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Paul’s Defense before Agrippa
Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense:
Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense:
Paul’s Early Life
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.”
So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself:
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.”
So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself:
“In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today;
“I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews,
especially because you are an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
“So then, all Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem;
“My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know.
since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion.
They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
“And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers;
And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers.
the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews.
To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.
“Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?
Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?
“So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
“And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them.
This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.
“And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.
And 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.
“While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,
Paul Recounts His Conversion
“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me.
at 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.
“And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
And 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.’
“And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
‘But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you;
But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to 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.
rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you,
to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’
“So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision,
Paul’s Post-Conversion Life
“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.
but declared 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 works befitting repentance.
“For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death.
For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.
“So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place;
Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come —
that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.”
Agrippa Parries Paul’s Challenge
Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”
Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”
But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth.
“For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner.
For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner.
“King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do.”
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.”
Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.”
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”
And Paul said, “I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.”
And Paul said, “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.”
The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them,
When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them;
and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, “This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment.”
and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.”