²² Then ^(A)Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he *said, “you shall hear him.”

Paul before Agrippa

²³ So, on the next day when ^(B)Agrippa and ^(C)Bernice came amid great pomp and entered the auditorium, ^[a]accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought before them. ²⁴ And Festus *said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen present with us, you see this man about whom ^(D)all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that ^(E)he ought not to live any longer. ²⁵ But I found that he had committed ^(F)nothing deserving death; and since he himself ^(G)appealed to ^[b]the Emperor, I decided to send him. ^26 [c]Yet, I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore, I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. ²⁷ For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him as well.”

Paul’s Defense before Agrippa

26 ^(A)Now Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul extended his hand and proceeded to make his defense:

³² And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been ^(A)set free if he had not ^(B)appealed to Caesar.”

¹⁷ But the Lord stood with me and ^(A)strengthened me, so that through me ^(B)the proclamation might ^[a]be ^(C)fully accomplished, and that all ^(D)the Gentiles might hear; and I was ^(E)rescued out of ^(F)the lion’s mouth.