¹ And Agrippa said to Paul, You may put your cause before us. Then Paul, stretching out his hand, made his answer, saying:

¹⁵ But the Lord said, Go without fear: for he is a special vessel for me, to give to the Gentiles and kings and to the children of Israel the knowledge of my name:

²¹ But about Israel he says; All the day my hands have been stretched out to a people whose hearts were turned away, and who put themselves against my word.

² In my opinion I am happy, King Agrippa, to be able to give my answer before you today to all these things which the Jews say against me:

¹⁶ To whom I gave answer that it is not the Roman way to give a man up, till he has been face to face with those who are attacking him, and has had a chance to give an answer to the statements made against him.

¹ My brothers and fathers, give ear to the story of my life which I now put before you.

⁵¹ Is a man judged by our law before it has given him a hearing and has knowledge of what he has done?

¹⁷ The man who first puts his cause before the judge seems to be in the right; but then his neighbour comes and puts his cause in its true light.

¹³ To give an answer before hearing is a foolish thing and a cause of shame.

²⁴ Because your ears were shut to my voice; no one gave attention to my out-stretched hand;

²⁷ Now, then, my hand is stretched out against you, cutting down your fixed amount, and I have given you up to the desire of your haters, the daughters of the Philistines who are shamed by your loose ways.