Actuum Apostolorum 26

1 Agrippa vero ad Paulum ait permittitur tibi loqui pro temet ipso tunc Paulus extenta manu coepit rationem reddere

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 de omnibus quibus accusor a Iudaeis rex Agrippa aestimo me beatum apud te cum sim defensurus me hodie

“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 maxime te sciente omnia quae apud Iudaeos sunt consuetudines et quaestiones propter quod obsecro patienter me audias

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

4 et quidem vitam meam a iuventute quae ab initio fuit in gente mea in Hierosolymis noverunt omnes Iudaei

“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 praescientes me ab initio si velint testimonium perhibere quoniam secundum certissimam sectam nostrae religionis vixi Pharisaeus

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 et nunc in spe quae ad patres nostros repromissionis facta est a Deo sto iudicio subiectus

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

7 in quam duodecim tribus nostrae nocte ac die deservientes sperant devenire de qua spe accusor a Iudaeis rex

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 quid incredibile iudicatur apud vos si Deus mortuos suscitat

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

9 et ego quidem existimaveram me adversus nomen Iesu Nazareni debere multa contraria agere

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

10 quod et feci Hierosolymis et multos sanctorum ego in carceribus inclusi a principibus sacerdotum potestate accepta et cum occiderentur detuli sententiam

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 et per omnes synagogas frequenter puniens eos conpellebam blasphemare et amplius insaniens in eos persequebar usque in exteras civitates

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 quibus dum irem Damascum cum potestate et permissu principum sacerdotum

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

13 die media in via vidi rex de caelo supra splendorem solis circumfulsisse me lumen et eos qui mecum simul erant

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 omnesque nos cum decidissemus in terram audivi vocem loquentem mihi hebraica lingua Saule Saule quid me persequeris durum est tibi contra stimulum calcitrare

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 ego autem dixi quis es Domine Dominus autem dixit ego sum Iesus quem tu persequeris

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

16 sed exsurge et sta super pedes tuos ad hoc enim apparui tibi ut constituam te ministrum et testem eorum quae vidisti et eorum quibus apparebo tibi

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 eripiens te de populo et gentibus in quas nunc ego mitto te

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

18 aperire oculos eorum ut convertantur a tenebris ad lucem et de potestate Satanae ad Deum ut accipiant remissionem peccatorum et sortem inter sanctos per fidem quae est 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 unde rex Agrippa non fui incredulus caelestis visionis

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

20 sed his qui sunt Damasci primum et Hierosolymis et in omnem regionem Iudaeae et gentibus adnuntiabam ut paenitentiam agerent et converterentur ad Deum digna paenitentiae opera facientes

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 hac ex causa me Iudaei cum essem in templo conprehensum temptabant interficere

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

22 auxilio autem adiutus Dei usque in hodiernum diem sto testificans minori atque maiori nihil extra dicens quam ea quae prophetae sunt locuti futura esse et Moses

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 si passibilis Christus si primus ex resurrectione mortuorum lumen adnuntiaturus est populo et gentibus

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 haec loquente eo et rationem reddente Festus magna voce dixit insanis Paule multae te litterae ad insaniam convertunt

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 at Paulus non insanio inquit optime Feste sed veritatis et sobrietatis verba eloquor

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

26 scit enim de his rex ad quem et constanter loquor latere enim eum nihil horum arbitror neque enim in angulo quicquam horum gestum est

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 credis rex Agrippa prophetis scio quia credis

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

28 Agrippa autem ad Paulum in modico suades me Christianum fieri

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

29 et Paulus opto apud Deum et in modico et in magno non tantum te sed et omnes hos qui audiunt hodie fieri tales qualis et ego sum exceptis vinculis his

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 et exsurrexit rex et praeses et Bernice et qui adsidebant eis

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

31 et cum secessissent loquebantur ad invicem dicentes quia nihil morte aut vinculorum dignum quid facit homo iste

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

32 Agrippa autem Festo dixit dimitti poterat homo hic si non appellasset Caesarem

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