Paul Before Agrippa^(A)

²³ The next day Agrippa and Bernice^(B) came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. ²⁴ Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community^(C) has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.^{(D) 25} I found he had done nothing deserving of death,^(E) but because he made his appeal to the Emperor^(F) I decided to send him to Rome. ²⁶ But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. ²⁷ For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.”

26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”^(G)

So Paul motioned with his hand^(H) and began his defense: ² “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you^(I) today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews,^{(J) 3} and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs^(K) and controversies.^(L) Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴ “The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child,^(M) from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. ⁵ They have known me for a long time^(N) and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect^(O) of our religion, living as a Pharisee.^{(P) 6} And now it is because of my hope^(Q) in what God has promised our ancestors^(R) that I am on trial today. ⁷ This is the promise our twelve tribes^(S) are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night.^(T) King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me.^{(U) 8} Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?^(V)

⁹ “I too was convinced^(W) that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose^(X) the name of Jesus of Nazareth.^{(Y) 10} And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people^(Z) in prison,^(AA) and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.^{(AB) 11} Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished,^(AC) and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

¹² “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. ¹³ About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. ¹⁴ We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice^(AD) saying to me in Aramaic,^[a](AE) ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

¹⁵ “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ¹⁶ ‘Now get up and stand on your feet.^(AF) I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.^{(AG) 17} I will rescue you^(AH) from your own people and from the Gentiles.^(AI) I am sending you to them ¹⁸ to open their eyes^(AJ) and turn them from darkness to light,^(AK) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins^(AL) and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’^(AM)

¹⁹ “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient^(AN) to the vision from heaven. ²⁰ First to those in Damascus,^(AO) then to those in Jerusalem^(AP) and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles,^(AQ) I preached that they should repent^(AR) and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.^{(AS) 21} That is why some Jews seized me^(AT) in the temple courts and tried to kill me.^{(AU) 22} But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen^(AV)— ²³ that the Messiah would suffer^(AW) and, as the first to rise from the dead,^(AX) would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”^(AY)