ThenAgrippasaiduntoPaul, Thouart permittedto speakforthyself. ThenPaulstretched forththehand, and answered for himself: I thinkmyselfhappy, kingAgrippa, because I shallanswer for myselfthis daybeforetheetouchingallthe things whereofI am accusedofthe Jews: Especially because I knowtheeto beexpertin allcustomsandquestionswhich are amongthe Jews: whereforeI beseechtheeto hearmepatiently. Mymanner of lifefrommy youth, which wasatthe firstamongmine ownnationatJerusalem, knowalltheJews; Which knewmefrom the beginning, ifthey wouldtestify, thatafterthemost straitestsectof ourreligionI liveda Pharisee. AndnowI standand am judgedforthe hopeof thepromisemadeofGoduntoour fathers: Untowhich promise ourtwelve tribes, instantlyserving God dayandnight, hopeto come. Forwhichhope's sake, kingAgrippa, I am accusedoftheJews. Whyshould it be thoughta thing incrediblewithyou, thatGodshould raisethe dead? Iverilythoughtwith myself, that I oughtto domany thingscontrarytothenameof Jesusof Nazareth. Which thingI alsodidinJerusalem: andmanyof thesaintsdid Ishut upin prison, having receivedauthorityfromthechief priests; andwhen theywere put to death, I gave my voice against them. AndI punishedthemoftin everysynagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; andbeing exceedingly mad againstthem, I persecuted them evenuntostrangecities. WhereuponasI wenttoDamascuswithauthorityandcommissionfromthechief priests, At midday, O king, Isaw inthewaya lightfrom heaven, abovethebrightnessof thesun, shining round aboutmeandthem which journeyedwithme. Andwhen wewere allfallentotheearth, I hearda voicespeakinguntome, andsayingin theHebrewtongue, Saul, Saul, whypersecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kickagainst the pricks. AndIsaid, Whoartthou, Lord? Andhesaid, IamJesuswhomthoupersecutest. Butrise, andstanduponthyfeet: for I have appeared unto theeforthis purpose, to makethee a ministerand a witnessboth of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Deliveringtheefromthepeople, and from theGentiles, untowhomnow I sendthee, To opentheireyes, and to turn them fromdarknesstolight, and from thepower of SatanuntoGod, thatthey may receiveforgiveness of sins, andinheritanceamongthem which are sanctified by faiththat is inme. Whereupon, O kingAgrippa, I wasnotdisobedientunto theheavenlyvision: Butshowedfirstunto themofDamascus, andat Jerusalem, andthroughoutallthecoastsof Judea, and then to theGentiles, that they should repentandturntoGod, and doworksmeetfor repentance. For these causestheJewscaughtmeinthetemple, and went aboutto kill me. Having thereforeobtainedhelpofGod, I continueuntothisday, witnessingbothto smallandgreat, sayingnoneother thingsthan those whichtheprophetsandMosesdid sayshouldcome: ThatChristshould suffer, and thathe should be the firstthat should risefrom the dead, and shouldshowlightunto thepeople, andto theGentiles. Andas hethusspake for himself, Festussaidwith a loudvoice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; muchlearningdoth maketheemad. Buthesaid, I am not mad, most nobleFestus; butI speak forththe wordsof truthandsoberness. Forthekingknowethofthese things, beforewhomalsoI speakfreely: forI am persuadedthat noneof these thingsare hiddenfrom him; forthis thingwasnotdoneina corner. KingAgrippa, believestthou theprophets? I knowthatthou believest. ThenAgrippasaiduntoPaul, Almostthou persuadestmeto bea Christian. AndPaulsaid, I wouldto God, that notonlythou, butalsoallthat hearmethis day, werebothalmost, andaltogethersuchasIam, exceptthesebonds. Andwhen hehad thusspoken, thekingrose up, andthegovernor, andBernice, andthey that sat withthem: Andwhen they were gone aside, they talkedbetween themselves, saying, Thismandoethnothingworthyof deathorof bonds. ThensaidAgrippaunto Festus, Thismanmighthave been set at liberty, ifhe had notappealedunto Caesar.