Acts of the Apostles 26
26
1Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak in your defense.”
So Paul, gesturing with his hand, started his defense: 2“I am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders, 3for I know you are an expert on all Jewish customs and controversies. Now please listen to me patiently!
4“As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem. 5If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion. 6Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God’s promise made to our ancestors. 7In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope! 8Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead?
9“I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene.#26:9 Or Jesus of Nazareth. 10Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers#26:10 Greek many of God’s holy people. there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. 11Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus.#26:11 Greek to blaspheme. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities.
12“One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. 13About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. 14We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,#26:14a Or Hebrew. ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.#26:14b Greek It is hard for you to kick against the oxgoads.’
15“‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked.
“And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. 16Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. 17And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles 18to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’
19“And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven. 20I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do. 21Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried to kill me. 22But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God’s light to Jews and Gentiles alike.”
24Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!”
25But Paul replied, “I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth. 26And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do—”
28Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?”#26:28 Or “A little more, and your arguments would make me a Christian.”
29Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”
30Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others stood and left. 31As they went out, they talked it over and agreed, “This man hasn’t done anything to deserve death or imprisonment.”
32And Agrippa said to Festus, “He could have been set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.”
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Acts of the Apostles 26: NLT
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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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