Acts 26
1 Then Agrippa said to Paul: You are permitted to speak for yourself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and answered for himself.
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 I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because I shall this day make my defense before you, concerning all things of which I am accused by the Jews;
“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, since you are acquainted with all the customs and questions that are among the Jews. For this reason, I beseech you 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 My course of life from my youth, which, from the beginning, was among my own nation in Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
“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 who, knowing me from the first, could testify, if they would, that, according to the strictest sect 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 I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers;
And now I am standing trial because of my hope in the promise God made to our fathers,
7 to which promise our twelve tribes, zealously serving night and day, hope to come: on account of 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 What? Is it thought a thing incredible among you, that God raises the dead?
Why is it deemed unbelievable by you that God raises the dead?
9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things against 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 And this I did in Jerusalem; and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests: and when they were put to death, I gave my 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 I punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled them to speak impiously; and, being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even to foreign 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 While I was engaged in these things, and was going to Damascus with authority and commission from 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, while I was on the road, I saw, O King, a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and those who journeyed 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 had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying, in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you 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 art thou, Lord? He replied, I am Jesus, whom you persecute.
I said, ‘Who are yoʋ, Lord?’ He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom yoʋ are persecuting.
16 But arise, and stand upon your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness of the things which you have seen, and of those in which I will appear to you,
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 you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom now I send you,
I will rescue yoʋ from yoʋr own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending yoʋ
18 in order to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the authority of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among the 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 Wherefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision;
“Consequently, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20 but announced first to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do 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 For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple, and endeavored to kill me.
That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and were trying to kill me.
22 Having, therefore, obtained help from God, I have stood till this day, testifying both to small and to great, saying nothing else than the things which the prophets and Moses did say should come to pass:
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 Christ should suffer, and that he first, by his resurrection from the dead, should show light to the people, and to the Gentiles.
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 as he spoke these things in his defense, Festus said, with a loud voice; Paul, you are mad; much learning drives you to 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 he replied: I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but speak forth the words 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 has knowledge of these things, before whom, also, I speak with boldness; for I am persuaded that none of these things have escaped his notice; 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 you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.
Do yoʋ believe the Prophets, King Agrippa? I know that yoʋ believe.”
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul: You almost persuade me to be a Christian.
Agrippa said to Paul, “Do yoʋ think yoʋ can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?”
29 And Paul replied: I could pray to God, that not only you, but also all that hear me to-day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except 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 the king arose, 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 when they had withdrawn, they conversed with one another, 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 set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Cæsar
And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
