14. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Aramaic language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads!’
15. So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
16. But get up and stand on your feet, because for this reason I have appeared to you, to appoint you a servant and witness both to the things in which you saw me and to the things in which I will appear to you,
17. rescuing you from the people and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you,
18. to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19. “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20. but to those in Damascus first, and in Jerusalem and all the region of Judea and to the Gentiles, I proclaimed that they should repent and turn to God, doing deeds worthy of repentance.
21. On account of these things the Jews seized me in the temple courts and were attempting to kill me.
22. Therefore I have experienced help from God until this day, and I stand here testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except what both the prophets and Moses have said were going to happen,
23. that the Christ was to suffer and that as the first of the resurrection from the dead, he was going to proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.”
24. And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “You are out of your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!”
25. But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but am speaking words of truth and rationality.
26. For the king knows about these things, to whom also I am speaking freely, for I am not convinced that these things in any way have escaped his notice, because this was not done in a corner.
27. Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe.”
28. But Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?”
29. And Paul replied, “I pray to God, whether in a short time or in a long time, not only you but also all those who are listening to me today may become such people as I also am, except for these bonds!”