Acts 26

1 And Agrippa said to Paul, It is permitted thee to speak for thyself. Then Paul, having stretched forth his hand, made a defense.

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 Concerning all things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself blessed, being about to make my defense before thee today.

“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 Especially thee, being an expert of all things regarding Jews, both habits and issues. Therefore I beg thee to hear me patiently.

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

4 Indeed therefore, my manner of life from youth, having developed from the beginning among my nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know,

“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 having known me previously from the beginning, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

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 And now for the hope of the promise made by God to the fathers, I stand being judged,

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

7 to which our twelve tribes, serving in earnestness night and day, hope to attain, about which hope, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews!

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 Why is it judged incredible with you, if God raises the dead?

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

9 Indeed therefore I thought it necessary for myself to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene,

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

10 which also I did at Jerusalem. And I locked up many of the sanctified in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests. And when they were killed, I gave a vote against them.

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 And punishing them often at all the synagogues, I compelled them to blaspheme. And being extraordinarily furious toward them, I persecuted them even as far as to outside cities.

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 And during which, while going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

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

13 at midday, O king, I saw on the road a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, which shone around me and those who went with me.

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 And when we all fell to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why do thou persecute me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goads.

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 And I said, Who are thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecute.

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

16 But arise, and stand upon thy feet, for I appeared to thee for this, to appoint thee an assistant and a witness both of things that thou saw, and of the things that I will make visible to thee,

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 delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send thee,

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

18 to open their eyes to turn about from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, for them to receive remission of sins and a lot among those who have been sanctified by faith in me.

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 Whereupon, King Agrippa, I did not become disobedient to the heavenly vision,

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

20 but declaring first to those at Damascus and then at Jerusalem, and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, to repent and return to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

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 Because of these things the Jews, having seized me in the temple, tried to grasp and kill me.

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

22 Having therefore experienced the help from God, I stand to this day solemnly declaring both to small and great, saying nothing apart from what both the prophets and Moses said was going to happen,

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 that the suffering Christ, since first from a resurrection of the dead, is going to proclaim light to our people and to the nations.

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 And while he made a defense by these things, Festus said in a loud voice, Paul, thou are mad. Much scholarship is driving thee into madness.

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 But Paul says, I am not mad, eminent Festus, but I speak forth sayings of truth and soberness.

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

26 For the king knows about these things, before whom I also speak boldly. For I am convinced not any of these things, nothing, to be hidden from him. For this was not done in a corner.

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 King Agrippa, do thou believe the prophets? I know that thou believe.

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

28 And Agrippa said to Paul, By a little thou persuade me to become a Christian.

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

29 And Paul said, I ever pray to God, both by little and by much, not only thee, but also all who hear me this day, to become such kind as I also am, apart from these bonds.

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 And when he spoke these things, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them.

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

31 And having withdrawn, they spoke to each other, saying, This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

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

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

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