Acts 26
1 And Agrippa said to Paul, You may put your cause before us. Then Paul, stretching out his hand, made his answer, saying:
Then Agrippa said to Paul: Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretching forth his hand, began to make his answer.
2 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:
I think myself happy, O king Agrippa, that I am to answer for myself this day before thee, touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews.
3 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.
Especially as thou knowest all, both customs and questions that are among the Jews: Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
4 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;
And my life indeed from my youth, which was from the beginning among my own nation in Jerusalem, all the Jews do know:
5 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.
Having known me from the beginning (if they will give testimony) that according to the most sure sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
6 And now I am here to be judged because of the hope given by God's word to our fathers;
And now for the hope of the promise that was made by God to the fathers, do I stand subject to judgment:
7 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!
Unto which, our twelve tribes, serving night and day, hope to come. For which hope, O king, I am accused by the Jews.
8 Why, in your opinion, is it outside belief for God to make the dead come to life again?
Why should it be thought a thing incredible, that God should raise the dead?
9 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.
And I indeed did formerly think, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 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.
Which also I did at Jerusalem, and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority of the chief priests: and when they were put to death, I brought the sentence.
11 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.
And oftentimes punishing them, in every synagogue, I compelled them to blaspheme: and being yet more mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.
12 Then, when I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and orders of the chief priests,
Whereupon when I was going to Damascus with authority and permission of the chief priest,
13 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.
At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me, and them that were in company with me.
14 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.
And when we were all fallen down on the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew tongue: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goad.
15 And I said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are attacking.
And I said: Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord answered: I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
16 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;
But rise up, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared to thee, that I may make thee a minister, and a witness of those things which thou hast seen, and of those things wherein I will appear to thee,
17 And I will keep you safe from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,
Delivering thee from the people, and from the nations, unto which now I send thee:
18 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.
To open their eyes, that they may be converted from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and a lot among the saints, by the faith that is in me.
19 So, then, King Agrippa, I did not go against the vision from heaven;
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not incredulous to the heavenly vision:
20 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.
But to them first that are at Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and unto all the country of Judea, and to the Gentiles did I preach, that they should do penance, and turn to God, doing works worthy of penance.
21 For this reason, the Jews took me in the Temple, and made an attempt to put me to death.
For this cause the Jews, when I was in the temple, having apprehended me, went about to kill me.
22 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;
But being aided by the help of God, I stand unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other thing than those which the prophets, and Moses did say should come to pass:
23 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.
That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light to the people, and to the Gentiles.
24 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.
As he spoke these things, and made his answer, Festus said with a loud voice: Paul, thou art beside thyself: much learning doth make thee mad.
25 Then Paul said, I am not off my head, most noble Festus, but my words are true and wise.
And Paul said: I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but I speak words of truth and soberness.
26 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.
For the king knoweth of these things, to whom also I speak with confidence. For I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him. For neither was any of these things done in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, have you faith in the prophets? I am certain that you have.
Believest thou the prophets, O king Agrippa? I know that thou believest.
28 And Agrippa said to Paul, A little more and you will be making me a Christian.
And Agrippa said to Paul: In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian.
29 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.
And Paul said: I would to God, that both in a little and in much, not only thou, but also all that hear me, this day, should become such as I also am, except these bands.
30 And the king and the ruler and Bernice and those who were seated with them got up;
And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them.
31 And when they had gone away they said to one another, This man has done nothing which might give cause for death or prison.
And when they were gone aside, they spoke among themselves, saying: This man hath done nothing worthy of death or of bands.
32 And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have been made free, if he had not put his cause before Caesar.
And Agrippa said to Festus: This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.
