ܫܠܝ̈ܚܐ 26

1 ܘܐܡܪ ܐܓܪܦܘܤ ܠܦܘܠܘܤ ܡܦܤ ܠܟ ܠܡܡܠܠܘ ܥܠ ܐܦܝ ܢܦܫܟ ܗܝܕܝܢ ܦܘܠܘܤ ܦܫܛ ܐܝܕܗ ܘܢܦܩ ܗܘܐ ܪܘܚܐ ܘܐܡܪ

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Yoʋ have permission to speak for yoʋrself.” So Paul stretched out his hand and began to make his defense:

2 ܥܠ ܟܠ ܡܐ ܕܡܬܪܫܐ ܐܢܐ ܡܢ ܝܗܘܕܝܐ ܡܠܟܐ ܐܓܪܦܐ ܤܒܪ ܐܢܐ ܥܠ ܢܦܫܝ ܕܛܘܒܢܐ ܐܢܐ ܕܩܕܡܝܟ ܝܘܡܢܐ ܢܦܩ ܐܢܐ ܪܘܚܐ

“I consider myself fortunate that it is before yoʋ, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense today concerning all the things of which I am being accused by the Jews,

3 ܝܬܝܪܐܝܬ ܕܝܕܥ ܐܢܐ ܕܡܦܤ ܐܢܬ ܒܟܠܗܘܢ ܙܛܡܐ ܘܢܡܘܤܐ ܕܝܗܘܕܝܐ ܡܛܠ ܗܢܐ ܒܥܐ ܐܢܐ ܡܢܟ ܕܒܡܓܪܬ ܪܘܚܐ ܬܫܡܥܢܝ

especially since yoʋ are acquainted with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg yoʋ to listen to me patiently.

4 ܝܕܥܝܢ ܐܢܘܢ ܓܝܪ ܐܦ ܗܢܘܢ ܝܗܘܕܝܐ ܐܢ ܨܒܝܢ ܕܢܤܗܕܘܢ ܕܘܒܪܝ ܕܡܢ ܛܠܝܘܬܝ ܕܗܘܘ ܠܝ ܡܢ ܫܘܪܝܐ ܒܥܡܝ ܘܒܐܘܪܫܠܡ

“All the Jews know about my manner of life from my youth up, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation in Jerusalem.

5 ܡܛܠ ܕܡܢ ܢܘܓܪܐ ܡܦܤܝܢ ܒܝ ܘܝܕܥܝܢ ܕܒܝܘܠܦܢܐ ܪܫܝܐ ܕܦܪܝܫܐ ܚܝܝܬ

They have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee.

6 ܘܗܫܐ ܥܠ ܤܒܪܐ ܕܫܘܘܕܝܐ ܕܗܘܐ ܗܘܐ ܠܐܒܗܬܢ ܡܢ ܐܠܗܐ ܩܐܡ ܐܢܐ ܘܡܬܕܝܢ ܐܢܐ

And now I am standing trial because of my hope in the promise God made to our fathers,

7 ܕܥܠ ܗܢܐ ܤܒܪܐ ܬܪܬܥܤܪܐ ܫܪܒܢ ܡܤܒܪܢ ܕܢܡܢܥܢ ܒܨܠܘܬܐ ܚܦܝܛܬܐ ܕܐܝܡܡܐ ܘܕܠܠܝܐ ܘܥܠܘܗܝ ܥܠ ܗܢܐ ܤܒܪܐ ܡܬܪܫܐ ܐܢܐ ܡܢ ܐܝܕܝ ܝܗܘܕܝܐ ܡܠܟܐ ܐܓܪܦܐ

a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve him night and day. Regarding this hope, King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews.

8 ܡܢܐ ܕܝܢܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܠܐ ܘܠܐ ܕܢܗܝܡܢ ܕܡܩܝܡ ܐܠܗܐ ܡܝܬܐ

Why is it deemed unbelievable by you that God raises the dead?

9 ܐܢܐ ܓܝܪ ܡܢ ܩܕܝܡ ܤܡܬ ܒܪܥܝܢܝ ܕܤܩܘܒܠܐ ܤܓܝܐܐ ܐܤܥܘܪ ܠܘܩܒܠ ܫܡܗ ܕܝܫܘܥ ܢܨܪܝܐ

“Indeed, I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10 ܗܕܐ ܕܥܒܕܬ ܐܦ ܒܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܘܩܕܝܫܐ ܤܓܝܐܐ ܐܪܡܝܬ ܒܝܬ ܐܤܝܪܐ ܒܫܘܠܛܢܐ ܕܩܒܠܬ ܡܢ ܪܒܝ ܟܗܢܐ ܘܟܕ ܡܬܩܛܠܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܐܫܬܘܬܦܬ ܠܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܚܝܒܘ ܐܢܘܢ

And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. I locked up many of the saints in prison by the authority I received from the chief priests, and when they were being put to death, I cast my vote against them.

11 ܘܒܟܠ ܟܢܘܫܐ ܡܫܬܢܕ ܗܘܝܬ ܒܗܘܢ ܟܕ ܐܠܨ ܗܘܝܬ ܕܢܗܘܘܢ ܡܓܕܦܝܢ ܒܫܡܗ ܕܝܫܘܥ ܘܒܪܘܓܙܐ ܤܓܝܐܐ ܕܡܠܐ ܗܘܝܬ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܐܦ ܠܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܐܚܪܢܝܬܐ ܢܦܩ ܗܘܝܬ ܠܡܪܕܦ ܐܢܘܢ

I also punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to force them to blaspheme. And being furiously enraged against them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.

12 ܘܟܕ ܐܙܠ ܗܘܝܬ ܡܛܠ ܗܕܐ ܠܕܪܡܤܘܩ ܒܫܘܠܛܢܐ ܘܒܡܦܤܢܘܬܐ ܕܪܒܝ ܟܗܢܐ

“While engaged in such things, I was on my way to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

13 ܒܦܠܓܗ ܕܝܘܡܐ ܒܐܘܪܚܐ ܚܙܝܬ ܡܢ ܫܡܝܐ ܐܘ ܡܠܟܐ ܕܐܙܠܓ ܥܠܝ ܘܥܠ ܟܠ ܕܥܡܝ ܗܘܘ ܢܘܗܪܐ ܕܡܝܬܪ ܡܢ ܕܫܡܫܐ

when at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who were traveling with me.

14 ܘܢܦܠܢ ܟܠܢ ܥܠ ܐܪܥܐ ܘܫܡܥܬ ܩܠܐ ܟܕ ܐܡܪ ܠܝ ܥܒܪܐܝܬ ܫܐܘܠ ܫܐܘܠ ܡܢܐ ܪܕܦ ܐܢܬ ܠܝ ܩܫܐ ܗܘ ܠܟ ܠܡܒܥܛܘ ܠܥܘܩܤܐ

When we had all fallen down to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are yoʋ persecuting me? It is hard for yoʋ to kick against the goads.’

15 ܘܐܢܐ ܐܡܪܬ ܡܢ ܐܢܬ ܡܪܝ ܘܡܪܢ ܐܡܪ ܠܝ ܐܢܐ ܗܘ ܝܫܘܥ ܢܨܪܝܐ ܕܐܢܬ ܪܕܦ ܐܢܬ

I said, ‘Who are yoʋ, Lord?’ He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom yoʋ are persecuting.

16 ܘܐܡܪ ܠܝ ܩܘܡ ܥܠ ܪܓܠܝܟ ܡܛܠ ܗܕܐ ܓܝܪ ܐܬܚܙܝܬ ܠܟ ܕܐܩܝܡܟ ܡܫܡܫܢܐ ܘܤܗܕܐ ܕܡܕܡ ܕܚܙܝܬܢܝ ܘܕܥܬܝܕ ܐܢܬ ܕܬܚܙܝܢܝ

But rise and stand on yoʋr feet, for I have appeared to yoʋ for this purpose, to appoint yoʋ as a servant and witness to the things yoʋ have seen and to the things in which I will appear to yoʋ.

17 ܘܐܦܨܝܟ ܡܢ ܥܡܐ ܕܝܗܘܕܝܐ ܘܡܢ ܥܡܡܐ ܐܚܪܢܐ ܕܠܘܬܗܘܢ ܡܫܕܪ ܐܢܐ ܠܟ

I will rescue yoʋ from yoʋr own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending yoʋ

18 ܕܬܦܬܚ ܥܝܢܝܗܘܢ ܐܝܟ ܕܢܗܦܟܘܢ ܡܢ ܚܫܘܟܐ ܠܢܗܝܪܐ ܘܡܢ ܫܘܠܛܢܗ ܕܤܛܢܐ ܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܐ ܘܢܩܒܠܘܢ ܫܘܒܩܢ ܚܛܗܐ ܘܦܤܐ ܥܡ ܩܕܝܫܐ ܒܗܝܡܢܘܬܐ ܕܒܝ

to open their eyes so that they may turn away from darkness to light, and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an allotment among those who have been sanctified by faith in me.’

19 ܡܛܠ ܗܕܐ ܡܠܟܐ ܐܓܪܦܐ ܠܐ ܩܡܬ ܒܚܪܝܢܐ ܠܘܩܒܠ ܚܙܘܐ ܫܡܝܢܐ

“Consequently, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

20 ܐܠܐ ܐܟܪܙܬ ܡܢ ܠܩܘܕܡܝܢ ܠܗܢܘܢ ܕܒܕܪܡܤܘܩ ܘܠܗܢܘܢ ܕܒܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܘܕܒܟܠܗܝܢ ܩܘܪܝܐ ܕܝܗܘܕ ܘܐܦ ܠܥܡܡܐ ܐܟܪܙܬ ܕܢܬܘܒܘܢ ܘܢܬܦܢܘܢ ܠܘܬ ܐܠܗܐ ܘܢܥܒܕܘܢ ܥܒܕܐ ܕܫܘܝܢ ܠܬܝܒܘܬܐ

but first to those in Damascus and then to those in Jerusalem, to all the region of Judea and to the Gentiles, I proclaimed that they should repent and turn to God, doing works consistent with repentance.

21 ܘܥܠ ܐܦܝ ܗܠܝܢ ܐܚܕܘܢܝ ܝܗܘܕܝܐ ܒܗܝܟܠܐ ܘܨܒܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܡܩܛܠܢܝ

That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and were trying to kill me.

22 ܥܕܪܢܝ ܕܝܢ ܐܠܗܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܝܘܡܐ ܗܢܐ ܘܗܐ ܩܐܡ ܐܢܐ ܘܡܤܗܕ ܐܢܐ ܠܙܥܘܪܐ ܘܠܪܒܐ ܟܕ ܡܕܡ ܠܒܪ ܡܢ ܡܘܫܐ ܘܢܒܝܐ ܠܐ ܐܡܪ ܐܢܐ ܐܠܐ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܗܢܘܢ ܐܡܪܘ ܕܥܬܝܕܢ ܕܢܗܘܝܢ

But having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except what the Prophets and Moses said would take place:

23 ܕܢܚܫ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܢܗܘܐ ܪܫܝܬܐ ܕܩܝܡܬܐ ܕܡܢ ܒܝܬ ܡܝܬܐ ܘܕܥܬܝܕ ܕܢܟܪܙ ܢܘܗܪܐ ܠܥܡܐ ܘܠܥܡܡܐ

that the Christ would suffer and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”

24 ܘܟܕ ܗܟܢܐ ܢܦܩ ܗܘܐ ܦܘܠܘܤ ܪܘܚܐ ܩܥܐ ܦܗܤܛܘܤ ܒܩܠܐ ܪܡܐ ܫܢܝܬ ܠܟ ܦܘܠܐ ܤܦܪܐ ܤܓܝܐܐ ܥܒܕܟ ܕܬܫܢܐ

As Paul was saying these things in his own defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Yoʋ are out of yoʋr mind, Paul. Too much learning is driving yoʋ insane!”

25 ܐܡܪ ܦܘܠܘܤ ܠܐ ܫܢܝܬ ܢܨܝܚܐ ܦܗܤܛܘܤ ܐܠܐ ܡܠܝ ܫܪܪܐ ܘܬܩܢܘܬܐ ܡܡܠܠ ܐܢܐ

But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking words of truth and good sense.

26 ܘܐܦ ܡܠܟܐ ܐܓܪܦܘܤ ܝܬܝܪܐܝܬ ܝܕܥ ܥܠܝܗܝܢ ܕܗܠܝܢ ܘܡܛܠ ܗܢܐ ܥܝܢ ܒܓܠܐ ܡܡܠܠ ܐܢܐ ܩܕܡܘܗܝ ܡܛܠ ܕܚܕܐ ܡܢ ܗܠܝܢ ܡܠܐ ܠܐ ܤܒܪ ܐܢܐ ܕܛܥܝܢ ܠܗ ܕܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܒܛܘܫܝܐ ܤܥܝܪܢ

For the king knows about these things, to whom I am speaking boldly. I am convinced that none of these things has escaped his notice at all, for this has not been done in a corner.

27 ܡܗܝܡܢ ܐܢܬ ܡܠܟܐ ܐܓܪܦܐ ܠܢܒܝܐ ܝܕܥ ܐܢܐ ܕܡܗܝܡܢ ܐܢܬ

Do yoʋ believe the Prophets, King Agrippa? I know that yoʋ believe.”

28 ܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܐܓܪܦܘܤ ܒܩܠܝܠ ܡܕܡ ܡܦܝܤ ܐܢܬ ܠܝ ܕܐܗܘܐ ܟܪܤܛܝܢܐ

Agrippa said to Paul, “Do yoʋ think yoʋ can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?”

29 ܘܦܘܠܘܤ ܐܡܪ ܒܥܐ ܗܘܝܬ ܡܢ ܐܠܗܐ ܒܩܠܝܠ ܘܒܤܓܝ ܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܠܟ ܒܠܚܘܕ ܐܠܐ ܐܦ ܠܟܠܗܘܢ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܫܡܥܝܢ ܠܝ ܝܘܡܢܐ ܕܢܗܘܘܢ ܐܟܘܬܝ ܠܒܪ ܡܢ ܐܤܘܪܐ ܗܠܝܢ

Paul said, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only yoʋ but also all who are listening to me today would become as I am, except for these chains.”

30 ܘܩܡ ܠܗ ܡܠܟܐ ܘܗܓܡܘܢܐ ܘܒܪܢܝܩܐ ܘܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܝܬܒܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܥܡܗܘܢ

After Paul said these things, the king stood up, along with the governor, Bernice, and those who were sitting with them.

31 ܘܟܕ ܦܪܩܘ ܡܢ ܬܡܢ ܡܡܠܠܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܚܕ ܥܡ ܚܕ ܘܐܡܪܝܢ ܕܡܕܡ ܕܫܘܐ ܠܡܘܬܐ ܐܘ ܠܐܤܘܪܐ ܠܐ ܥܒܕ ܓܒܪܐ ܗܢܐ

After leaving the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is doing nothing that deserves death or imprisonment.”

32 ܘܐܡܪ ܐܓܪܦܘܤ ܠܦܗܤܛܘܤ ܡܫܟܚ ܗܘܐ ܓܒܪܐ ܗܢܐ ܕܢܫܬܪܐ ܐܠܘ ܒܓܢ ܩܤܪ ܠܐ ܩܪܐ

And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”