26:1And Agrippa said to Paul: "You are permitted to speak for yourself." 26:1Then Paul, his hand stretched out, began to give his account: "About all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I count myself fortunate, since I am about to defend myself today before you, especially as you know all things, both the customs and the questions which are among the Jews: for which reason I beseech you to hear me patiently. 26:4And indeed my life from youth, which from the beginning was spent among my nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know: knowing me from the beginning (if they are willing to bear witness) that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
26:6And now, for the hope of the promise which was made by God to our fathers, I stand subject to judgement: to which our twelve tribes, serving night and day, hope to come. 26:7About this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king. 26:8Why is it judged incredible among you, if God raises the dead? 26:9And I indeed had thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene, which I also did at Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prisons, authority having been received from the chiefs of the priests: and when they were being killed, I cast my vote.
26:11And throughout all the synagogues, often punishing them, I was compelling them to blaspheme: and raging still more against them, I was persecuting them even to foreign cities. 26:12In which, while I was going to Damascus with authority and permission from the chiefs of the priests, at midday on the road I saw, O king, a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining around me, and those who were together with me. 26:14And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew tongue: 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? 26:14It is hard for you to kick against the goad.' 26:15And I said: 'Who are you, lord?' 26:15And the Lord said: 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
26:16But rise up, and stand upon your feet: for to this end I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister, and a witness of the things which you have seen, and of those in which I will appear to you, rescuing you from the people and the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins, and a lot among the saints, through the faith which is in me.' 26:19Wherefore, King Agrippa, I was not unbelieving to the heavenly vision: but to those who are at Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and into all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, I was announcing that they should repent, and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
26:21For this cause the Jews, when I was in the temple, having seized me, were trying to kill me. 26:22But helped by the aid of God until this present day, I stand, testifying to small and great, saying nothing beyond the things which the prophets said were going to be, and Moses: whether the Christ was to suffer, whether, first from the resurrection of the dead, he was to announce light to the people and to the Gentiles." 26:24As he was saying these things, and giving his account, Festus said with a great voice: "You are mad, Paul: much learning is turning you to madness." 26:25And Paul: "I am not mad," he said, "most excellent Festus, but I speak words of truth and soberness.
26:26For the king knows about these things, to whom I also speak boldly: for I believe that none of these things is hidden from him. 26:26For not one of these things was done in a corner. 26:27Do you believe, King Agrippa, the prophets? 26:27I know that you believe." 26:28And Agrippa to Paul: "In a little you are persuading me to become a Christian." 26:29And Paul: "I pray before God, both in little and in great, that not only you, but also all who hear me today should become such as I too am, except for these bonds." 26:30And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them.
26:31And when they had withdrawn, they were speaking to one another, saying: "This man has done nothing worthy of death or of bonds." 26:32And Agrippa said to Festus: "This man could have been released, if he had not appealed to Caesar."