Acts 26
26
Paul’s Defense Before Agrippa
1So #See ch. 9:15Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:
2“I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today #ch. 25:7, 19; [ver. 7]against all the accusations of the Jews, 3especially because you are familiar with all the #See ch. 6:14 customs and #See ch. 18:15controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 # [Gal. 1:13] “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among #ch. 24:17; 28:19my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. 5They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that #ch. 22:3 according to the strictest #See ch. 24:5 party of our #James 1:26, 27 religion I have lived as #ch. 23:6a Pharisee. 6And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in #See ch. 13:32the promise made by God to our fathers, 7#[ch. 2:33; Heb. 10:36; 11:13, 39] to which #Matt. 19:28; Luke 22:30; James 1:1; Rev. 21:12; [Ezra 6:17] our twelve tribes hope to #Phil. 3:11 attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope #ver. 2I am accused by Jews, O king! 8Why is it thought #[ch. 17:3; 1 Cor. 15:12]incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
9 #
1 Tim. 1:13; [John 16:2]; See ch. 3:17 “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of #ch. 22:8Jesus of Nazareth. 10#See ch. 8:3 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority #ver. 12; ch. 9:1, 2, 14, 21; 22:4, 5 from the chief priests, but #See ch. 22:20when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11And #ch. 22:19 I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them #See ch. 13:45 blaspheme, and #ch. 9:1 in raging fury against them I #ch. 22:5persecuted them even to foreign cities.
Paul Tells of His Conversion
12“In this connection #For ver. 12-18, see ch. 9:3-8; 22:6-11I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. 14And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me #ch. 21:40; 22:2in the Hebrew language,#26:14 Or the Hebrew dialect (probably Aramaic) ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16But rise and #Ezek. 2:1; Dan. 10:11 stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, #See ch. 22:14, 15to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17#[ch. 12:11; 1 Chr. 16:35; Jer. 1:8, 19; 15:20] delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—#See ch. 9:15 to whom I #[Rom. 11:13; 1 Tim. 2:7]am sending you 18#Isa. 35:5; 42:7 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from #See Luke 22:53; 1 Cor. 5:5 the power of Satan to God, that they may receive #See ch. 5:31 forgiveness of sins and #See ch. 20:32 a place among those who are sanctified #[ch. 15:9; 2 Thess. 2:13]by faith in me.’
19“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to #ver. 13the heavenly vision, 20but declared first #ch. 9:19, 20 to those in Damascus, #ch. 9:26-29; 22:17-20 then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also #See ch. 13:46 to the Gentiles, that they should #See ch. 2:38 repent and #See ch. 14:15 turn to God, performing deeds #Matt. 3:8; Luke 3:8in keeping with their repentance. 21For this reason #ch. 21:27, 30, 31; 24:18the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22#2 Cor. 1:10; [Heb. 13:5, 6] To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so #[Eph. 6:13] I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what #See ch. 10:43; 24:14the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23#[Luke 24:26; Heb. 2:10]; See ch. 3:18 that the Christ #[John 12:34] must suffer and that, #1 Cor. 15:20, 23; Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5 by being the first #Rom. 1:4 to rise from the dead, #[Eph. 2:17] he would proclaim #ver. 18; See Luke 2:32light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”
24And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, #ch. 12:15; [ver. 8; ch. 17:32; 2 Kgs. 9:11; Jer. 29:26; Mark 3:21; John 10:20; 1 Cor. 1:23; 2:14; 4:10]you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” 25But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, #See ch. 24:2 most excellent Festus, but I am speaking #[2 Pet. 1:16] true and #[2 Cor. 5:13]rational words. 26For #[ver. 3]the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be #ch. 11:26; 1 Pet. 4:16a Christian?”#26:28 Or In a short time you would persuade me to act like a Christian! 29And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day #[1 Cor. 7:7] might become such as I am—except for #See ch. 21:33these chains.”
30Then the king rose, and #See ch. 23:24the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. 31And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, #See ch. 23:29“This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” 32And Agrippa said to Festus, #ch. 28:18 “This man could have been set #ch. 25:11; 28:19 free if he had not appealed #See ch. 9:15to Caesar.”
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Acts 26: ESV
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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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