Acts 26

1 And Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defence:

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

2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am to make my defence before thee this day touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews:

"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:

3 especially because thou art expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

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

4 My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation, and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

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,

5 having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify, how that after the straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

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

6 And now I stand [here] to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers;

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

7 unto which [promise] our twelve tribes, earnestly serving [God] night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king!

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.

8 Why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?

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

9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

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

10 And this I also did in Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death, I gave my vote against them.

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.

11 And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.

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.

12 Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

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

13 at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that journeyed with me.

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.

14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the goad.

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.

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

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

16 But arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee;

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:

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

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

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

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.

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

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

20 but declared both to them of Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judaea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

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.

21 For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and assayed to kill me.

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

22 Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand unto this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come;

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,

23 how that the Christ must suffer, [and] how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.

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

24 And as he thus made his defence, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning doth turn thee to madness.

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.

25 But Paul saith, I am not mad, most excellent Festus; but speak forth words of truth and soberness.

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

26 For the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hath not been done in a corner.

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.

27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

O king Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?

28 And Agrippa [said] unto Paul, With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a Christian.

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

29 And Paul [said], I would to God, that whether with little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except these bonds.

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.

30 And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

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

31 and when they had withdrawn, they spake one to another, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

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

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

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