Acts26

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(Act 26:1) Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
(Act 26:2) I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
(Act 26:3) Especially {because I know} thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
(Act 26:4) My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
(Act 26:5) Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
(Act 26:6) And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
(Act 26:7) Unto which {promise} our twelve tribes, instantly serving {God} day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
(Act 26:8) Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
(Act 26:9) I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
(Act 26:10) Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against {them}.
(Act 26:11) And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled {them} to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted {them} even unto strange cities.
(Act 26:12) Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
(Act 26:13) 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.
(Act 26:14) And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? {it is} hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
(Act 26:15) And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
(Act 26:16) But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
(Act 26:17) Delivering thee from the people, and {from} the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
(Act 26:18) To open their eyes, {and} to turn {them} from darkness to light, and {from} the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
(Act 26:19) Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
(Act 26:20) But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and {then} to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
(Act 26:21) For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill {me}.
(Act 26:22) Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
(Act 26:23) That Christ should suffer, {and} that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
(Act 26:24) And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
(Act 26:25) But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
(Act 26:26) For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
(Act 26:27) King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
(Act 26:28) Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
(Act 26:29) 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 these bonds.
(Act 26:30) And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
(Act 26:31) And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
(Act 26:32) Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.
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