26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”^(A)

So Paul motioned with his hand^(B) and began his defense: ² “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you^(C) today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews,^{(D) 3} and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs^(E) and controversies.^(F) Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴ “The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child,^(G) from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. ⁵ They have known me for a long time^(H) and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect^(I) of our religion, living as a Pharisee.^{(J) 6} And now it is because of my hope^(K) in what God has promised our ancestors^(L) that I am on trial today. ⁷ This is the promise our twelve tribes^(M) are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night.^(N) King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me.^{(O) 8} Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?^(P)

⁹ “I too was convinced^(Q) that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose^(R) the name of Jesus of Nazareth.^{(S) 10} And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people^(T) in prison,^(U) and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.^{(V) 11} Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished,^(W) and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

¹² “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. ¹³ About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. ¹⁴ We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice^(X) saying to me in Aramaic,^[a](Y) ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

¹⁵ “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ¹⁶ ‘Now get up and stand on your feet.^(Z) I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.^{(AA) 17} I will rescue you^(AB) from your own people and from the Gentiles.^(AC) I am sending you to them ¹⁸ to open their eyes^(AD) and turn them from darkness to light,^(AE) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins^(AF) and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’^(AG)

¹⁹ “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient^(AH) to the vision from heaven. ²⁰ First to those in Damascus,^(AI) then to those in Jerusalem^(AJ) and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles,^(AK) I preached that they should repent^(AL) and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.^{(AM) 21} That is why some Jews seized me^(AN) in the temple courts and tried to kill me.^{(AO) 22} But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen^(AP)— ²³ that the Messiah would suffer^(AQ) and, as the first to rise from the dead,^(AR) would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”^(AS)

²⁴ At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind,^(AT) Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning^(AU) is driving you insane.”

²⁵ “I am not insane, most excellent^(AV) Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. ²⁶ The king is familiar with these things,^(AW) and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”^(AX)

²⁹ Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”^(AY)

³⁰ The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice^(AZ) and those sitting with them. ³¹ After they left the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”^(BA)

³² Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free^(BB) if he had not appealed to Caesar.”^(BC)

Through Macedonia and Greece

20 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples^(A) and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia.^{(B) 2} He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, ³ where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him^(C) just as he was about to sail for Syria,^(D) he decided to go back through Macedonia.^{(E) 4} He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus^(F) and Secundus from Thessalonica,^(G) Gaius^(H) from Derbe, Timothy^(I) also, and Tychicus^(J) and Trophimus^(K) from the province of Asia.^{(L) 5} These men went on ahead and waited for us^(M) at Troas.^{(N) 6} But we sailed from Philippi^(O) after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas,^(P) where we stayed seven days.

Eutychus Raised From the Dead at Troas

⁷ On the first day of the week^(Q) we came together to break bread.^(R) Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. ⁸ There were many lamps in the upstairs room^(S) where we were meeting. ⁹ Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. ¹⁰ Paul went down, threw himself on the young man^(T) and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!”^{(U) 11} Then he went upstairs again and broke bread^(V) and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. ¹² The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders

¹³ We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. ¹⁴ When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. ¹⁵ The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.^{(W) 16} Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus^(X) to avoid spending time in the province of Asia,^(Y) for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem,^(Z) if possible, by the day of Pentecost.^(AA)

¹⁷ From Miletus,^(AB) Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders^(AC) of the church. ¹⁸ When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you,^(AD) from the first day I came into the province of Asia.^{(AE) 19} I served the Lord with great humility and with tears^(AF) and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.^{(AG) 20} You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything^(AH) that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. ²¹ I have declared to both Jews^(AI) and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance^(AJ) and have faith in our Lord Jesus.^(AK)

²² “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem,^(AL) not knowing what will happen to me there. ²³ I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me^(AM) that prison and hardships are facing me.^{(AN) 24} However, I consider my life worth nothing to me;^(AO) my only aim is to finish the race^(AP) and complete the task^(AQ) the Lord Jesus has given me^(AR)—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.^(AS)

²⁵ “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom^(AT) will ever see me again.^{(AU) 26} Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.^{(AV) 27} For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.^{(AW) 28} Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock^(AX) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.^(AY) Be shepherds of the church of God,^[a](AZ) which he bought^(BA) with his own blood.^{[b](BB) 29} I know that after I leave, savage wolves^(BC) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.^{(BD) 30} Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples^(BE) after them. ³¹ So be on your guard! Remember that for three years^(BF) I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.^(BG)

³² “Now I commit you to God^(BH) and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance^(BI) among all those who are sanctified.^{(BJ) 33} I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.^{(BK) 34} You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.^{(BL) 35} In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

³⁶ When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.^{(BM) 37} They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.^{(BN) 38} What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.^(BO) Then they accompanied him to the ship.^(BP)