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Acts 26:1-32 (NLT)

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¹ Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You may speak in your defense."So Paul, gesturing with his hand, started his defense: ² "I am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders, ³ for I know you are an expert on all Jewish customs and controversies. Now please listen to me patiently! ⁴ "As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem. ⁵ If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion. ⁶ Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God's promise made to our ancestors. ⁷ In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope! ⁸ Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead? ⁹ "I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene. ¹⁰ Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. ¹¹ Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities. ¹² "One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. ¹³ About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. ¹⁴ We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.' ¹⁵ "'Who are you, lord?' I asked."And the Lord replied, 'I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. ¹⁶ Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. You are to tell the world what you have seen and what I will show you in the future. ¹⁷ And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles ¹⁸ to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God's people, who are set apart by faith in me.' ¹⁹ "And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven. ²⁰ ²¹ Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried to kill me. ²² ²³ that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God's light to Jews and Gentiles alike." ²⁴ Suddenly, Festus shouted, "Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!" ²⁵ But Paul replied, "I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth. ²⁶ And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! ²⁷ ²⁸ Agrippa interrupted him. "Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?" ²⁹ Paul replied, "Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains." ³⁰ Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others stood and left. ³¹ As they went out, they talked it over and agreed, "This man hasn't done anything to deserve death or imprisonment." ³² And Agrippa said to Festus, "He could have been set free if he hadn't appealed to Caesar."

This passage relates to the following topic(s):
(v. 8) Strength / Sovereignty / Power - Why should anyone consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
(v. 18) Forgiveness / Mercy / Atonement - Turn from darkness and may receive
(v. 20) Repentance - Prove your repentance by your deeds
(v. 25) Wisdom / Understanding / Stupidity - Paul to Felix - "What I am saying is true and reasonable"
(v. 25) Word of God / Teaching / Knowledge - Paul to Felix - "What I am saying is true and reasonable"
(v. 25) Honesty / Truth / Vows / Oath - Paul to Felix - "What I am saying is true and reasonable"
(v. 29) Evangelism - Paul - desired all who were listening to have what he had

This passage is referenced in the following quiet time(s):
(v. 15) Repentance (part I) (2010-12-27)
(v. 16) Repentance (part I) (2010-12-27)
(v. 17) Repentance (part I) (2010-12-27)
(v. 18) Repentance - What It Is (part 1) (2009-10-24)
(v. 18) Repentance (part I) (2010-12-27)
(v. 19) Repentance (part I) (2010-12-27)
(v. 20) Repentance (part I) (2010-12-27)
(v. 20) Promises of God - The Problem is Me (2009-03-09)
(v. 20) Mission - Repentance (2010-11-30)
(v. 20) Repentance - The Prophets (part 2) (2009-10-31)
(v. 21) Repentance (part I) (2010-12-27)
(v. 29) Not About Me (2015-12-30)

Definition(s):
Agrippa (A-grip-a): one who causes great pain at his birth
Festus (Fess-tuss): festive, joyful
Israel (Iz-rehl): who prevails with God
Israel (Is-ra-el): who prevails with God
Jerusalem (Je-roo-sa-lem): vision of peace
Jesus (Jeez-us): savior; deliverer
Moses (Moh-ziz): taken out; drawn forth
Satan (Seh-tan): contrary; adversary; enemy; accuser