26 Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul extended his hand and made his defense: 2 “Regarding all these accusations by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I can make my defense before you today, 3 because you are very knowledgeable about all the Jewish customs and controversial arguments. Therefore I request you to hear me patiently.
    4 “All the Jews know my way of life from my youth onwards — beginning among my own people and then in Jerusalem.  5 They have known me in the past, and if they are willing to testify they will confirm that I lived as a Pharisee, the strictest sect of our religion.  6 Now I stand here on trial for my hope in the promise made by God to our forefathers, 7 the promise which our twelve tribes hope to reach as they earnestly worship God night and day. It is for this hope[856] that I am being accused by the Jews, Your Majesty!  8 Why do any of you here think it is unbelievable that God resurrects the dead?
    9 “I myself used to be convinced that I ought to do as much as possible against the name and cause of Jesus from Nazareth. 10 And I did this in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prisons, after I received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being sentenced to death I voted against them.  11 I punished them often in the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme. Because I was extremely enraged against them, I traveled to persecute them even in foreign cities.
    12 “And so I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests.  13 At noon, Your Majesty, along the road I saw a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those traveling with me.  14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself by stubbornly resisting.’  15 So I asked, ‘Who are you, lord?’ The lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.  16 But get up on your feet. I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you as a servant and a witness, both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will reveal to you.  17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you.  18 You are to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the domain of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are made holy by faith in me.’
    19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to this heavenly vision, 20 but I declared first to the people in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works consistent with repentance.  21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the Temple courts and tried to kill me. 22 But God has helped me to this day, so I am standing here to testify to people of every status, stating nothing except what the prophets and Moses said was going to happen: 23 that the Messiah would suffer, and as the first to be resurrected from the dead he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”
    24 As Paul was saying these things in his defense, Festus interrupted loudly, “Paul, you have lost your mind! Your great learning is making you insane!” 25 But Paul replied, “I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am declaring true and reasonable words.  26 For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking openly to him. I am convinced that none of these events has escaped his notice, because none of it has been done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do.” 28 Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian!” 29 Paul replied, “Whether it takes a short or a long time, I pray to God that not only you, but also everyone hearing me today, might become like me — except for these chains!”
    30 The king stood up, along with the governor and Bernice, and the others sitting with them. 31 As they were leaving they said to each other, “This man is doing nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.” 32 Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”