Acts - Chapter 26 | King James Version (KJV)

  • 1. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
  • 2. I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
  • 3. Especially {cf15I because I know} thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
  • 4. My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
  • 5. Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
  • 6. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
  • 7. Unto which {cf15I promise} our twelve tribes, instantly serving {cf15I God} day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
  • 8. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
  • 9. I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
  • 10. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against {cf15I them}.
  • 11. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled {cf15I them} to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted {cf15I them} even unto strange cities.
  • 12. Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
  • 13. At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
  • 14. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? {cf15I it is} hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
  • 15. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
  • 16. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
  • 17. Delivering thee from the people, and {cf15I from} the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
  • 18. To open their eyes, {cf15I and} to turn {cf15I them} from darkness to light, and {cf15I from} the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
  • 19. Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
  • 20. But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and {cf15I then} to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
  • 21. For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill {cf15I me}.
  • 22. Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
  • 23. That Christ should suffer, {cf15I and} that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
  • 24. And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
  • 25. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
  • 26. For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
  • 27. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
  • 28. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
  • 29. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
  • 30. And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
  • 31. And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
  • 32. Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.
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