Acts 26

1Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.Cross-references: Prov 1:24 · Prov 18:13 · Prov 18:17 · Ezek 16:27 · John 7:51 · Acts 9:15 · +4 more

2“I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you today concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews,

3especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.Cross-references: Deut 17:18 · Acts 6:14 · Acts 21:21 · Acts 24:4 · Acts 24:10 · Acts 25:19 · +5 more

4“Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem;Cross-references: Acts 22:3 · Gal 1:13 · Phil 3:5 · 2Tim 3:10

5having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.Cross-references: Acts 22:3 · Acts 22:5 · Acts 23:6 · Acts 24:5 · Acts 24:14 · Phil 3:5

6Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,Cross-references: Gen 3:15 · Gen 12:3 · Gen 22:18 · Gen 26:4 · Gen 49:10 · Deut 18:15 · +53 more

7which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa!Cross-references: Ezra 6:17 · Ezra 8:35 · Ps 134:1 · Ps 135:2 · Matt 19:28 · Luke 2:25 · +10 more

8Why is it judged incredible with you if God does raise the dead?Cross-references: Gen 18:14 · Matt 22:29 · Luke 1:37 · Luke 18:27 · John 5:28 · Acts 4:2 · +7 more

9“I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.Cross-references: John 15:21 · John 16:2 · Acts 3:6 · Acts 9:16 · Acts 21:13 · Acts 22:8 · +5 more

10I also did this in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.Cross-references: Ps 16:3 · Acts 7:58 · Acts 8:1 · Acts 8:3 · Acts 9:1 · Acts 9:13 · +11 more

11Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.Cross-references: Eccl 9:3 · Matt 10:17 · Mark 3:28 · Mark 13:9 · Luke 6:11 · Luke 15:17 · +10 more

12“Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,Cross-references: 1Ki 21:8 · Ps 94:20 · Isa 10:1 · Jer 26:8 · Jer 29:26 · John 7:45 · +4 more

13at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.Cross-references: Isa 24:23 · Isa 30:26 · Matt 17:2 · Acts 9:3 · Acts 22:6 · Rev 1:16 · +1 more

14When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’Cross-references: Prov 13:15 · Zech 2:8 · Zech 12:2 · Acts 9:4 · Acts 9:7 · Acts 21:40 · +3 more

15“I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.Cross-references: Ex 16:8 · Matt 25:40 · Matt 25:45 · John 15:20

16But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will reveal to you;Cross-references: Ezek 2:1 · Dan 10:11 · Acts 1:17 · Acts 1:25 · Acts 6:4 · Acts 9:6 · +25 more

17delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,Cross-references: 1Chr 16:35 · Ps 34:19 · Ps 37:32 · Jer 1:8 · Jer 1:19 · Acts 9:15 · +29 more

18to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’Cross-references: Ps 32:1 · Ps 119:18 · Ps 146:8 · Isa 9:2 · Isa 29:18 · Isa 32:3 · +80 more

19“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,Cross-references: Ex 4:13 · Isa 50:5 · Jer 20:9 · Ezek 2:7 · Ezek 3:14 · Jonah 1:3 · +3 more

20but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.Cross-references: Ps 22:27 · Isa 55:7 · Jer 31:19 · Lam 3:40 · Ezek 18:30 · Hos 12:6 · +46 more

21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.Cross-references: Acts 21:27 · Acts 21:30 · Acts 22:22 · Acts 23:12 · Acts 25:3

22Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen,Cross-references: 1Sam 7:12 · Ezra 8:31 · Ps 18:47 · Ps 66:12 · Ps 118:10 · Ps 124:1 · +31 more

23how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles.”Cross-references: Gen 3:15 · Ps 16:8 · Ps 22:1 · Isa 53:1 · Dan 9:24 · Zech 12:10 · +18 more

24As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”Cross-references: 2Ki 9:11 · Jer 29:26 · Hos 9:7 · Mark 3:21 · John 7:15 · John 8:48 · +11 more

25But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.Cross-references: Luke 1:3 · John 8:49 · Acts 23:26 · Acts 24:3 · Titus 1:9 · Titus 2:7 · +3 more

26For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner.Cross-references: Isa 30:20 · Matt 26:5 · Matt 27:29 · Acts 2:1 · Acts 4:16 · Acts 5:18 · +2 more

27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”Cross-references: Acts 26:22

28Agrippa said to Paul, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?”Cross-references: Ezek 33:31 · Matt 10:18 · Mark 6:20 · Mark 10:17 · Acts 11:26 · Acts 24:25 · +4 more

29Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these bonds.”Cross-references: Ex 16:3 · Num 11:29 · 2Sam 18:33 · 2Ki 5:3 · Jer 13:17 · Luke 19:41 · +11 more

30The king rose up with the governor and Bernice, and those who sat with them.Cross-references: Acts 18:15 · Acts 25:23 · Acts 28:22

31When they had withdrawn, they spoke to one another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.”Cross-references: 2Sam 24:17 · Luke 23:4 · Luke 23:14 · Acts 23:9 · Acts 23:29 · Acts 25:25 · +3 more

32Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”Cross-references: Acts 25:11 · Acts 25:25 · Acts 28:18