¶ Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou¹ art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched² forth the hand, and answered³ for himself:

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:

Especially because⁵ I know] thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear⁶ me patiently.

My manner⁷ of life from my youth, which⁸ was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

Which knew me from the beginning, if⁹ they would testify, that¹⁰ after the most straitest sect¹¹ of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

And now I stand and am¹² judged for the hope of the promise¹³ made of God unto our fathers:

Unto which promise our¹⁴ twelve tribes, instantly¹⁵ serving God day and night¹⁶, hope to come. For¹⁷ which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

¹⁸Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

I verily thought with myself, that¹⁹ I ought to do many things contrary to the name²⁰ of Jesus of Nazareth.

¶ Which thing I also²¹ did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints²² did I shut up in prison, having²³ received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

And I punished²⁴ them oft in every synagogue, and compelled²⁵ them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad²⁶ against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

¶ Whereupon as I²⁷ went to Damascus with authority²⁸ and commission from the chief priests,

At midday²⁹, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above³⁰ the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in³¹ the Hebrew tongue, Saul³², Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard³³ for thee to kick against the pricks.

And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am³⁴ Jesus whom thou persecutest.

But rise³⁵, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make³⁶ thee a minister³⁷ and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the³⁸ which I will appear unto thee;

Delivering³⁹ thee from the people, and from the Gentiles⁴⁰, unto whom now I send thee,

To open⁴¹ their eyes, and to⁴² turn them from darkness to light, and from⁴³ the power of Satan unto God, that they⁴⁴ may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance⁴⁵ among them which are sanctified⁴⁶ by faith⁴⁷ that is in me.

Whereupon, O king⁴⁸ Agrippa, I was not⁴⁹ disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

¶ But shewed first⁵⁰ unto them of Damascus, and at⁵¹ Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then⁵² to the Gentiles, that they should repent⁵³ and turn⁵⁴ to God, and do⁵⁵ works meet for repentance.

For these causes the Jews⁵⁶ caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.

Having therefore obtained⁵⁷ help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing⁵⁸ both to small and great, saying none⁵⁹ other things than those which the prophets⁶⁰ and Moses did say should come:

That Christ⁶¹ should suffer, and that he should be the first⁶² that should rise from the dead, and should⁶³ shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

¶ And as he thus spake⁶⁴ for himself, Festus⁶⁵ said with a loud voice, Paul⁶⁶, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

But he said, I am not⁶⁷ mad, most⁶⁸ noble Festus; but speak forth the words⁶⁹ of truth and soberness.

For the king⁷⁰ knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing⁷¹ was not done in a corner.

King Agrippa, believest⁷² thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost⁷³ thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

And Paul said, I would⁷⁴ to God, that not⁷⁵ only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except⁷⁶ these bonds.

¶ And when he had thus spoken, the king⁷⁷ rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man⁷⁸ doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed⁷⁹ unto Caesar.