Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the book of
Acts, chapters 25 and 26. Chapter 25. Now when
Festus had come to the province, after three
days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Then
the high priest and the chief men of the Jews
informed him against Paul, and they petitioned
him, asking a favor against him, that he would
summon him to Jerusalem. while they lay in ambush
along the road to kill him. But Festus answered
that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that
he himself was going there shortly. Therefore
he said, Let those who have authority among you
go down with me and accuse this man, to see if
there is any fault in him. And when he had remained
among them more than ten days, he went down to
Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment
seat, he commanded Paul to be brought. When he
had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem
stood about and laid many serious complaints
against Paul, which they could not prove. While
he answered for himself, Neither against the
law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor
against Caesar, have I offended in anything at
all. But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor,
answered Paul and said, Are you willing to go
up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me
concerning these things? So Paul said, I stand
at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be
judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as
you very well know. For if I am an offender or
have committed anything deserving of death, I
do not object to dying. But if there is nothing
in these things of which these men accuse me,
no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.
Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council,
answered, You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar
you shall go. And after some days, King Agrippa
and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus.
When they had been there many days, Festus laid
Paul's case before the king, saying, There is
a certain man left a prisoner by Felix, about
whom the chief priests and the elders of the
Jews informed me when I was in Jerusalem, asking
for a judgment against him. To them I answered,
It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver
any man to destruction. before the accused meets
the accusers face to face, and has opportunity
to answer for himself concerning the charge against
him. Therefore, when they had come together without
any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment
seat and commanded the man to be brought in.
When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation
against him of such things as I supposed, but
had some questions against him about their own
religion. and about a certain Jesus who had died
whom Paul affirmed to be alive. And because I
was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether
he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be
judged concerning these matters. But when Paul
appealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus,
I commanded him to be kept till I could send
him to Caesar. Then Agrippa said to Festus, I
also would like to hear the man myself. Tomorrow,
he said, you shall hear him. So the next day
when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great
pomp and had entered the auditorium with the
commanders and the prominent men of the city,
at Festus' command, Paul was brought in. And
Festus said, King Agrippa and all the men who
are here present with us, you see this man about
whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned
me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that
he was not fit to live any longer. But when I
found that he had committed nothing deserving
of death, and that he himself had appealed to
Augustus, I decided to send him. I have nothing
certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore
I have brought him out before you, and especially
before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination
has taken place I may have something to write.
For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner
and not to specify the charges against him. Then
Agrippa said to Paul, You are permitted to speak
for yourself. So Paul stretched out his hand
and answered for himself, I think myself happy,
King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for
myself before you concerning all the things of
which I am accused by the Jews, especially because
you are expert in all customs and questions which
have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you
to hear me patiently. My manner of life from
my youth, which was spent from the beginning
among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews
know. They knew me from the first, if they were
willing to testify that according to the strictest
sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And
now I stand and am judged for the hope of the
promise made by God to our fathers. To this promise
our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night
and day, hope to attain. For this hope's sake.
King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why should
it be thought incredible by you that God raises
the dead? Indeed, I myself thought I must do
many things contrary to the name of Jesus of
Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem, and many
of the saints I shut up in prison, having received
authority from the chief priests. And when they
were put to death, I cast my vote against them,
and I punished them often in every synagogue
and compelled them to blaspheme. and being exceedingly
enraged against them, I persecuted them even
to foreign cities. While thus occupied, as I
journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission
from the chief priests, at midday or king, along
the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter
than the sun, shining around me and those who
journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen
to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me
and saying in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul,
why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you
to kick against the goads. So I said, Who are
you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus, whom you
are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet,
for I have appeared to you for this purpose,
to make you a minister and a witness, both of
the things which you have seen and of the things
which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver
you from the Jewish people, as well as from the
Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their
eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light.
and from the power of Satan to God, that they
may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance
among those who are sanctified by faith in me.
Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient
to the heavenly vision, but declared first to
those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout
all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles,
that they should repent, turn to God, and do
works befitting repentance. For these reasons
the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to
kill me. Therefore, having obtained help from
God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to
small and great, saying no other things than
those which the prophets and Moses said would
come, that the Christ would suffer, that he would
be the first to rise from the dead, and would
proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the
Gentiles. Now as he thus made his defense, Festus
said with a loud voice, Paul, you are beside
yourself. Much learning is driving you mad. But
he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but
speak the words of truth and reason. For the
king before whom I also speak freely knows these
things. For I am convinced that none of these
things escapes his attention, since this thing
was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you
believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.
Then Agrippa said to Paul, You almost persuade
me to become a Christian. And Paul said, I would
to God that not only you, but also all who hear
me today might become both almost and altogether
such as I am, except for these chains. When he
had said these things, the king stood up, as
well as the governor and Bernice, and those who
sat with them. And when they had gone aside,
they talked among themselves, saying, This man
is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.
Then Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have
been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.
I hope you enjoyed today's reading as much as
I did and I look forward to seeing you again
tomorrow to continue on our journey. God bless
you and have a great day.