1. And Agrippa said unto Paul, `It is permitted to thee to speak for thyself;' then Paul having stretched forth the hand, was making a defence:
2. `Concerning all things of which I am accused by Jews, king Agrippa, I have thought myself happy, being about to make a defence before thee to-day,
3. especially knowing thee to be acquainted with all things--both customs and questions-- among Jews; wherefore, I beseech thee, patiently to hear me.
4. `The manner of my life then, indeed, from youth--which from the beginning was among my nation, in Jerusalem--know do all the Jews,
5. knowing me before from the first, (if they may be willing to testify,) that after the most exact sect of our worship, I lived a Pharisee;
6. and now for the hope of the promise made to the fathers by God, I have stood judged,
7. to which our twelve tribes, intently night and day serving, do hope to come, concerning which hope I am accused, king Agrippa, by the Jews;
8. why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?
9. `I, indeed, therefore, thought with myself, that against the name of Jesus of Nazareth it behoved [me] many things to do,
10. which also I did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I in prison did shut up, from the chief priests having received the authority; they also being put to death, I gave my vote against them,
11. and in every synagogue, often punishing them, I was constraining [them] to speak evil, being also exceedingly mad against them, I was also persecuting [them] even unto strange cities.
12. `In which things, also, going on to Damascus--with authority and commission from the chief priests--
13. at mid-day, I saw in the way, O king, out of heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me a light--and those going on with me;
14. and we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why me dost thou persecute? hard for thee against pricks to kick!