Acts 25:1–26:32

Now when Festus was come into the aprovince, bafter three days he cascended from dCaesarea to Jerusalem. 2 Then ethe high priest and fthe chief of the Jews eginformed him against Paul, and besought him, 3 And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, hlaying wait in the way to kill him. 4 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at dCaesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. 5 Let them therefore, said he, which among you are iable, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him. 6 And when he had tarried among them ||more than ten days, he kwent down unto dCaesarea; and the next day sitting on lthe judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought. 7 And when he was come, the Jews which kcame down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, mwhich they could not nprove. 8 While he oanswered for himself, pNeither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all. 9 But Festus, qwilling to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, rWilt thou cgo up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? 10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s ljudgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou svery well knowest. 11 tFor if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may udeliver me unto them. vI appeal unto Caesar. 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou vappealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.

13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto dCaesarea to salute Festus. 14 And when they had been there many days, Festus wdeclared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, xThere is a certain man left in bonds by Felix: 15 yAbout whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews ginformed me, desiring to have judgment against him. 16 yTo whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to udeliver any man to die, before that zhe which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence oto answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him. 17 Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay yon the morrow I sat on lthe judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth. 18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none aaccusation of such things as I supposed: 19 bBut had certain questions against him of their own csuperstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20 And because ||I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him dwhether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters. 21 But when Paul had vappealed to be reserved unto the ||hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar. 22 Then eAgrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

23 And on the morrow, when fAgrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the gchief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth. 24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom hall the multitude of the Jews have idealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that khe ought not to live any longer. 25 But when I found that lhe had committed nothing worthy of death, mand that he himself hath vappealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him. 26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write. 27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the acrimes laid against him.

26 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and aanswered for himself:

2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall aanswer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am baccused of the Jews: 3 Especially because I know thee to be expert in all ccustoms 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 dfrom the beginning, if they would testify, ethat after fthe most straitest sect of our greligion I lived ha Pharisee. 6 And now I stand and am judged for ithe hope of jthe promise made of God unto our fathers: 7 Unto which promise kour twelve tribes, linstantly serving mGod †day and night, hope nto come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am baccused 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, othat I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 pWhich thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the qsaints did I shut up in prison, having rreceived authority from the chief priests; and swhen they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. 11 And tI punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and ubeing exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. 12 wWhereupon xas 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 ythe Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 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 zmake thee aa minister and a bwitness 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 from the Gentiles, cunto whom now I send thee, 18 dTo open their eyes, and to turn them efrom darkness to light, and from the fpower of Satan unto God, that they may receive gforgiveness of sins, and hinheritance 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 ifirst unto them of Damascus, and kat Jerusalem, and lthroughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then mto the Gentiles, that they should repent and nturn to God, and do works omeet for repentance. 21 For these causes pthe Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. 22 Having therefore obtained qhelp of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to rsmall and great, saying none other things than those which sthe prophets and sMoses did say should come: 23 That Christ tshould suffer, and that he should be uthe first that should rise from the dead, and should shew xlight unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

24 And as he thus yspake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, zthou art beside thyself; much alearning doth make thee mad. 25 But he said, I am not zcmad, bmost noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and csoberness. 26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I dspeak 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 eChristian. 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 fthese bonds. 30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and gthe governor, and hBernice, and hthey that sat with them: 31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, iThis man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. 32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, jThis man might have been set at liberty, if he had not kappealed unto Caesar.