Acts 26
26
Paul’s Early Life
1Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.”
So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: 2“I think myself #(1 Pet. 3:14; 4:14)happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer #(1 Pet. 3:15, 16)for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am #Acts 21:28; 24:5, 6accused by the Jews, 3especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
4“My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. 5They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to #(Acts 22:3; 23:6; 24:15, 21); Phil. 3:5the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6#Acts 23:6And now I stand and am judged for the hope of #(Gen. 3:15; 22:18; 26:4; 49:10; Deut. 18:15; 2 Sam. 7:12; Ps. 132:11; Is. 4:2; 7:14; 9:6; 40:10; Jer. 23:5; 33:14–16; Ezek. 34:23; 37:24; Dan. 9:24); Acts 13:32; Rom. 15:8; (Titus 2:13)the promise made by God to our fathers. 7To this promise #James 1:1our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God #Luke 2:37; 1 Thess. 3:10; 1 Tim. 5:5night and day, #Phil. 3:11hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. 8Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?
9#John 16:2; 1 Cor. 15:9; 1 Tim. 1:12, 13“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of #Acts 2:22; 10:38Jesus of Nazareth. 10#Acts 8:1–3; 9:13; Gal. 1:13This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority #Acts 9:14from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11#Matt. 10:17; Acts 22:19And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
Paul Recounts His Conversion
12#Acts 9:3–8; 22:6–11; 26:12–18“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. 14And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, #Acts 22:15; Eph. 3:6–8to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, #Acts 22:21to whom I now send you, 18#Is. 35:5; 42:7, 16; Luke 1:79; (John 8:12; 2 Cor. 4:4); Eph. 1:18; 1 Thess. 5:5to open their eyes, in order #2 Cor. 6:14; Eph. 4:18; 5:8; (Col. 1:13); 1 Pet. 2:9to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, #Luke 1:77that they may receive forgiveness of sins and #Eph. 1:11; Col. 1:12an inheritance among those who are #Acts 20:32sanctified by faith in Me.’
Paul’s Post-Conversion Life
19“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20but #Acts 9:19, 20, 22; 11:26declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do #Matt. 3:8; Luke 3:8works befitting repentance. 21For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those #Luke 24:27; Acts 24:14; 28:23; Rom. 3:21which the prophets and #John 5:46Moses said would come— 23#Luke 24:26that the Christ would suffer, #1 Cor. 15:20, 23; Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and #Is. 42:6; 49:6; Luke 2:32; 2 Cor. 4:4would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
Agrippa Parries Paul’s Challenge
24Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, #2 Kin. 9:11; John 10:20; (1 Cor. 1:23; 2:13, 14; 4:10)you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”
25But he said, “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. 26For the king, before whom I also speak freely, #Acts 26:3knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.”
28Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”
29And Paul said, #1 Cor. 7:7“I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”
30When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; 31and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, #Acts 23:9, 29; 25:25“This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.”
32Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set #Acts 28:18free #Acts 25:11if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
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Acts 26: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
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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