Acts 26
King James Version
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 think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof 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: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest 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, instantly 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 thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief 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 them which 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 persecutest thou 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 persecutest.
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 the 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 forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
20 But shewed first unto them 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, and do works meet for 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 none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
24 And as he thus spake 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 the words of truth and soberness.
26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I 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, believest thou 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 would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.
Acts 26
1599 Geneva Bible
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 [a]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 [b]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 [c]knew me heretofore, even from my [d]Elders (if they would testify) that after the [e]most straight sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.
6 [f]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 [g]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 [h]sentence.
11 And I punished them throughout all the Synagogues, and [i]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 [j]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 [k]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 [l]Nevertheless, I obtained help of God, and continue unto this day, witnessing both to [m]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 [n]suffer, and that he should be the [o]first that should rise from the dead, and should show [p]light unto this people, and to the Gentiles.
24 [q]And as he thus 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, O noble Festus, but I speak the words of truth, and soberness.
26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak boldly: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him: for this thing was [not] done in a [r]corner.
27 [s]O King Agrippa, believest thou the Prophets? I know that thou believest.
28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to become a Christian.
29 Then Paul said, [t]I would to God that [not] only thou, but also all that hear me today, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
30 [u]And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them.
31 And when they were gone apart, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death, nor of bonds.
32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been loosed, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.
Footnotes
- 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.
- Acts 26:24 The wisdom of God is madness to fools, yet notwithstanding we must boldly avouch the truth.
- Acts 26:26 Secretly, and privately.
- Acts 26:27 Paul as it were forgetting himself that he stood a prisoner to defend his cause, he forgetteth not the office of his Apostleship.
- Acts 26:29 I would to God that not only almost, but thoroughly and altogether both thou and all that hear me this day, might be made as I am, my bonds only except.
- Acts 26:30 Paul is solemnly quit, and yet not dismissed.
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