ⲚⲒⲠⲢⲀⲜⲒⲤ 26
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 ⲃ̅ ϫⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ ⲉⲅⲕⲁⲗⲉⲓ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲃⲏⲏⲧⲟⲩ ⲡⲣⲣⲟ ⲁⲅⲣⲓⲡⲡⲁ ⲁⲓⲟⲡⲧ ⲙⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲉⲓⲛⲁⲁⲡⲟⲗⲟⲅⲓⲍⲉ ϩⲓⲱⲱⲕ ⲙⲡⲟⲟⲩ
“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 ⲅ̅ ⲙⲁⲗⲓⲥⲧⲁ ⲉⲕⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲛⲥⲱⲛⲧ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲍⲏⲧⲏⲙⲁ ⲛⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ϯⲥⲟⲡⲥ ⲙⲙⲟⲕ ⲉⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲣⲟⲓ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲛⲧϩⲁⲣϣϩⲏⲧ
especially since yoʋ are acquainted with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg yoʋ to listen to me patiently.
“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 ⲉ̅ ⲉⲩⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ϫⲓⲛ ⲛϣⲟⲣⲡ ⲉⲩϣⲁⲛⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲣⲙⲛⲧⲣⲉ ⲛⲧⲙⲉ ϫⲉ ⲁⲓⲱⲛϩ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲑⲁⲓⲣⲉⲥⲓⲥ ⲙⲡⲁϣⲙϣⲉ ⲉⲧⲟⲣϫ ⲁⲛⲅ ⲟⲩⲫⲁⲣⲓⲥⲁⲓⲟⲥ
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 ⲋ̅ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲟⲛ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ ⲉⲓⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧ ⲉⲩⲕⲣⲓⲛⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲑⲉⲗⲡⲓⲥ ⲙⲡⲉⲣⲏⲧ ⲛⲧⲁϥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲛⲁϩⲣⲛ ⲛⲉⲛⲉⲓⲟⲧⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ
And now I am standing trial because of my hope in the promise God made to our fathers,
7 ⲍ̅ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉⲧⲙⲛⲧⲥⲛⲟⲟⲩⲥⲉ ⲙⲫⲩⲗⲏ ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲅⲉⲛⲟⲥ ϩⲉⲗⲡⲓⲍⲉ ⲉⲧⲁϩⲟϥ ⲉⲩϣⲙϣⲉ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲛⲥⲟⲡⲥ ⲛⲧⲉⲩϣⲏ ⲙⲛ ⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲧⲉⲓϩⲉⲗⲡⲓⲥ ⲡⲣⲣⲟ ⲉⲩⲉⲅⲕⲁⲗⲉⲓ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛϭⲓ ⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ
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.
Why is it deemed unbelievable by you that God raises the dead?
“Indeed, I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 ⲓ̅ ⲡⲁⲓ ϭⲉ ⲁⲓⲁⲁϥ ϩⲛ ⲑⲓⲗⲏⲙ ⲉⲁⲓⲛⲉϫ ϩⲁϩ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲉⲡⲉϣⲧⲉⲕⲟ ⲉⲁⲓϫⲓ ⲧⲉⲝⲟⲩⲥⲓⲁ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲛⲁⲣⲭⲓⲉⲣⲉⲩⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲟⲛ ⲁⲓϯⲡⲍⲏⲫⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲁⲕⲟⲟⲩ
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 ⲓ̅ⲁ̅ ⲛⲉⲓⲇⲓⲙⲱⲣⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲛϩⲁϩ ⲛⲥⲟⲡ ϩⲛ ⲥⲩⲛⲁⲅⲱⲅⲏ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲓⲁⲛⲁⲅⲕⲁⲍⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲉϫⲓⲟⲩⲁ ⲉⲡⲉϥⲣⲁⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲓϭⲟⲛⲧ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲡⲉϩⲟⲩⲟ ⲛⲉⲓⲇⲓⲱⲕⲉ ⲛⲥⲱⲟⲩ ϣⲁϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲙⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲏⲩ
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.
“While engaged in such things, I was on my way to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
13 ⲓ̅ⲅ̅ ⲁⲓⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲡⲣⲣⲟ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉϩⲓⲏ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲉⲉⲣⲉ ⲉⲩⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲉⲁϥⲡⲓⲣⲁ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲧⲡⲉ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲉ ⲡⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲙⲡⲣⲏⲁϥϣⲁ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲱⲓ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲓ
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 ⲓ̅ⲇ̅ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲛϩⲉ ⲧⲏⲣⲛ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲙ ⲡⲕⲁϩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲑⲟⲧⲉ ⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲩⲥⲙⲏ ⲉⲥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲁⲥⲡⲉ ⲙⲙⲛⲧϩⲉⲃⲣⲁⲓⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲥⲁⲩⲗⲉ ⲥⲁⲩⲗⲉ ⲁϩⲣⲟⲕ ⲕⲡⲏⲧ ⲛⲥⲱⲓ ⲥⲙⲟⲕϩ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲉϯⲧⲃⲏⲣ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ϩⲛϩⲉⲛⲥⲟⲩⲣⲉ
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.’
I said, ‘Who are yoʋ, Lord?’ He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom yoʋ are persecuting.
16 ⲓ̅ⲋ̅ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲅⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧⲕ ϩⲓϫⲛ ⲛⲉⲕⲟⲩⲉⲣⲏⲧⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲁⲓⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉⲧⲟϣⲕ ⲛϩⲩⲡⲏⲣⲉⲧⲏⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙⲙⲛⲧⲣⲉ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲧⲁⲕⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟⲓ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲉϯⲛⲁⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
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.
I will rescue yoʋ from yoʋr own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending yoʋ
18 ⲓ̅ⲏ̅ ⲉⲟⲩⲱⲛ ⲛⲛⲉⲩⲃⲁⲗ ⲉⲕⲧⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲕⲁⲕⲉ ⲉⲡⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉⲝⲟⲩⲥⲓⲁ ⲙⲡⲥⲁⲧⲁⲛⲁⲥ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲩϫⲓ ⲙⲡⲕⲱ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲛⲉⲩⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲟⲩⲕⲗⲏⲣⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ϩⲙ ⲡⲧⲣⲉⲩⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲓ
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.’
“Consequently, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20 ⲕ̅ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲁⲓⲕⲩⲣⲏⲥⲥⲉ ⲛϣⲟⲣⲡ ϩⲛ ⲇⲁⲙⲁⲥⲕⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ϩⲛ ⲑⲓⲗⲏⲙ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲉⲭⲱⲣⲁ ⲧⲏⲣⲥ ⲛⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ ⲙⲛ ⲛϩⲉⲑⲛⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲩⲙⲉⲧⲁⲛⲟⲓ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲥⲉⲕⲧⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲩⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲛⲛⲉϩⲃⲏⲩⲉ ⲉⲩⲙⲡϣⲁ ⲛⲧⲙⲉⲧⲁⲛⲟⲓⲁ
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.
That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and were trying to kill me.
22 ⲕ̅ⲃ̅ ⲁⲓⲙⲁⲧⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲃⲟⲏⲑⲓⲁ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲓⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧ ϣⲁϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲡⲟⲟⲩ ⲛϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲓⲣⲙⲛⲧⲣⲉ ⲛⲛⲕⲟⲩⲓ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲛⲟϭ ⲛϯϫⲉ ⲗⲁⲁⲩ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲛⲉⲛⲧⲁ ⲛⲉⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲙⲱⲩⲥⲏⲥ ϫⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲩⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ
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:
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.”
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!”
But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking words of truth and good sense.
26 ⲕ̅ⲋ̅ ϥⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲛⲁⲓ ⲛϭⲓ ⲁⲅⲣⲓⲡⲡⲁⲥ ⲡⲣⲣⲟ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉϯϣⲁϫⲉ ⲛⲙⲙⲁϥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲓⲡⲁⲣⲣⲏⲥⲓⲁⲍⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ⲁⲩⲱ ϯⲡⲓⲑⲉ ϫⲉ ⲙⲛⲗⲁⲁⲩ ⲛⲛⲁⲓ ϩⲏⲡ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲛⲧⲁⲡⲉⲓϩⲱⲃ ⲅⲁⲣ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲁⲛ ϩⲙⲫⲱⲡ
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.
Do yoʋ believe the Prophets, King Agrippa? I know that yoʋ believe.”
Agrippa said to Paul, “Do yoʋ think yoʋ can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?”
29 ⲕ̅ⲑ̅ ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ϯϣⲗⲏⲗ ⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲕⲟⲩⲓ ⲙⲛ ⲟⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲟⲩ ⲙⲟⲛⲟⲛ ⲛⲧⲟⲕ ⲁⲗⲗⲁⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲣⲟⲓ ⲙⲡⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲩϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲑⲉ ϩⲱⲱⲧ ⲟⲛ ⲉϯⲛϩⲏⲧⲥ ϣⲁⲛⲧⲉ ⲛⲉⲓⲙⲣⲣⲉ
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.”
After Paul said these things, the king stood up, along with the governor, Bernice, and those who were sitting with them.
After leaving the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is doing nothing that deserves death or imprisonment.”
And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
