\v 10 I did these in Jerusalem; I locked up many of the believers in prison, and I had authority from the chief priests to do this; and when they were killed, I gave my vote against them also.
\v 11 I punished them often in all the synagogues and I tried to make them blaspheme. I was very angry at them and I chased them even to foreign cities.
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\v 12 While I was doing this, I went to Damascus with authority and orders from the chief priests;
\v 13 and on the way there, at midday, King, I saw a light from heaven that was brighter than the sun and it shone around both me and the men who were traveling with me.
\v 14 When we all fell to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me that said in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick a goad.'
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\v 15 Then I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' The Lord replied, 'I am Jesus whom you persecute.
\v 16 Now get up and stand on your feet; because for this purpose I appeared to you, to appoint you to be a servant and a witness concerning the things that you know about me now and the things that I will show to you later;
\v 17 and I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you,
\v 18 to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive from God the forgiveness of sins and the inheritance that I give to them whom I set apart for myself by faith in me.'
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\v 19 Therefore, King Agrippa, I did not disobey the heavenly vision;
\v 20 but, to those in Damascus first, and then at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God, doing deeds worthy of repentance.
\v 21 For this cause the Jews arrested me in the temple and tried to kill me.
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\v 22 God has helped me until now, so I stand and testify to the common people and to the great ones about nothing more than what the prophets and Moses said would happen;
\v 23 that Christ must suffer, and that he would be the first to be raised from the dead and to proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."
\v 24 As Paul completed his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are insane; your great learning makes you insane."
\v 25 But Paul said, "I am not insane, most excellent Festus; but with courage I speak words of truth and soberness.
\v 26 For the king knows about these things; and so, I speak freely to him, for I am persuaded that none of this is hidden from him; for this has not been done in a corner.
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\v 27 Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe."
\v 28 Agrippa said to Paul, "In a short time would you persuade me and make me a Christian?"
\v 29 Paul said, "I pray to God, that whether in a short or long time, not you only, but also all that hear me today, would be like me, but without these prison chains."
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\v 30 Then the king stood up, and the governor, and Bernice also, and those who were sitting with them;
\v 31 when they left the hall, they talked to one another and said, "This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds."
\v 32 Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been freed if he had not appealed to Caesar."
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