Acts 26

1 And, Agrippa, to Paul, said—It is permitted thee, on thine own behalf, to be speaking. Then Paul, stretching forth his hand, went on to make his defence.

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 Jews, King Agrippa, I have been counting myself happy, that, before thee, am I about, this day, to be making my defence;

“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, as thou art, well-versed, in all the Jewish customs and questions. Wherefore, I beseech thee, patiently, to hear me.

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 manner of life, then, from my youth, which, from its commencement, was formed among my nation, even in Jerusalem, know all 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 inasmuch as they were aforetime observing me, from the outset, —if they please to bear witness, —that, according to the strictest sect of our own 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, unto our fathers, being brought to pass by God, am I standing to be judged, —

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

7 unto which [hope], our twelve-tribed nation, with intensity, night and day, rendering divine service, is hoping to attain—concerning which hope, I am being accused by Jews, O King!

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! incredible, is it judged with you, that, God the dead doth raise?

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

9 I, therefore, imagined to myself, that, against the name of Jesus the Nazarene, it was needful, many hostile things, to bring about, —

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

10 which also I did in Jerusalem, yea and, many of the saints, I myself, in prisons, shut up, —the authority, from the High-priests, having received: and, when they were to be put to death, I brought against them my vote;

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, throughout all the synagogues, ofttimes punishing them, I would fain have compelled them to defame; and, being excessively maddened against them, I went on to pursue them as far as even the outlying 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 Among which things, being on a journey unto Damascus, with the authority and commission of the High-priests,

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

13 at mid-day, on the road, I saw, O King, from heaven, above the splendour of the sun, shining around me, a light, and [around] them who, with me, were journeying;

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 were all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice, saying unto me, in the Hebrew language—Saul! Saul! why, me, art thou persecuting? It is hard for thee, against goads, to be kicking!

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? And the Lord said—I, am Jesus, whom, thou, art persecuting!

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

16 But rise and stand upon thy feet; for, to this end, have I appeared unto thee, —To appoint thee an attendant and a witness, both of the things as to which thou hast seen me, and of those as to which I will appear unto 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 Rescuing thee from among the people, and from among the nations, unto whom, I, am sending thee—

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

18 To open their eyes; that they turn from darkness unto light, and the authority of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among them who have been made holy by the faith respecting 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, O King Agrippa, —I became not disobedient unto the heavenly vision;

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

20 But—both to them in Damascus, first, and in Jerusalem, unto all the country of Judaea also, and unto the nations, I carried tidings—that they should repent, and turn unto God, and, works worthy of their repentance, should practise.

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, Jews seized me in the temple, and were attempting to slay me with their own hands.

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

22 So then, having met with, the help that is from God, until this day, do I stand, witnessing to both small and great, nothing else saying, than those things which both the prophets, and Moses, did say should certainly 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 If, to suffer, the Christ was destined, if, the first of a resurrection of the dead, he is about to carry tidings, of light, both unto the people, and unto 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 Now, as he was saying these things in his defence, Festus, with a loud voice, saith—Thou art raving, Paul! Thy great learning, is turning thee round unto, raving 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—I am not raving (saith he), most noble Festus, —but, the declarations of truth and soberness, am I sounding forth:

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 well-knoweth, the king, concerning these things, unto whom, with boldness of utterance, am I speaking; for, that these things are not hidden from him, I am well persuaded, —for, not in a corner, hath this thing been done.

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 Believest thou, King Agrippa, in the prophets? I know that thou believest!

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

28 And, Agrippa, [said] unto Paul—Almost, art thou persuading, 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, [answered] —I could pray unto God that, both almost and altogether, not only thou but all they who are hearing me this day, might become such, —as even, I, am, excepting 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 rose up, and the governor, Bernice also, and they who had been sitting 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, retiring, they began conversing one with another, saying, Nothing worthy of death or of bonds, doth this man practise.

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

32 And, Agrippa, unto Festus, said—This man might have been released, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

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