Acts 26

1 And Agrippa said unto Paul, 'It is permitted to thee to speak for thyself;' then Paul having stretched forth the hand, was making a 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 thought myself happy, being about to make a defence before thee to-day,

“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 knowing thee to be acquainted with all things — both customs and questions — among Jews; 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 'The manner of my life then, indeed, from youth — which from the beginning was among my nation, in Jerusalem — know do 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 knowing me before from the first, (if they may be willing to testify, ) that after the most exact sect of our worship, 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 to the fathers by God, I have stood 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, intently night and day serving, do hope to come, concerning which hope I am accused, king Agrippa, 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 doth raise the dead?

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

9 'I, indeed, therefore, thought with myself, that against the name of Jesus of Nazareth it behoved [me] many things to do,

“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, and many of the saints I in prison did shut up, from the chief priests having received the authority; they also being 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 in every synagogue, often punishing them, I was constraining [them] to speak evil, being also exceedingly mad against them, I was also persecuting [them] even unto strange 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 'In which things, also, going on 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 mid-day, I saw in the way, O king, out of heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me a light — and those going on 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 we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why me dost thou persecute? hard for thee against pricks to kick!

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 he said, I am Jesus whom thou dost persecute;

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

16 but rise, and stand upon thy feet, for for this I appeared to thee, to appoint thee an officer and a witness both of the things thou didst see, and of the things [in which] I will appear 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 the nations, to whom now 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 [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the authority of the Adversary unto God, for their receiving forgiveness of sins, and a lot among those having been sanctified, by faith that [is] toward 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 was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

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

20 but to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem, to all the region also of Judea, and to the nations, I was preaching to reform, and to turn back unto God, doing works worthy of reformation;

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 caught me in the temple — were endeavouring to kill [me].

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

22 'Having obtained, therefore, help from God, till this day, I have stood witnessing both to small and to great, saying nothing besides the things that both the prophets and Moses spake of as about to come,

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 Christ is to suffer, whether first by a rising from the dead, he is about to proclaim light to the 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, he thus making a defence, Festus with a loud voice said, 'Thou art mad, Paul; much learning doth turn thee mad;'

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 and he saith, 'I am not mad, most noble Festus, but of truth and soberness the sayings I speak 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 the king doth know concerning these things, before whom also I speak boldly, for none of these things, I am persuaded, are hidden from him; for this thing hath not been 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 thou dost believe, king Agrippa, the prophets? I have known that thou dost believe!'

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

28 And Agrippa said unto Paul, 'In a little thou dost 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 would have wished to God, both in a little, and in much, not only thee, but also all those hearing me to-day, to become such as I also 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, he having spoken these things, the king rose up, and the governor, Bernice also, and those 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 having withdrawn, they were speaking unto one another, saying — 'This man doth 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 might have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.'

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