26Acts 26

CHAP. XXVI. / 2 Paul, in the presence of Agrippa, declareth his life from his childhood, 12 and how miraculously he was conuerted, and called to his Aposteship. 24 Festus chargeth him to by mad, where

1Then Agrippa said vnto Paul, Thou art permitted to speake for thy selfe. Then Paul stretched foorth the hand, and answered for himselfe,Select Acts 26:1

2I thinke my selfe happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answere for my selfe this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Iewes:Select Acts 26:2

3Especially, because I know thee to be expert in all customes and questions which are among the Iewes: wherefore I beseech thee to heare mee patiently.Select Acts 26:3

4My maner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine owne nation at Hierusalem, know all the Iewes,Select Acts 26:4

5Which knew me from the beginning, (if they would testifie) that after the most straitest sect of our religion, I liued a Pharisee.Select Acts 26:5

6And now I stand, and am iudged for the hope of the promise made of God vnto our fathers:Select Acts 26:6

7Vnto which promise our twelue tribes instantly seruing God day and night, hope to come: For which hopes sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Iewes.Select Acts 26:7

8Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?Select Acts 26:8

9I verily thought with my selfe, that I ought to doe many things contrary to the name of Iesus of Nazareth:Select Acts 26:9

10Which thing I also did in Hierusalem, and many of the Saints did I shut vp in prison, hauing receiued authoritie from the chiefe Priests, and when they were put to death, I gaue my voyce against them.Select Acts 26:10

11And I punished them oft in euery Synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme, and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them euen vnto strange cities.Select Acts 26:11

12Whereupon, as I went to Damascus, with authoritie and commission from the chiefe Priests:Select Acts 26:12

13At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heauen, aboue the brightnes of the Sunne, shining round about mee, and them which iourneyed with me.Select Acts 26:13

14And when wee were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking vnto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kicke against the prickes.Select Acts 26:14

15And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And hee said, I am Iesus whom thou persecutest.Select Acts 26:15

16But rise, and stand vpon thy feete, for I haue appeared vnto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witnesse, both of these things which thou hast seene, & of those things in the which I will appeare vnto thee,Select Acts 26:16

17Deliuering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, vnto whom now I send thee,Select Acts 26:17

18To open their eyes, and to turne them from darknesse to light, and from the power of Satan vnto God, that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.Select Acts 26:18

19Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient vnto the heauenly vision:Select Acts 26:19

20But shewed first vnto them of Damascus, and at Hierusalem, and thorowout all the coasts of Iudea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turne to God, and do works meete for repentance.Select Acts 26:20

21For these causes the Iewes caught mee in the Temple, and went about to kill me.Select Acts 26:21

22Hauing therefore obteined helpe of God, I continue vnto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come:Select Acts 26:22

23That Christ should suffer, and that hee should be the first that should rise from the dead, & should shew light vnto the people, and to the Gentiles.Select Acts 26:23

24And as hee thus spake for himselfe, Festus saide with a lowd voyce, Paul, thou art beside thy selfe, much learning doeth make thee mad.Select Acts 26:24

25But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speake foorth the words of trueth and sobernesse.Select Acts 26:25

26For the King knoweth of these things, before whom also I speake freely: for I am perswaded, that none of these things are hidden from him, for this thing was not done in a corner.Select Acts 26:26

27King Agrippa, beleeuest thou the Prophets? I know that thou beleeuest.Select Acts 26:27

28Then Agrippa saide vnto Paul, Almost thou perswadest mee to bee a Christian.Select Acts 26:28

29And Paul said, I would to God, that not onely thou, but also all that heare mee this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.Select Acts 26:29

30And when hee had thus spoken, the king rose vp, and the gouernour, and Bernice, & they that sate with them.Select Acts 26:30

31And when they were gone aside, they talked betweene themselues, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death, or of bonds.Select Acts 26:31

32Then said Agrippa vnto Festus, This man might haue bene set at libertie, if he had not appealed vnto Cesar.Select Acts 26:32