Acts 26

New International Version

26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”^(A)

So Paul motioned with his hand^(B) and began his defense: ²“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you^(C) today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews,^(D) ³and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs^(E) and controversies.^(F) Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴“The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child,^(G) from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. ⁵They have known me for a long time^(H) and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect^(I) of our religion, living as a Pharisee.^(J) ⁶And now it is because of my hope^(K) in what God has promised our ancestors^(L) that I am on trial today. ⁷This is the promise our twelve tribes^(M) are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night.^(N) King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me.^(O) ⁸Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?^(P)

⁹“I too was convinced^(Q) that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose^(R) the name of Jesus of Nazareth.^(S) ¹⁰And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people^(T) in prison,^(U) and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.^(V) ¹¹Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished,^(W) and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

¹²“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. ¹³About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. ¹⁴We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice^(X) saying to me in Aramaic,^[a]^(Y) ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

¹⁵“Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ¹⁶‘Now get up and stand on your feet.^(Z) I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.^(AA) ¹⁷I will rescue you^(AB) from your own people and from the Gentiles.^(AC) I am sending you to them ¹⁸to open their eyes^(AD) and turn them from darkness to light,^(AE) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins^(AF) and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’^(AG)

¹⁹“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient^(AH) to the vision from heaven. ²⁰First to those in Damascus,^(AI) then to those in Jerusalem^(AJ) and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles,^(AK) I preached that they should repent^(AL) and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.^(AM) ²¹That is why some Jews seized me^(AN) in the temple courts and tried to kill me.^(AO) ²²But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen^(AP)— ²³that the Messiah would suffer^(AQ) and, as the first to rise from the dead,^(AR) would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”^(AS)

²⁴At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind,^(AT) Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning^(AU) is driving you insane.”

²⁵“I am not insane, most excellent^(AV) Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. ²⁶The king is familiar with these things,^(AW) and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. ²⁷King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

²⁸Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”^(AX)

²⁹Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”^(AY)

³⁰The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice^(AZ) and those sitting with them. ³¹After they left the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”^(BA)

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

Footnotes

Acts 26:14 Or Hebrew

Psalm 108

New International Version

Psalm 108^[a]^(A)^(B)

A song. A psalm of David.

¹My heart, O God, is steadfast;^(C)
    I will sing^(D) and make music with all my soul.
²Awake, harp and lyre!^(E)
    I will awaken the dawn.
³I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing of you among the peoples.
⁴For great is your love,^(F) higher than the heavens;
    your faithfulness^(G) reaches to the skies.^(H)
⁵Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;^(I)
    let your glory be over all the earth.^(J)

⁶Save us and help us with your right hand,^(K)
    that those you love may be delivered.
⁷God has spoken^(L) from his sanctuary:^(M)
    “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem^(N)
    and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.^(O)
⁸Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim is my helmet,
    Judah^(P) is my scepter.
⁹Moab^(Q) is my washbasin,
    on Edom^(R) I toss my sandal;
    over Philistia^(S) I shout in triumph.”

¹⁰Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
¹¹Is it not you, God, you who have rejected us
    and no longer go out with our armies?^(T)
¹²Give us aid against the enemy,
    for human help is worthless.^(U)
¹³With God we will gain the victory,
    and he will trample down^(V) our enemies.