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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Acts 26: MEV
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Military Bible Association
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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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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