Paul the Preacher

¹⁹“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to wthe heavenly vision, ²⁰but declared first xto those in Damascus, ythen in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also zto the Gentiles, that they should arepent and bturn to God, performing deeds cin keeping with their repentance. ²¹For this reason dthe Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. ²²eTo this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so fI stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what gthe prophets and Moses said would come to pass: ²³hthat the Christ imust suffer and that, jby being the first kto rise from the dead, lhe would proclaim mlight both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

²⁴And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, nyou are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” ²⁵But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, omost excellent Festus, but I am speaking ptrue and qrational words. ²⁶For rthe king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. ²⁷King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” ²⁸And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be sa Christian?”2 ²⁹And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day tmight become such as I am—except for uthese chains.”

³⁰Then the king rose, and vthe governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. ³¹And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, w“This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” ³²And Agrippa said to Festus, x“This man could have been set yfree if he had not appealed zto Caesar.”