Study Desk

^(C1)Now Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." Then Paul extended his hand and proceeded to make his defense:

"Regarding all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today,

^(F1)especially because you are an expert in all ^(C1)customs and ^(F2)questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

"So then, all Jews know ^(C1)my way of life since my youth, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and in Jerusalem,

since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a ^(C1)Pharisee ^(C2)according to the strictest ^(C3)sect of our religion.

"And now I am standing trial ^(C1)for the hope of ^(C2)the promise made by God to our fathers;

the promise ^(C1)to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. For this ^(C2)hope, O king, I am being ^(C3)accused by Jews.

"Why is it considered incredible among you people ^(C1)if God raises the dead?

"So ^(C1)I thought to myself that I had to act in strong opposition to ^(C2)the name of Jesus ^(F1)of Nazareth.

"And this is ^(F1)just what I ^(C1)did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the ^(F2)saints in prisons, after ^(C2)receiving authority from the chief priests, but I also ^(C3)cast my vote against them when they were being put to death.

"And ^(C1)as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and since I was ^(C2)extremely enraged at them, I kept pursuing them ^(C3)even to ^(F1)foreign cities.