Acts 26:1-23
Paul’s Testimony to Agrippa

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

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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:

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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.

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4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

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

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

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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.

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

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

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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].

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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.

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12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

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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.

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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.

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

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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;

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17 Delivering thee from the people, and [from] the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

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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.

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

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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.

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

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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:

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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.

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