\subsection{Acts 26} \VS{1} So Agrippa said to Paul: He permits you to be speaking in your own behalf. Then Paul having stretched out his hand made [his] defense: \VS{2} Concerning all of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself blessed [about] to be making my defense today before you, \VS{3} you being especially knowledgeable of all the customs and questions of the Jews. Therefore I ask you to patiently hear me. \VS{4} Indeed therefore all Judea knows my manner of life from youth which came to pass from the beginning in my nation and in Jerusalem, \VS{5} having foreknown me for [a] long time, if they want to testify, that according to the most careful\footnote{or ``exact'', ``careful''} sect [of your] religion I zoe-lived\fnZoe{} [as a] Pharisee. \VS{6} And now upon [the] hope of the promise which came to pass to our fathers have I stood being judged, \VS{7} to which, in earnestness ministering day and night, I hope our twelve tribes to attain, concerning which hope I am accused by the Jews, O King. \VS{8} Why is it judged by you unbelievable that God raises the dead? \VS{9} I indeed therefore supposed I must against the name of Jesus the Nazarene practice many opposing [things], \VS{10} which I also did in Jerusalem, and many of [their] holy [ones] I shut in prison, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were being done away with I cast [my] vote against [them]. \VS{11} And according to every synagogue often punishing them I was forcing them to be slandering [God], and being exceedingly enraged against them, I was persecuting them to indeed outer cities. \VS{12} Whereupon going to Damascus with authority and charge of the chief priest, \VS{13} during midday along the road I saw, O King, from heaven, above the radiance of the sun, [a] light shining around me and those going with me, \VS{14} and when all of us fell to the ground\fnGe{} I heard [a] voice saying to me in the Hebrew language: Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? [It is] hard for you to be kicking against the goad\footnote{a sharpened stick used to prod cattle}. \VS{15} So I said: Who are you, Lord? So the Lord said to me: I am Jesus whom you persecute. \VS{16} But arise and stand on your feet, for to this have I been seen by you, to appoint you officer and witness of those [things] you have seen and of those [things in which] I will be seen by you. \VS{17} delivering you from the people and from the nations, to which I send you \VS{18} to open their eyes, having turned [them] from darkness to light, and [from] authority of Satan to God, that they receive allowance of sins and [a] portion with those having been made holy by faith in me. \VS{19} From whence, King Agrippa, I did not become disobedient to the heavenly vision, \VS{20} but to those in Damascus first and [those in] Jerusalem, and every region of Judea, and to the nations\footnote{i.e. the Gentiles}, I was proclaiming [that they should] be repenting and be turning to God, practicing works worthy of repentance. \VS{21} On account of these [things the] Jews having seized me were trying to do [me] violence. \VS{22} Therefore having attained assistances from God until this day, I have stood testifying to small and to great, saying nothing except what the prophets and Moses said is [about] to come to pass, \VS{23} if the Christ [is] subject to suffering, if [he is the] first [one] from the resurrection of [the] dead, [then] light is [about] to be proclaimed to both the people and the nations\footnote{i.e. the Gentiles}. \VS{24} So when he made his defense with these [words], Phestus said with [a] great voice: You are insane, Paul. Much learning turns you to insanity. \VS{25} But Paul said, I am not insane, most excellent Phestus, but [rather] I boldly declare words of truth and rationality. \VS{26} For the king knows concerning these [things], to whom I also speak boldly proclaiming, for I am persuaded \negd{nothing} escapes his notice, for this was not done in [a] corner. \VS{27} Do you believe, King Agrippa, in the prophets? I know that you believe. \VS{28} So Agrippa [said] to Paul: In a short [time] you persuade me to become a Christian. \VS{29} But Paul [said]: I would pray to God both in [a] short [time] and in [a] great [time] not only you but also all those having heard me today to become such like I also am, except for these bonds. \VS{30} So the king arose, and the ruler and Bernice and those sitting with them, \VS{31} and having withdrawn they were speaking to one another saying that: Nothing worthy of death or bonds does this man practice. \VS{32} So Agrippa said to Phestus: This man was able to be released except [that] he appealed to Caesar.