; 21:27For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22#Ac 24:14; Lk 24:27Therefore having obtained help from God, I continue to this day, testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen: 23#Rev 1:5; Lk 2:32; Col 1:18that the Christ must suffer, that He would be the first who would rise from the dead, and would announce light to His own people and to the Gentiles.”
Paul Appeals to Agrippa to Believe
24#1Co 4:10; 2Ki 9:11So as he made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are mad. Much learning is turning you to madness.”
25#Ac 23:26; 24:3Paul said, “I am not mad, most excellent Festus. I speak the words of truth and reason. 26The king, before whom I also speak freely, knows about these things. For I am persuaded that none of this is hidden from him, for this was not done in a corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”
28#Ac 11:26Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to be a Christian.”
29#Ac 21:33; 1Co 7:7Paul said, “I pray to God that not only you, but all who hear me this day, might become not only almost, but thoroughly and altogether, what I am, except for these chains.”
30When he had said this, the king rose, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them. 31#Ac 23:29; 23:9When they had gone aside, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing deserving death or imprisonment.”
32#Ac 28:18And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
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