Paul’s Defense before Agrippa

26 Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”

Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: ² “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, ³ especially since you are very knowledgeable about all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴ “All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem.^{(A) 5} They have known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee.^{(B) 6} And now I stand on trial because of the hope^(C) in what God promised^(D) to our ancestors, ⁷ the promise our twelve tribes hope to reach as they earnestly serve him night and day. King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews because of this hope.^{(E) 8} Why do any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? ⁹ In fact, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.^{(F) 10} I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I was in agreement against them.^{(G) 11} In all the synagogues I often punished them and tried to make them blaspheme.^(H) Since I was terribly enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.

Paul’s Account of His Conversion and Commission

¹² “I was traveling to Damascus under^(I) these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests. ¹³ King Agrippa, while on the road at midday, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. ¹⁴ We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic,^[a] ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’^(J)

¹⁵ “I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. ¹⁶ But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.^{(K) 17} I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them^{(L) 18} to open their eyes^(M) so that they may turn^[b] from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’^(N)

¹⁹ “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. ²⁰ Instead, I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance.^{(O) 21} For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and were trying to kill me. ²² To this very day, I have had help from God, and I stand and testify to both small and great, saying nothing other than what the prophets and Moses said would take place^(P)— ²³ that the Messiah would suffer, and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”^(Q)

⁸ Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time,^[a](A) he also appeared to me.^(B)

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles,^(C) not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted^(D) the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.^(E)

Paul’s Testimony

¹² I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened^(A) me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry— ¹³ even though I was formerly a blasphemer,^(B) a persecutor,^(C) and an arrogant man.^(D) But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief, ¹⁴ and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ This saying is trustworthy^(E) and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world^(F) to save sinners”^(G)—and I am the worst of them.^{(H) 16} But I received mercy^(I) for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience^(J) as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life.^{(K) 17} Now to the King^(L) eternal,^(M) immortal,^(N) invisible, the only^[a] God,^(O) be honor^(P) and glory^(Q) forever and ever. Amen.^(R)