1 A nd Agrippa said unto Paul, `It is permitted to thee to speak for thyself;' then Paul having stretched forth the hand, was making a defence:

2 ` Concerning all things of which I am accused by Jews, king Agrippa, I have thought myself happy, being about to make a defence before thee to-day,

3 e specially knowing thee to be acquainted with all things -- both customs and questions -- among Jews; wherefore, I beseech thee, patiently to hear me.

4 ` The manner of my life then, indeed, from youth -- which from the beginning was among my nation, in Jerusalem -- know do all the Jews,

5 k nowing me before from the first, (if they may be willing to testify,) that after the most exact sect of our worship, I lived a Pharisee;

6 a nd now for the hope of the promise made to the fathers by God, I have stood judged,

7 t o which our twelve tribes, intently night and day serving, do hope to come, concerning which hope I am accused, king Agrippa, by the Jews;

8 w hy is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?

9 ` I, indeed, therefore, thought with myself, that against the name of Jesus of Nazareth it behoved many things to do,

10 w hich also I did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I in prison did shut up, from the chief priests having received the authority; they also being put to death, I gave my vote against them,

11 a nd in every synagogue, often punishing them, I was constraining to speak evil, being also exceedingly mad against them, I was also persecuting even unto strange cities.

12 ` In which things, also, going on to Damascus -- with authority and commission from the chief priests --

13 a t mid-day, I saw in the way, O king, out of heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me a light -- and those going on with me;

14 a nd we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why me dost thou persecute? hard for thee against pricks to kick!

15 ` And I said, Who art thou, Lord? and he said, I am Jesus whom thou dost persecute;

16 b ut rise, and stand upon thy feet, for for this I appeared to thee, to appoint thee an officer and a witness both of the things thou didst see, and of the things I will appear to thee,

17 d elivering thee from the people, and the nations, to whom now I send thee,

18 t o open their eyes, to turn from darkness to light, and the authority of the Adversary unto God, for their receiving forgiveness of sins, and a lot among those having been sanctified, by faith that toward me.

19 ` Whereupon, king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

20 b ut to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem, to all the region also of Judea, and to the nations, I was preaching to reform, and to turn back unto God, doing works worthy of reformation;

21 b ecause of these things the Jews -- having caught me in the temple -- were endeavouring to kill.

22 ` Having obtained, therefore, help from God, till this day, I have stood witnessing both to small and to great, saying nothing besides the things that both the prophets and Moses spake of as about to come,

23 t hat the Christ is to suffer, whether first by a rising from the dead, he is about to proclaim light to the people and to the nations.'

24 A nd, he thus making a defence, Festus with a loud voice said, `Thou art mad, Paul; much learning doth turn thee mad;'

25 a nd he saith, `I am not mad, most noble Festus, but of truth and soberness the sayings I speak forth;

26 f or the king doth know concerning these things, before whom also I speak boldly, for none of these things, I am persuaded, are hidden from him; for this thing hath not been done in a corner;

27 t hou dost believe, king Agrippa, the prophets? I have known that thou dost believe!'

28 A nd Agrippa said unto Paul, `In a little thou dost persuade me to become a Christian!'

29 a nd Paul said, `I would have wished to God, both in a little, and in much, not only thee, but also all those hearing me to-day, to become such as I also am -- except these bonds.'

30 A nd, he having spoken these things, the king rose up, and the governor, Bernice also, and those sitting with them,

31 a nd having withdrawn, they were speaking unto one another, saying -- `This man doth nothing worthy of death or of bonds;'

32 a nd Agrippa said to Festus, `This man might have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.'