26Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense:G1161G67G5346G4314G3972G4671G2010G3004G5228G4572G5119G3972G1614G5495G626

2"King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews,G2233G1683G3107G935G67G3195G626G4594G1909G4675G4012G3956G3739G1458G5259G2453

3and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.G3122G1492G4571G5607G1109G5037G3956G1485G2532G2213G2596G2453G1352G1189G4675G191G3450G3116

4"The Jews all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem.G3450G3303G3767G981G1537G3503G3588G1096G575G746G1722G3450G1484G1722G2414G2467G3956G2453

5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee.G4267G3165G509G1437G2309G3140G3754G2596G196G139G2251G2356G2198G5330

6And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today.G2532G3568G2476G2919G1909G1680G1860G1096G5259G2316G4314G3962

7This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me.G1519G3739G2257G1429G1722G1616G3000G2250G2532G3571G1679G2658G4012G3739G1680G935G67G1458G5259G2453

8Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?G5101G2919G571G3844G5213G1487G2316G1453G3498

9"I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.G1473G3303G3767G1380G1683G1163G4238G4183G1727G4314G3686G2424G3480

10And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.G3739G4160G2532G4160G1722G2414G2532G4183G40G2623G1473G2623G5438G2983G1849G3844G749G5037G846G337G2702G5586

11Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.G2532G5097G846G4178G2596G3956G4864G315G987G5037G1693G4057G1693G846G1377G2532G1519G2193G1854G4172

12"On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.G2532G1722G3739G4198G1519G1154G3326G1849G2532G2011G3844G749

13About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions.G2250G3319G935G1492G2596G3598G5457G3771G5228G2987G2246G4034G3165G2532G4198G4862G1698

14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'G1161G2257G2667G3956G2667G1519G1093G191G5456G2980G4314G3165G2532G3004G1446G1258G4549G4549G5101G1377G3165G4642G4671G2979G4314G2759

15"Then I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' "'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied.G1161G1473G2036G5101G1488G2962G1161G2036G1473G1510G2424G3739G4771G1377

16'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you.G235G450G2532G2476G1909G4675G4228G1063G3700G4671G1519G5124G4400G4571G5257G2532G3144G5037G3739G1492G5037G3739G3700G4671

17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to themG1807G4571G1537G2992G2532G1484G1519G3739G3568G649G4571

18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'G455G846G3788G1994G575G4655G1519G5457G2532G1849G4567G1909G2316G846G2983G859G266G2532G2819G1722G37G4102G1519G1691

19"So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.G3606G935G67G1096G3756G545G3770G3701

20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.G235G518G518G4412G1722G1154G2532G2414G5037G1519G3956G5561G2449G2532G1484G3340G2532G1994G1909G2316G4238G2041G514G3341

21That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.G1752G5130G2453G4815G3165G1722G2411G3987G1315

22But I have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen—G5177G3767G5177G1947G3844G2316G2476G891G5026G2250G3140G5037G3398G2532G3173G3004G3762G1622G3739G5037G4396G2532G3475G2980G3195G1096

23that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles."G1487G5547G3805G1487G4413G386G1537G3498G3195G2605G5457G2992G2532G1484

24At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane."G1161G846G5023G626G5347G5346G3173G5456G3972G3105G4183G1121G4062G4571G1519G3130

25"I am not insane, most excellent Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is true and reasonable.G1161G5346G3105G3756G3105G2903G5347G235G669G4487G225G2532G4997

26The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.G1063G935G1987G4012G5130G4314G3739G2532G2980G3955G1063G3982G3756G5100G3762G5130G2990G846G1063G5124G2076G3756G4238G1722G1137

27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do."G935G67G4100G4396G1492G3754G4100

28Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"G1161G67G5346G4314G3972G1722G3641G3982G3165G1096G5546

29Paul replied, "Short time or long—I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains."G1161G3972G2036G302G2172G2316G3756G3440G4571G235G2532G3956G191G3450G4594G1096G2532G1722G3641G2532G1722G4183G5108G3697G2504G1510G3924G5130G1199

30The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them.G2532G846G2036G5023G2036G935G450G2532G2232G5037G959G2532G4775G846

31They left the room, and while talking with one another, they said, "This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment."G2532G402G2980G4314G240G3004G3754G3778G444G4238G3762G514G2288G2228G1199

32Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."G1161G5346G67G5347G3778G444G1410G630G1508G1941G1508G1941G2541