44_ACT_26_01 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, And answered for himself:
44_ACT_26_02 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:
44_ACT_26_03 Especially [ 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.
44_ACT_26_04 my manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
44_ACT_26_05 which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived A Pharisee.
44_ACT_26_06 And now I stand And am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
44_ACT_26_07 unto which [ promise] our twelve tribes, instantly serving [ God] day And night, hope to come. for which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
44_ACT_26_08 why should it be thought A thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
44_ACT_26_09 I Verily thought with myself, that I ought to do Many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
44_ACT_26_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 [ them].
44_ACT_26_11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, And compelled [ them] to blaspheme; And being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted [ them] even unto strange cities.
44_ACT_26_12 whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority And commission from the chief priests,
44_ACT_26_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.
44_ACT_26_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? [ it Is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
44_ACT_26_15 And I said, who art thou, LORD? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
44_ACT_26_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;
44_ACT_26_17 delivering thee from the people, And [ from] the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
44_ACT_26_18 to open their eyes, [ And] to turn [ them] from darkness to light, And [ 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.
44_ACT_26_19 whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
44_ACT_26_20 but showed first unto them of Damascus, And at Jerusalem, And throughout all the coasts of Judaea, And [ Then] to the Gentiles, that they should repent And turn to God, And do works meet for repentance.
44_ACT_26_21 for These causes the Jews caught me in the temple, And went about to kill [ me].
44_ACT_26_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:
44_ACT_26_23 that Christ should suffer, [ And] that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, And should show light unto the people, And to the Gentiles.
44_ACT_26_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.
44_ACT_26_25 but he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth And soberness.
44_ACT_26_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.
44_ACT_26_27 king Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
44_ACT_26_28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be A Christian.
44_ACT_26_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.
44_ACT_26_30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, And the governor, And Bernice, And they that sat with them:
44_ACT_26_31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, this man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
44_ACT_26_32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, this man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.