"Brethrenand fathers,hearmy defensewhich I now[offer] to you."
"Whenthey bringyou beforethe synagoguesand the rulersand the authorities,do not worryabout howorwhatyou are to speak in your defense,orwhatyou are to say;
"Somakeup your mindsnot to prepare beforehandto defendyourselves;
"Brethren,sonsof Abraham'sfamily,and thoseamongyou who fearGod,to us the messageof thissalvationhas been sent.
Some of the crowdconcluded[it was] Alexander,since the Jewshad put him forward;and having motionedwith his hand,Alexanderwas intendingto make a defenseto the assembly.
Paul,looking intentlyat the Council,said,"Brethren,I have lived my lifewith a perfectlygoodconsciencebefore Godup to thisday."
But perceivingthat onegroupwere Sadduceesand the otherPharisees,Paul[began] cryingout in the Council,"Brethren,I ama Pharisee,a sonof Pharisees;I am on trialfor the hopeand resurrectionof the dead!"
When the governorhad noddedfor him to speak,Paulresponded:"Knowingthat for manyyearsyou have beena judgeto thisnation,I cheerfullymake my defense,
"I answeredthem that it is not the customof the Romansto handover anymanbeforethe accusedmeetshis accusersface to faceand hasan opportunityto make his defenseagainstthe charges.
while Paulsaid in his own defense,"I have committednooffenseeitheragainstthe Lawof the Jewsoragainstthe templeoragainstCaesar."
While [Paul] was sayingthisin his defense,Festussaidin a loudvoice,"Paul,you are out of your mind![Your] greatlearningis drivingyou mad."
AfterthreedaysPaul called togetherthosewho were the leading menof the Jews,and when they came together,he [began] sayingto them, "Brethren,though I had donenothingagainstour peopleorthe customsof our fathers,yet I was deliveredas a prisonerfrom Jerusaleminto the handsof the Romans.
And he said,"Hearme, brethrenand fathers!The Godof gloryappearedto our fatherAbrahamwhen he was in Mesopotamia,beforehe livedin Haran,
in that they showthe workof the Lawwrittenin their hearts,their consciencebearing witnessand their thoughtsalternatelyaccusingorelsedefendingthem,
My defenseto thosewho examineme is this:
All this timeyou have been thinkingthat we are defendingourselves to you. [Actually], it is in the sightof Godthat we have been speakingin Christ;and allfor your upbuilding,beloved.
For beholdwhatearnestnessthisvery thing,thisgodlysorrow,has producedin you: whatvindicationof yourselves, whatindignation,whatfear,whatlonging,whatzeal,whatavenging of wrong!In everythingyou demonstratedyourselvesto be innocentin the matter.
the formerproclaimChristout of selfish ambitionrather thanfrom pure motives,thinkingto causeme distressin my imprisonment.
For it is onlyrightfor me to feelthis wayaboutyou all,becauseI haveyou in my heart,since bothin my imprisonmentand in the defenseand confirmationof the gospel,you allare partakersof gracewith me.
At my firstdefenseno onesupportedme, but alldesertedme; may it not be countedagainst them.
but sanctifyChristas Lordin your hearts,always[being] readyto make a defenseto everyonewho asksyou to give an accountfor the hopethat is in you, yetwith gentlenessand reverence;
