¹⁰ And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied:

“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense.

¹⁵ but ^(A)in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, ^(B)always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and ^(C)respect,

Paul's Defense Before Agrippa

26 So ^(A)Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:

²⁴ Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to ^(A)Felix ^(B)the governor.”

⁴⁰ And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, ^(A)motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in ^(B)the Hebrew language,^[a] saying:

³³ Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, ^(A)motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd.

¹⁵ But ^(A)since it is a matter of questions about words and names and ^(B)your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.”

¹⁶ So Paul stood up, and ^(A)motioning with his hand said:

“Men of Israel and ^(B)you who fear God, listen.

¹⁷ But ^(A)motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to ^(B)James and to ^(C)the brothers.”^[a] Then he departed and went to another place.

² He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who ^(A)neither feared God nor respected man.