Acts 26

1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretching forth his hand, thus made his defence,

And Agrippa said to Paul, You may put your cause before us. Then Paul, stretching out his hand, made his answer, saying:

2 "O king Agrippa, I think myself happy, that I am this day to make my defence before thee, concerning all the things which I am accused of by the Jews:

In my opinion I am happy, King Agrippa, to be able to give my answer before you today to all these things which the Jews say against me:

3 especially as thou art acquainted with all the customs and questions which are among the Jews; wherefore I intreat thee to hear me patiently.

The more so, because you are expert in all questions to do with the Jews and their ways: so I make my request to you to give me a hearing to the end.

4 My manner of life then from my youth, as it has been from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews are acquainted with,

All the Jews have knowledge of my way of life from my early years, as it was from the start among my nation, and at Jerusalem;

5 knowing me before, (if they would testify it, ) that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a pharisee.

And they are able to say, if they would give witness, that I was living as a Pharisee, in that division of our religion which is most regular in the keeping of the law.

6 And now I stand arraigned for the hope of the promise which was made by God to our fathers:

And now I am here to be judged because of the hope given by God's word to our fathers;

7 to which promise our twelve tribes, worshipping continually night and day, hope to attain: concerning which hope, O king Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.

For the effecting of which our twelve tribes have been working and waiting night and day with all their hearts. And in connection with this hope I am attacked by the Jews, O king!

8 What! is it judged incredible by you, that God should raise the dead?

Why, in your opinion, is it outside belief for God to make the dead come to life again?

9 I indeed once thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene:

For I, truly, was of the opinion that it was right for me to do a number of things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10 which I also did in Jerusalem; and I shut up many of the saints in prison, having received authority for it from the chief priests; and when they were put to death I gave my voice against them.

And this I did in Jerusalem: and numbers of the saints I put in prison, having had authority given to me from the chief priests, and when they were put to death, I gave my decision against them.

11 And often punishing them in all the synagogues, I compelled them to blaspheme, and being excessively enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

And I gave them punishment frequently, in all the Synagogues, forcing them to say things against God; and burning with passion against them, I went after them even into far-away towns.

12 On which accounts as I was going to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests---at mid-day,

Then, when I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and orders of the chief priests,

13 O king, as I was on the way thither I saw a light from heaven exceeding the splendor of the sun, shining round about me and those that were going with me.

In the middle of the day, on the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining round me and those who were journeying with me.

14 And when we were all fallen down to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goads.

And when we had all gone down on the earth, a voice came to me, saying in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you attacking me so cruelly? It is hard for you to go against the impulse which is driving you.

15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest.

And I said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are attacking.

16 But rise, and stand on thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things which thou hast seen, and of those for which I shall hereafter appear unto thee:

But get up on your feet: for I have come to you for this purpose, to make you a servant and a witness of the things in which you have seen me, and of those in which you will see me;

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

And I will keep you safe from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,

18 to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan unto God; that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.

To make their eyes open, turning them from the dark to the light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may have forgiveness of sins and a heritage among those who are made holy by faith in me.

19 Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision:

So, then, King Agrippa, I did not go against the vision from heaven;

20 but declared first to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, and through all the country of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, and turn unto God, performing works suitable to repentance.

But I went about, first to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, and through all the country of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, preaching a change of heart, so that they, being turned to God, might give, in their works, the fruits of a changed heart.

21 For these things the Jews seized me in the temple, and attempted to kill me.

For this reason, the Jews took me in the Temple, and made an attempt to put me to death.

22 But having obtained help of God, I continue until this day, testifying both to small and great, and saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses declared should come to pass; even that the Messiah should suffer,

And so, by God's help, I am here today, witnessing to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come about;

23 and being the first of the resurrection from the dead should bring light to the people and to the Gentiles."

That the Christ would go through pain, and being the first to come back from the dead, would give light to the people and to the Gentiles.

24 And as he was saying these things in his defence, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself: much learning turns thy brain.

And when he made his answer in these words, Festus said in a loud voice, Paul, you are off your head; your great learning has made you unbalanced.

25 But he replied, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but I speak the words of truth and of a sound mind.

Then Paul said, I am not off my head, most noble Festus, but my words are true and wise.

26 For the king knoweth of these things, to whom also I speak with freedom; because I am persuaded that none of them are unknown to him; for this was not done in a corner.

For the king has knowledge of these things, to whom I am talking freely; being certain that all this is common knowledge to him; for it has not been done in secret.

27 O king Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?

King Agrippa, have you faith in the prophets? I am certain that you have.

28 I know that thou believest them. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou almost persuadest me to be a Christian.

And Agrippa said to Paul, A little more and you will be making me a Christian.

29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

And Paul said, It is my prayer to God that, in little or great measure, not only you, but all those hearing me today might be even as I am, but for these chains.

30 And when he had said this, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and those that sat with them.

And the king and the ruler and Bernice and those who were seated with them got up;

31 And when they were retired, they spake to each other, saying, this man hath done nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

And when they had gone away they said to one another, This man has done nothing which might give cause for death or prison.

32 And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Cesar.

And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have been made free, if he had not put his cause before Caesar.