2
"Concerning all [the things] of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate [that] before you I am about to defend myself today,
3
[because] you are especially acquainted with both all the customs and controversial questions with respect to the Jews. Therefore I beg [you] to listen to me with patience.
4
"Now all the Jews know my manner of life from [my] youth, that had taken place from the beginning among my [own] people and in Jerusalem,
5
having known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that in accordance with the strictest party of our religion I lived [as] a Pharisee.
6
And now I stand here on trial on the basis of hope in the promise made by God to our fathers,
7
to which our twelve tribes hope to attain as [they] earnestly serve [him] night and day. Concerning this hope I am being accused by the Jews, O king!
8
Why is it thought incredible by you [people] that God raises the dead?
9
Indeed, I myself thought it was necessary to do many [things] opposed to the name of Jesus the Nazarene,
10
which I also did in Jerusalem, and not only did I lock up many of the saints in prison, having received authority from the chief priests, but also [when] they were being executed, I cast [my] vote against [them].
11
And throughout all the synagogues I punished them often [and] tried to force [them] to blaspheme, and [because I] was enraged at them beyond measure, I was pursuing [them] even as far as to foreign cities.
12
In {this activity} I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and full power of the chief priests.
13
In the middle of the day along the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven, more than the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those who were traveling with me.
14
And [when] we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Aramaic language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? [It is] hard for you to kick against the goads!'
15
So I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
16
But get up and stand on your feet, because for this [reason] I have appeared to you, to appoint you a servant and witness both [to the things] in which you saw me and [to the things] in which I will appear to you,
17
rescuing you from the people and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you,
18
to open their eyes [so that they] may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, [so that] they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
19
"Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20
but to those in Damascus first, and in Jerusalem and all the region of Judea and to the Gentiles, I proclaimed [that they should] repent and turn to God, doing deeds worthy of repentance.
21
On account of these [things] the Jews seized me in the temple [courts] [and] were attempting to kill [me].
22
Therefore I have experienced help from God until this day, [and] I stand here testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except what both the prophets and Moses have said were going to happen,
23
that the Christ was to suffer [and] that [as] the first of the resurrection from the dead, he was going to proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles."