Paul is given an audience of governors, kings, princesses, military commanders, and the influential of Caesarea. They gather to hear him in the auditorium.

Paul begins to tell King Agrippa II and Festus about his background. He pays respect to Agrippa for having extensive knowledge of Judaism, and requests that he give Paul ample time to tell his testimony. Paul began as an upstart Pharisee in Jerusalem, living in strict obedience to Pharisaical customs. Paul knows the Hebrew scriptures as well as any other expert. He explains that he has been put on trial simply for believing what God has promised. Paul believes God raised Jesus from the dead, and he challenges his audience to consider why they find this unbelievable.

When the church was first growing, Paul convinced himself he was right to attack the followers of Jesus. With the support and authorization of the high priests, Paul hunted the Christians in Jerusalem. He imprisoned believers and voted for their executions. He raided synagogues and tried to make the believers recant their faith. Then, when traveling to Damascus, Syria to track down refugee believers, Paul saw a light from heaven. Jesus spoke to him from that light, asking Paul why he was at enmity with the Son of God and resisting God’s calling. Jesus appointed Paul to be His servant, to preach the gospel and bring Gentiles out of darkness into light, away from sin and into God’s forgiveness, that they might share in Christ’s inheritance.

Paul obeyed Jesus’s voice. No longer did he persecute believers. He preached the gospel of Christ wherever he went—Damascus, Jerusalem, Judea, and to the Gentiles all over the Roman empire. This is why some of the Jews attacked him, why he has been imprisoned and prosecuted. God has helped Paul, so that he is able to continue preaching to all people, whether high—ranking or lowly, that God’s promises from the scriptures have been fulfilled in Jesus. It was God’s plan that Jesus would die, then be raised back to life, to make a way for everyone, Jews and Gentiles, to be forgiven and receive eternal life.

Festus cannot accept Paul’s testimony. It is too bizarre for his liking. He interrupts Paul, concerned that Paul has gone insane because he has studied too many prophecies for too long. Paul replies politely that he is perfectly sane and speaks the rational, real truth. He then puts the question to Agrippa II. Agrippa II knows about Jesus and His followers; none of this happened in secret. Paul knows the king believes in God’s promises found in the scriptures. Does Agrippa II believe in the Christ? He replies to Paul with ambivalence toward becoming a Christian. Paul says he wishes all who heard his message would believe.

The hearing ends. Agrippa II privately remarks to Festus and the other officials that Paul should be a free man; he is clearly innocent of real crime. But Paul has appealed to Caesar, and nothing can reverse that.