[continued from previous message]   
      
   21 But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus,   
   I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Cæsar.   
   22 Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself.   
   To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.   
   23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp,   
   and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and   
   principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth.   
   24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us,   
   ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me,   
   both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.   
   25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that   
   he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.   
   26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have   
   brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa,   
   that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.   
   27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal   
   to signify the crimes laid against him.   
      
   Acts 26   
      
   Paul's Defense Before Agrippa   
      
   1 (Ac 9:15) Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for   
   yourself." So Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:   
   2 "King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that today I shall make   
   my defense before you against all the accusations of the Jews,   
   3 (Ac 6:14) especially because you are an expert in all customs and   
   controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to patiently listen to me.   
   4 (Gal 1:13) "My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning   
   in my own nation and at Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews.   
   5 (Ac 23:6; 22:3) They knew me from the beginning and could testify,   
   if they wished, how according to the strictest sect of our religion   
   I lived as a Pharisee.   
   6 (Ac 24:15; 28:20) And now I stand on trial for hope in the promise made   
   by God to our fathers,   
   7 (Jas 1:1; Ezr 6:17) to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they   
   earnestly serve God day and night. Concerning this hope, King Agrippa,   
   I am accused by the Jews.   
   8 Why is it judged incredible by you that God raises the dead?   
   9 (1Ti 1:13; Ac 22:8) "I, too, thought that I must do many things contrary   
   to the name of Jesus of Nazareth,   
   10 (Ac 8:3; 9:13-14) which I indeed did in Jerusalem and locked up   
   many of the saints in prison by authority from the chief priests.   
   And when they were killed, I cast my vote against them.   
   11 (Mt 10:17; Ac 22:19) I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled   
   them to blaspheme. And being extremely enraged against them, I persecuted them   
   even to foreign cities.   
      
   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.   
      
   Paul Tells of His Conversion   
      
   Ac 9:1-19; 22:6-16   
      
   12 "So I went to Damascus with authority   
   and a commission from the chief priests.   
   13 At midday, O King, I saw along the way a light from heaven, brighter than   
   the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.   
   14 (Ac 21:40; 9:7) When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice   
   saying to me in the Hebrew language,   
   'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?   
   It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'   
   15 "I said, 'Who are You, Lord?'   
   "He said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.   
   16 (Ac 22:14-15; Eze 2:1) But rise and stand on your feet. For I have appeared   
   to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness both of   
   what you have seen and of what I will yet reveal to you.   
   17 (Ac 9:15; Jer 1:8) I will deliver you from your people   
   and from the Gentiles to whom I now send you,   
   18 (Ac 20:32; 1Pe 2:9; Isa 35:5) to open their eyes and to turn them from   
   darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive   
   forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified   
   by faith in Me.'   
      
   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.   
      
   Paul's Testimony to Jews and Gentiles   
      
   19 "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,   
   20 (Mt 3:8; Ac 3:19) but declared first to those at Damascus, then at   
   Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles,   
   that they should repent and turn to God and do works proving their repentance.   
   21 (Ac 21:30-31; 21:27) For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple   
   and tried to kill me.   
   22 (Ac 24:14; Lk 24:27) Therefore having obtained help from God, I continue   
   to this day, testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what   
   the prophets and Moses said would happen:   
   23 (Rev 1:5; Lk 2:32; Col 1:18) that the Christ must suffer, that He would be   
   the first who would rise from the dead, and would announce light to His own   
   people and to the Gentiles."   
      
   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   
      
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)