amSee 1 Tim. 1:12
Matthew 10:18
18 aand you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, bto bear witness before them and the Gentiles.Acts 25:22-27
22Then cAgrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.”23So on the next day dAgrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom ethe whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, fshouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25But I found that ghe had done nothing deserving death. And has he himself appealed to ithe emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. 26But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write. 27For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.”
Acts 26:1-11
Paul’s Defense Before Agrippa
1So jAgrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:2“I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today kagainst all the accusations of the Jews, 3especially because you are familiar with all the lcustoms and mcontroversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 n“My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among omy own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. 5They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that paccording to the strictest qparty of our rreligion I have lived as sa Pharisee. 6And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in tthe promise made by God to our fathers, 7 uto which vour twelve tribes hope to wattain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope xI am accused by Jews, O king! 8Why is it thought yincredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
9 z“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of aaJesus of Nazareth. 10 abAnd I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority acfrom the chief priests, but adwhen they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11And aeI punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them afblaspheme, and agin raging fury against them I ahpersecuted them even to foreign cities.
Acts 27:24
24and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; aiyou must stand before Caesar. And behold, ajGod has granted you all those who sail with you.’2 Timothy 4:16-17
16At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. akMay it not be charged against them! 17But althe Lord stood by me and amstrengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and anall the Gentiles might hear it. So aoI was rescued apfrom the lion’s mouth.
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