Acts 26:7-30

⁷that our twelve tribes hoped to receive as they continually dedicated themselves in God's service. Yes, it's because of this hope that I'm accused by the Jews, Your Majesty!

⁸Why should any of you think it's unbelievable that God raises the dead?

⁹Previously I was sincerely convinced I should do as much as I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

¹⁰This is what I did in Jerusalem. I threw many of the believers in prison, having been given authority to do this by the chief priests. When they were sentenced to death I cast my vote against them.

¹¹I had them punished in all the synagogues, trying to make them recant. I was so furiously opposed to them that I went to cities outside our country to persecute them.

¹²That's why one day I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and orders from the chief priests.

¹³At about noon as I was on my way, Your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven that blazed brighter than the sun. It shone around me and those who were traveling with me.

¹⁴All of us fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It's hard for you to fight against me!’

¹⁵‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, the one you're persecuting,’ the Lord replied.

¹⁶‘But pick yourself up and get to your feet. The reason why I've appeared to you is to appoint you as my servant, to be a witness for me, telling others how you have seen me and everything I will reveal to you.

¹⁷I will save you from your own people and from the foreigners. I am sending you to them

¹⁸to open their eyes so they can turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, and so that they can receive forgiveness for their sins and a place with those who are set right as they trust in me.’

¹⁹Clearly, King Agrippa, I could not disobey this vision from heaven.

²⁰First in Damascus, then in Jerusalem, and then all over Judea and also to the foreigners I shared the message of repentance: how they should turn to God, demonstrating their repentance through their actions.

²¹That's why the Jews seized me in the Temple and tried to kill me.

²²God has looked after me so I can stand here today as a witness to everyone, both to ordinary people and to those who are important. I am only repeating what Moses and the prophets said would happen—

²³how the Messiah had to suffer, and that by being the first to rise from the dead he would announce the light of God's salvation to both Jews and foreigners.”

²⁴Festus interrupted Paul as he made his defense, shouting out, “Paul, you've gone mad! All your knowledge is driving you insane!”

²⁵“I'm not mad, Festus your Excellency,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and makes sense.

²⁶The king recognizes this, and I'm explaining it very clearly. I am sure that he is aware of what's been happening, because none of this took place as if it were hidden in a corner.

²⁷King Agrippa, do you believe what the prophets said? I'm sure you do!”

²⁸“Do you think you can convince me to become a Christian so quickly?” Agrippa asked Paul.

²⁹“Whether it takes a short time or a long time doesn't matter,” Paul answered. “But my prayer to God is that not just you, but everybody listening to me today would become like me—except for these chains!”

³⁰The king stood up, along with the governor and Bernice, and everyone who had been sitting with them.