---
title: Acts 26
slug: kjv-nt/acts-26
createdAt: 2024-09-08T03:13:32.412Z
---

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

**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: **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.

**4 **My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; **5 **Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. **6 **And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: **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. **8 **Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

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

**12 **Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, **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. **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. **15 **And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. **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; **17 **Delivering thee from the people, and *from* the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, **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.

**19 **Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: **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. **21 **For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill *me*. **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: **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.

**24 **And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. **25 **But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. **26 **For the king 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 thing was not done in a corner. **27 **King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. **28 **Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. **29 **And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

**30 **And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them: **31 **And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. **32 **Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.