
Acts of Apostles - Chapter 26
1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, 'You have leave to speak on your own behalf.' And Paul held up his hand and began his defence:
2 'I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, in that it is before you I am to answer today all the charges made against me by the Jews,
3 the more so because you are an expert in matters of custom and controversy among the Jews. So I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 'My manner of life from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem, is common knowledge among the Jews.
5 They have known me for a long time and could testify, if they would, that I followed the strictest party in our religion and lived as a Pharisee.
6 And now it is for my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors that I am on trial,
7 the promise that our twelve tribes, constant in worship night and day, hope to attain. For that hope, Your Majesty, I am actually put on trial by Jews!
8 Why does it seem incredible to you that God should raise the dead?
9 'As for me, I once thought it was my duty to use every means to oppose the name of Jesus the Nazarene.
10 This I did in Jerusalem; I myself threw many of God's holy people into prison, acting on authority from the chief priests, and when they were being sentenced to death I cast my vote against them.
11 I often went round the synagogues inflicting penalties, trying in this way to force them to renounce their faith; my fury against them was so extreme that I even pursued them into foreign cities.
12 'On such an expedition I was going to Damascus, armed with full powers and a commission from the chief priests,
13 and in the middle of the day as I was on my way, Your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven shining more brilliantly than the sun round me and my fellow-travellers.
14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you, kicking against the goad.
15 Then I said, "Who are you, Lord?" And the Lord answered, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
16 But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason: to appoint you as my servant and as witness of this vision in which you have seen me, and of others in which I shall appear to you.
17 I shall rescue you from the people and from the nations to whom I send you
18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light, from the dominion of Satan to God, and receive, through faith in me, forgiveness of their sins and a share in the inheritance of the sanctified."
19 'After that, King Agrippa, I could not disobey the heavenly vision.
20 On the contrary I started preaching, first to the people of Damascus, then to those of Jerusalem and all Judaean territory, and also to the gentiles, urging them to repent and turn to God, proving their change of heart by their deeds.
21 This was why the Jews laid hands on me in the Temple and tried to do away with me.
22 But I was blessed with God's help, and so I have stood firm to this day, testifying to great and small alike, saying nothing more than what the prophets and Moses himself said would happen:
23 that the Christ was to suffer and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he was to proclaim a light for our people and for the gentiles.'
24 He had reached this point in his defence when Festus shouted out, 'Paul, you are out of your mind; all that learning of yours is driving you mad.'
25 But Paul answered, 'Festus, your Excellency, I am not mad: I am speaking words of sober truth and good sense.
26 The king understands these matters, and to him I now speak fearlessly. I am confident that nothing of all this comes as a surprise to him; after all, these things were not done in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, do you believe in the prophets? I know you do.'
28 At this Agrippa said to Paul, 'A little more, and your arguments would make a Christian of me.'
29 Paul replied, 'Little or much, I wish before God that not only you but all who are listening to me today would come to be as I am -- except for these chains.'
30 At this the king rose to his feet, with the governor and Bernice and those who sat there with them.
31 When they had retired they talked together and agreed, 'This man is doing nothing that deserves death or imprisonment.'
32 And Agrippa remarked to Festus, 'The man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.'
Book of Acts of Apostles Chapters
More Bible

Reading for October 2nd, 2023
Reading 1, Exodus 23:20-23Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 91:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 10-11
Gospel, Matthew 18:1-5, 10
Next Weeks Readings
FREE Catholic Classes Pick a class, you can learn anything
Online / Mobile Friendly Bible Classes Free for anyone, anywhere
Enroll free Now
Explore the Bible (20+ classes)
Moral Life in Christ (10 classes)
Ten Commandments class Certificate
The Holy Rosary (6 classes)
RCIA - Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (Students & Catechists)
The Holy Grail of Learning: How Catholic Values Transform Education
You can make it possible for more students to come into a deeper understanding of the Lord and the Catholic faith. Our 7,000 video lessons are FREE for learners and teachers around the world, and we intend to keep it that way. But it takes millions of dollars to produce high-quality content.Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
Saint of the Day for Monday, Oct 2nd, 2023
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Prayer of the Day for Monday, Oct 2
-
The Apostles' Creed
-
Saint Feast Days in Oct
-
Daily Readings Archive
-
St. Leger
-
Joyful Mystery of the Rosary
-
Saints & Angels
Daily Catholic
Daily Readings for Monday, October 02, 2023
St. Leger: Saint of the Day for Monday, October 02, 2023
Prayer for the Unborn Child: Prayer of the Day for Monday, October 02, 2023
- Daily Readings for Sunday, October 01, 2023
- St. Therese of Lisieux: Saint of the Day for Sunday, October 01, 2023
- A Prayer to Saint Therese De Lisieux for Guidance: Prayer of the Day for Sunday, October 01, 2023
We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
Copyright 2023 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2023 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.