Acts 26:2–11

2 “In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today;

3 1especially because you are an expert in all acustoms and 2questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

4 “So then, all Jews know amy manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem;

5 since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a aPharisee baccording to the strictest csect of our religion.

6 “And now I am 1standing trial afor the hope of bthe promise made by God to our fathers;

7 the promise ato which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this bhope, O King, I am being caccused by Jews.

8 “Why is it considered incredible among you people aif God does raise the dead?

9 “So then, aI thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to bthe name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10 “And this is 1just what I adid in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the 2saints in prisons, having breceived authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I ccast my vote against them.

11 “And aas I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being bfuriously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them ceven to 1foreign cities.