Beginning

24 ¶ And after five days Ananias, the prince of the priests, descended with the elders and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.

² And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great peace and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy prudence,

³ we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.

⁴ Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou would hear us of thy clemency a few words.

⁵ For we have found this man a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world and prince of the seditious sect of the Nazarenes,

⁶ who also has gone about to profane the temple, whom we took and would have judged according to our law.

⁷ But the tribunal Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,

⁸ commanding his accusers to come unto thee; by examining of whom thou may take knowledge of all these things, of which we accuse him.

⁹ And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.

¹⁰ ¶ Then Paul, after the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself;

¹¹ because thou art able to understand that there have been but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship.

¹² And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city,

¹³ neither can they prove the things of which they now accuse me.

¹⁴ But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call a sect, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets,

¹⁵ and have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

¹⁶ And for this reason do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men.

¹⁷ Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation and offerings.

¹⁸ Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult,

¹⁹ who ought to have been here before thee and object if they had anything against me.

²⁰ Or else let these same here say if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,

²¹ except it be for this one voice, that I cried out standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead, I am called in question by you this day.

²² ¶ And when Felix heard these things, he deferred them, saying, I shall have more information regarding that way, when Lysias the tribunal shall come down, Then I will know the uttermost of your matter.

²³ And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his own to minister or come unto him.

²⁴ And after certain days when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess, he sent for Paul and heard of him the faith which is in Christ.

²⁵ And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled and answered, Go away for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

²⁶ He hoped also that money should have been given him from Paul, that he might loose him; therefore he sent for him many times and communed with him.

²⁷ But after two years Felix received Porcius Festus as successor; and Felix, wanting to win the grace of the Jews, left Paul bound.

25 ¶ Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

² Then the prince of the priests and the principals of the Jews informed him against Paul and besought him,

³ asking for grace against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, they placing an ambush in the way to kill him.

⁴ But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea and that he himself would depart shortly there.

⁵ Let them, therefore, said he, who among you are able, go down with me and accuse this man, if there is anything in him.

⁶ And when he had tarried among them no more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea and the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, commanded Paul to be brought.

⁷ And when he was come, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem stood round about and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.

⁸ While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar have I sinned in anything at all.

⁹ But Festus, willing to ingratiate himself with the Jews, answered Paul and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?

¹⁰ Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged; to the Jews I have done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.

¹¹ For if I am an offender or have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if there are none of these things of which these accuse me, no one may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.

¹² Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.

¹³ ¶ And after certain days King Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.

¹⁴ And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix,

¹⁵ about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the princes of the priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have vengeance against him.

¹⁶ To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before the one who is accused is face to face with his accusers and is given license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

¹⁷ Therefore, when they were come here, without any delay on the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought forth.

¹⁸ Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation of such things as I supposed,

¹⁹ but had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

²⁰ And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem and there be judged of these matters.

²¹ But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept until I might send him to Caesar.

²² Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. Tomorrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

²³ And the next day when Agrippa was come and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the tribunals and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment, Paul was brought forth.

²⁴ Then Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

²⁵ But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death and that he himself has appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.

²⁶ Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Therefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O King Agrippa, that, after examination, I might have something to write.

²⁷ For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not to signify the crimes laid against him.

26 ¶ Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand and answered for himself:

² I esteem myself blessed, King Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee concerning all the things of which I am accused of the Jews,

³ especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews; therefore, I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

⁴ My manner of life from my youth, which from the beginning was among my own nation at Jerusalem, is known of all the Jews,

⁵ who knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most perfect sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

⁶ And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers;

⁷ unto which promise our twelve tribes, constantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

⁸ Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead?

⁹ I verily had thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

¹⁰ Which things I also did in Jerusalem, and I shut up many of the saints in prison, having received authority from the princes of the priests, and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

¹¹ And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.

¹² ¶ Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the princes of the priests,

¹³ at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and those who journeyed with me.

¹⁴ And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

¹⁵ And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou dost persecute.

¹⁶ But rise and stand upon thy feet, for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen and of those things in which I will appear unto thee;

¹⁷ delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee

¹⁸ to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among those who are sanctified by the faith that is in me.

¹⁹ Whereupon, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision,

²⁰ but I announced first unto those of Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the coasts of Judaea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

²¹ For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple and went about to kill me.

²² Having, therefore, obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said should come:

²³ that the Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead and should show light unto this people and to the Gentiles.

²⁴ ¶ And as he spoke these things and answered for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

²⁵ But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth words of truth and temperance.

²⁶ For the king knows of these things, before whom I also speak freely; for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him, for this thing was not done in a corner.

²⁷ King Agrippa, dost thou believe the prophets? I know that thou believest.

²⁸ Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

²⁹ And Paul said, I desire before God that by little or by much, not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were such as I am, except these bonds.

³⁰ And when he had said these things, the king rose up and the governor and Bernice and those that sat with them;

³¹ and when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

³² Then Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty if he had not appealed unto Caesar.