Acts 26
1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
Agrippa then said to Paul, “You are free to speak on your own behalf.” With a sweep of his arm, Paul began his defense.
2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
“I am delighted, King Agrippa, to make my defense before you today regarding everything I am accused of by the Jews,
3 Especially [because I know] thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
particularly because you are an expert in all Jewish issues and customs. I beg your patient indulgence as you listen to what I have to say.
4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
All the Jews know my life story—from my earliest days beginning in my own country and then in Jerusalem.
5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
They have known me for a long time and can verify, if they choose to, that I have followed the religious school that observes our faith in the strictest way—I lived as a Pharisee.
6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
Now I am standing here to be judged regarding the promised hope God gave to our fathers
7 Unto which [promise] our twelve tribes, instantly serving [God] day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
that our twelve tribes hoped to receive as they continually dedicated themselves in God's service. Yes, it's because of this hope that I'm accused by the Jews, Your Majesty!
8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
Why should any of you think it's unbelievable that God raises the dead?
9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Previously I was sincerely convinced I should do as much as I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against [them].
This is what I did in Jerusalem. I threw many of the believers in prison, having been given authority to do this by the chief priests. When they were sentenced to death I cast my vote against them.
11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled [them] to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted [them] even unto strange cities.
I had them punished in all the synagogues, trying to make them recant. I was so furiously opposed to them that I went to cities outside our country to persecute them.
12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
That's why one day I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and orders from the chief priests.
13 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 which journeyed with me.
At about noon as I was on my way, Your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven that blazed brighter than the sun. It shone around me and those who were traveling with me.
14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
All of us fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It's hard for you to fight against me!’
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, the one you're persecuting,’ the Lord replied.
16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
‘But pick yourself up and get to your feet. The reason why I've appeared to you is to appoint you as my servant, to be a witness for me, telling others how you have seen me and everything I will reveal to you.
17 Delivering thee from the people, and [from] the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
I will save you from your own people and from the foreigners. I am sending you to them
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 inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
to open their eyes so they can turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, and so that they can receive forgiveness for their sins and a place with those who are set right as they trust in me.’
19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
Clearly, King Agrippa, I could not disobey this vision from heaven.
20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judæa, and [then] to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
First in Damascus, then in Jerusalem, and then all over Judea and also to the foreigners I shared the message of repentance: how they should turn to God, demonstrating their repentance through their actions.
21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill [me].
That's why the Jews seized me in the Temple and tried to kill me.
22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
God has looked after me so I can stand here today as a witness to everyone, both to ordinary people and to those who are important. I am only repeating what Moses and the prophets said would happen—
23 That Christ should suffer, [and] that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
how the Messiah had to suffer, and that by being the first to rise from the dead he would announce the light of God's salvation to both Jews and foreigners.”
24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
Festus interrupted Paul as he made his defense, shouting out, “Paul, you've gone mad! All your knowledge is driving you insane!”
25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
“I'm not mad, Festus your Excellency,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and makes sense.
26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
The king recognizes this, and I'm explaining it very clearly. I am sure that he is aware of what's been happening, because none of this took place as if it were hidden in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
King Agrippa, do you believe what the prophets said? I'm sure you do!”
28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
“Do you think you can convince me to become a Christian so quickly?” Agrippa asked Paul.
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.
“Whether it takes a short time or a long time doesn't matter,” Paul answered. “But my prayer to God is that not just you, but everybody listening to me today would become like me—except for these chains!”
30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
The king stood up, along with the governor and Bernice, and everyone who had been sitting with them.
31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
They conferred together after they had left. “This man hasn't done anything that deserves death or imprisonment,” they concluded.
32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cæsar.
Agrippa told Festus, “He could have been freed if he hadn't appealed to Caesar.”
