1. Then Agrippa said to Paul, You are permitted to speak for yourself. Then Paul stretched out his hand, and answered for himself:
2. I consider myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews:
3. Especially because I know you to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: therefore I plead with you to hear me patiently.
4. My manner of life from my youth, which was at first among my own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
5. Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee.
6. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers:
7. To which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God day and night, hope to attain. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.
8. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
9. I truly thought to myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10. Which things 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.
11. And I punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12. During this time as 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, exceeding the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and those who journeyed with me.
14. And when we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.
15. And I said, Who are You, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
16. But rise, and stand upon your feet: for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of these things which you have seen, and of those things in which I will appear to you;
17. Delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom now I send you,
18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith that is in me.
19. Therefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision:
20. But declared first to those of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works suitable for repentance.
21. For these reasons the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
22. Having therefore obtained help from God, I continue to this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say would come:
23. That Christ would suffer, and that he would be the first that should rise from the dead, and would show light to the people, and to the Gentiles.
24. And as he thus spoke for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, you are beside yourself; much learning makes you mad.
25. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but declare the words of truth and soberness.
26. For the king knows 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.
27. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.
28. Then Agrippa said to Paul, You almost persuade me to be a Christian.
29. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only you, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
30. And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them:
31. And when they had gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man has done nothing worthy of death or of imprisonment.
32. Then said Agrippa to Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.
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