1
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Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: |
2
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"I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, |
3
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"especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently. |
4
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"My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. |
5
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"They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. |
6
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"And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. |
7
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"To this [promise] our twelve tribes, earnestly serving [God] night and day, hope to attain. For this hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. |
8
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"Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead? |
9
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"Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. |
10
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"This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against [them.] |
11
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"And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled [them] to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted [them] even to foreign cities. |
12
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" While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, |
13
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"at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. |
14
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"And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? [It is] hard for you to kick against the goads.' |
15
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"So I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. |
16
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'But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. |
17
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'I will deliver you from the [Jewish] people, as well as [from] the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, |
18
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'to open their eyes, [in order] to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.' |
19
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" Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, |
20
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"but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and [then] to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. |
21
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"For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill [me.] |
22
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"Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come -- |
23
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"that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the [Jewish] people and to the Gentiles." |
24
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Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!" |
25
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But he said, "I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. |
26
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"For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. |
27
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"King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe." |
28
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Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian." |
29
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And Paul said, "I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains." |
30
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When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; |
31
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and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, "This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains." |
32
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Then Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar." |
Acts 26:1 English Language Bible Words basic statistical display
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