Acts 26:4–32

⁴“My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. ⁵They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to ^dthe strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. ^6eAnd now I stand and am judged for the hope of ^fthe promise made by God to our fathers. ⁷To this promise ^gour twelve tribes, earnestly serving God ^hnight and day, ⁱhope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. ⁸Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?

^9j“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things ¹contrary to the name of ^kJesus of Nazareth. ^10lThis I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority ^mfrom the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. ¹¹ⁿAnd I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

Paul Recounts His Conversion

^12o“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, ¹³at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. ¹⁴And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ ¹⁵So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, ^pto make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. ¹⁷I will ²deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, ^qto whom I ³now send you, ^18rto open their eyes, in order ^sto turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, ^tthat they may receive forgiveness of sins and ^uan inheritance among those who are ^vsanctified ⁴by faith in Me.’

Paul’s Post-Conversion Life

¹⁹“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, ²⁰but ^wdeclared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do ^xworks befitting repentance. ²¹For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. ²²Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those ^ywhich the prophets and ^zMoses said would come—^23athat the Christ would suffer, ^bthat He would be the first to rise from the dead, and ^cwould proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

Agrippa Parries Paul’s Challenge

²⁴Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, ^dyou are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”

²⁵But he said, “I am not ⁵mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. ²⁶For the king, before whom I also speak freely, ^eknows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. ²⁷King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.”

²⁸Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

²⁹And Paul said, ^f“I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”

³⁰When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; ³¹and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, ^g“This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.”

³²Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set ^hfree ⁱif he had not appealed to Caesar.”