Acts 25:23-26
1599 Geneva Bible
23 And on the morrow when Agrippa was come, and Bernice with great [a]pomp, and were entered into the Common hall with the chief captains and chief men of the city, at Festus’s commandment Paul was brought forth.
24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have called upon me, both at Jerusalem, and here, crying, that he ought not to live any longer.
25 Yet have I found nothing worthy of death, that he hath committed: nevertheless, seeing that he hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.
26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my [b]lord: wherefore I have brought him forth unto you, and especially unto thee, King Agrippa, that after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
27 For me thinketh it unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not to show the causes which are laid against him.
26 2 Paul in the presence of Agrippa, 4 declareth his life from his childhood, 16 and his calling, 21 with such efficacy of words 28 that almost he persuaded him to Christianity. 30 But he and his company depart doing nothing in Paul’s matter.
1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. So Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself.
2 [c]I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because I shall answer this day before thee of all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
3 Chiefly, because thou hast knowledge of all customs, and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
4 [d]As touching my life from my childhood, and what it was from the beginning among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews,
5 Which [e]knew me heretofore, even from my [f]Elders (if they would testify) that after the [g]most straight sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.
6 [h]And now I stand and am accused for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers.
7 Whereunto our twelve tribes instantly serving God day and night, hope to come: for the which hope’s sake, O King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
8 [i]Why should it be thought a thing incredible unto you, that God should raise again the dead?
9 I also verily thought in myself, that I ought to do many contrary things against the Name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 (A)Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: for many of the Saints I shut up in prison, having received authority of the High Priests, and when they were put to death, I gave my [j]sentence.
11 And I punished them throughout all the Synagogues, and [k]compelled them to blaspheme and being more mad against them, I persecuted them, even unto strange cities.
12 At which time, even as I went to (B)Damascus with authority, and commission from the high Priests,
13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven passing the brightness of the sun, shine round about me, and them which went with me.
14 So 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 pricks.
15 Then I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
16 But rise and stand up on thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose to appoint thee a minister and a witness, both of the things which thou hast seen, and of the things in the which I will appear unto thee,
17 Delivering thee from this people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
18 [l]To open their eyes, that they may turn 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 in me.
19 [m]Wherefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision,
20 (C)But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy amendment of life.
21 For this cause the Jews caught me in the (D)Temple, and went about to kill me.
22 [n]Nevertheless, I obtained help of God, and continue unto this day, witnessing both to [o]small and to great, saying none other things, than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come,
23 To wit, that Christ should [p]suffer, and that he should be the [q]first that should rise from the dead, and should show [r]light unto this people, and to the Gentiles.
Footnotes
- Acts 25:23 Gorgeously like a Prince.
- Acts 25:26 To Augustus. Good Princes refused this name at the first, to wit, to be called Lords, but afterwards they admitted it, as we read of Traianus.
- Acts 26:2 To have a skillful judge, is a great and singular gift of God.
- Acts 26:4 Paul divideth the history of his life into two times: for the first [he] calleth his adversaries witnesses: for the latter, the fathers and prophets.
- Acts 26:5 What I was, and where, and how I lived.
- Acts 26:5 That my parents were Pharisees.
- Acts 26:5 The sect of the Pharisees was the most exquisite amongst all the sects of the Jews, for it was better than all the rest.
- Acts 26:6 There are three chief and principal witnesses of true doctrine, God, the true Fathers, and the consent of the Church.
- Acts 26:8 He proveth the resurrection of the dead, first by the power of God, then by the resurrection of Christ: whereof he is a sufficient witness.
- Acts 26:10 I consented to, and allowed of their doing: for he was not a judge.
- Acts 26:11 By extreme punishment.
- Acts 26:18 The end of the Gospel is to save them which are brought to the knowledge of Christ, and are justified and sanctified in him being laid hold on by faith.
- Acts 26:19 Paul allegeth God to be author of the office of his Apostleship, and his grace as a witness.
- Acts 26:22 Christ is the end of the Law and the Prophets.
- Acts 26:22 To everyone.
- Acts 26:23 That Christ should not be such a king as the Jews dreamed of, but one appointed to bear our miseries, and the punishment of our sins.
- Acts 26:23 The first of them which are raised from the dead.
- Acts 26:23 Life, yea, and that a most blessed life which shall be endless: and this is set against darkness, which almost in all tongues signifieth sometimes death, and sometimes misery and calamity.
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