Written by Yahusha's Student: LUKE (the Doctor) ...
1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You may now speak to defend yourself.” Paul raised his hand to get their attention and began to speak.
2 He said, “King Agrippa, I feel fortunate that I can stand here before you today and answer all the charges these Jews have made against me. 3 I am very happy to talk to you, because you know so much about all the Jewish customs and the things the Jews argue about. So please listen to me patiently.
4 All the Jews know about my whole life. They know the way I lived from the beginning in my own country and later in Jerusalem. 5 These Jews have known me for a long time. If they want to, they can tell you that I was a good Pharisee of the strictest sect of observance and lifestyle. 6 And now I’m on trial because I have expectation and hope for the promise that Alahim made to our fathers. 7 This is the promise that all the twelve tribes of our people hope to receive. For this hope the Jews serve Alahim day and night. My King, the Jews have accused me because I hope for this same promise. 8 Why do you people think it is impossible for Alahim to raise people from the dead?
9 I used to think that I should do everything I could against YAHUSHA from Nazareth. 10 And that’s what I did, beginning in Jerusalem. The Chief Priests gave me the authority to put many of Alahim's people in jail. And when they were being killed, I agreed that it was a good thing. 11 I visited all the Synagogues and punished them, trying to make them curse their deliverer YAHUSHA. My anger against these people was so strong that I went to other cities to find them and punish them.
12 One time the Chief Priests gave me permission and the authority to go to the city of Damascus. 13 On the way there, at noon, I saw a light from Heaven, brighter than the sun. It shined all around me and those traveling with me. 14 We all fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice talking to me in Hebrew, saying, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? You’re only hurting yourself by fighting me, isn’t it hard kicking against My goads?’
15 I said, ‘Who are you, Master?’
He said, ‘I‘m YAHUSHA. I’m the one you’re persecuting. 16 Stand up! I have chosen you to be my servant. You will tell people about me—what you have seen today and what I will show you. This is why I have come to you. 17 I will keep you safe from your own people and from the gentile people, the ones I’m actually sending you to. 18 You will make them able to understand the truth. They will turn away from darkness to the light. They will turn away from the power of Satan, and they will turn to Me. Then their sins can be forgiven, and they can be given a place among My people—those who have been made set-apart by believing in Me.’”
19 Paul continued speaking: “King Agrippa, after I had this vision from Heaven, I obeyed it. 20 I began telling people to change their hearts and lives and turn back to Alahim. And I told them to do what would show that they had really changed. I went first to people in Damascus. Then I went to Jerusalem and to every part of Judea and told the people there. I also went to the gentiles 21 This is why the Jews grabbed me and were trying to kill me at the Temple. 22 But YAHUSHA helped me, and He is still helping me today. With YAHUSHA’S’ help I am standing here today and telling all people what I have seen. But I am saying nothing new. I am saying only what Moses and the prophets said would happen. 23 They said that the Messiah would die and be the first to rise from the dead. They said that He would bring the light of Alahim's deliverance of truth to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
24 While Paul was still defending himself, Festus shouted, “Paul, you’re out of your mind! Too much study has made you crazy.”
25 Paul said, “Most Honourable Festus, I am not crazy. What I’m saying is true. It all makes perfect sense. 26 King Agrippa knows about all this, and I can speak freely to him. I know that he has heard about these things, because they happened where everyone could see them. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe what the prophets wrote? I know you believe!”
28 King Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think you can persuade me to become a ‘Christians’ so easily?” [GREEK TERM, ORIGIN OF CRETAN – BELIEVERS WERE CONSIDERED TO BE FOOLS, AND THIS TERM DESCRIBES A CRETIN, OR IDIOT IN THAT DAY, AS IT WAS A TERM OF SCORN].
29 Paul said, “It is not important if it is easy or if it is hard. I pray to YAHUSHA that not only you but that everyone listening to me today could be delivered and have this experience just like me - except for these chains I still have!”
30 King Agrippa, Governor Festus, Bernice, and all the people sitting with them stood up 31 and left the room. They were talking to each other. They said, “This man has done nothing worthy of being put to death or even put in jail.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “We could let him go free, but he has asked to see Caesar.”
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