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The Holy Spirit empowers believers to boldly defend their faith and give an account for the hope that is within them, even before hostile authorities. This week focuses on Paul's series of defenses before Jewish crowds, Roman officials, and King Agrippa, demonstrating the Spirit's enabling in proclaiming the Gospel truth in challenging circumstances. <h3>Acts 22:1-22; 26:1-32</h3> ACTS 22&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Brothers and esteemed fathers,” Paul said, “listen to me as I offer my defense.”&nbsp;2&nbsp;When they heard him speaking in their own language,&nbsp;the silence was even greater.3&nbsp;Then Paul said, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today.&nbsp;4&nbsp;And I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prison.&nbsp;5&nbsp;The high priest and the whole council of elders can testify that this is so. For I received letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the followers of the Way from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished.6&nbsp;“As I was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone down around me.&nbsp;7&nbsp;I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me,&nbsp;‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’8&nbsp;“‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked.“And the voice replied,&nbsp;‘I am Jesus the Nazarene,&nbsp;the one you are persecuting.’&nbsp;9&nbsp;The people with me saw the light but didn’t understand the voice speaking to me.10&nbsp;“I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’“And the Lord told me,&nbsp;‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are to do.’11&nbsp;“I was blinded by the intense light and had to be led by the hand to Damascus by my companions.&nbsp;12&nbsp;A man named Ananias lived there. He was a godly man, deeply devoted to the law, and well regarded by all the Jews of Damascus.&nbsp;13&nbsp;He came and stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ And that very moment I could see him!14&nbsp;“Then he told me, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and hear him speak.&nbsp;15&nbsp;For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard.&nbsp;16&nbsp;What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.’17&nbsp;“After I returned to Jerusalem, I was praying in the Temple and fell into a trance.&nbsp;18&nbsp;I saw a vision of Jesus&nbsp;saying to me,&nbsp;‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem, for the people here won’t accept your testimony about me.’19&nbsp;“‘But Lord,’ I argued, ‘they certainly know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.&nbsp;20&nbsp;And I was in complete agreement when your witness Stephen was killed. I stood by and kept the coats they took off when they stoned him.’21&nbsp;“But the Lord said to me,&nbsp;‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles!’”22&nbsp;The crowd listened until Paul said that word. Then they all began to shout, “Away with such a fellow! He isn’t fit to live!” ACTS 26&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak in your defense.”So Paul, gesturing with his hand, started his defense:&nbsp;2&nbsp;“I am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders,&nbsp;3&nbsp;for I know you are an expert on all Jewish customs and controversies. Now please listen to me patiently!4&nbsp;“As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem.&nbsp;5&nbsp;If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion.&nbsp;6&nbsp;Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God’s promise made to our ancestors.&nbsp;7&nbsp;In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope!&nbsp;8&nbsp;Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead?9&nbsp;“I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene.&nbsp;10&nbsp;Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers&nbsp;there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death.&nbsp;11&nbsp;Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus.&nbsp;I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities.12&nbsp;“One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests.&nbsp;13&nbsp;About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions.&nbsp;14&nbsp;We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,&nbsp;‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’15&nbsp;“‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked.“And the Lord replied,&nbsp;‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.&nbsp;16&nbsp;Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future.&nbsp;17&nbsp;And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles&nbsp;18&nbsp;to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’19&nbsp;“And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven.&nbsp;20&nbsp;I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do.&nbsp;21&nbsp;Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried to kill me.&nbsp;22&nbsp;But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen—&nbsp;23&nbsp;that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God’s light to Jews and Gentiles alike.”24&nbsp;Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!”25&nbsp;But Paul replied, “I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth.&nbsp;26&nbsp;And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner!&nbsp;27&nbsp;King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do—”28&nbsp;Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?”29&nbsp;Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”30&nbsp;Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others stood and left.&nbsp;31&nbsp;As they went out, they talked it over and agreed, “This man hasn’t done anything to deserve death or imprisonment.”32&nbsp;And Agrippa said to Festus, “He could have been set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.”