Acts 26

1 And, Agrippa, to Paul, said—It is permitted thee, on thine own behalf, to be speaking. Then Paul, stretching forth his hand, went on to make his defence.

And Agrippa said to Paul, It is permitted thee to speak for thyself. Then Paul, having stretched forth his hand, made a defense.

2 Concerning all things of which I am accused by Jews, King Agrippa, I have been counting myself happy, that, before thee, am I about, this day, to be making my defence;

Concerning all things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself blessed, being about to make my defense before thee today.

3 especially, as thou art, well-versed, in all the Jewish customs and questions. Wherefore, I beseech thee, patiently, to hear me.

Especially thee, being an expert of all things regarding Jews, both habits and issues. Therefore I beg thee to hear me patiently.

4 My manner of life, then, from my youth, which, from its commencement, was formed among my nation, even in Jerusalem, know all Jews,

Indeed therefore, my manner of life from youth, having developed from the beginning among my nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know,

5 inasmuch as they were aforetime observing me, from the outset, —if they please to bear witness, —that, according to the strictest sect of our own religion, I lived, a Pharisee.

having known me previously from the beginning, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

6 And, now, for the hope of the promise, unto our fathers, being brought to pass by God, am I standing to be judged, —

And now for the hope of the promise made by God to the fathers, I stand being judged,

7 unto which [hope], our twelve-tribed nation, with intensity, night and day, rendering divine service, is hoping to attain—concerning which hope, I am being accused by Jews, O King!

to which our twelve tribes, serving in earnestness night and day, hope to attain, about which hope, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews!

8 What! incredible, is it judged with you, that, God the dead doth raise?

Why is it judged incredible with you, if God raises the dead?

9 I, therefore, imagined to myself, that, against the name of Jesus the Nazarene, it was needful, many hostile things, to bring about, —

Indeed therefore I thought it necessary for myself to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene,

10 which also I did in Jerusalem, yea and, many of the saints, I myself, in prisons, shut up, —the authority, from the High-priests, having received: and, when they were to be put to death, I brought against them my vote;

which also I did at Jerusalem. And I locked up many of the sanctified in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests. And when they were killed, I gave a vote against them.

11 and, throughout all the synagogues, ofttimes punishing them, I would fain have compelled them to defame; and, being excessively maddened against them, I went on to pursue them as far as even the outlying cities.

And punishing them often at all the synagogues, I compelled them to blaspheme. And being extraordinarily furious toward them, I persecuted them even as far as to outside cities.

12 Among which things, being on a journey unto Damascus, with the authority and commission of the High-priests,

And during which, while going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

13 at mid-day, on the road, I saw, O King, from heaven, above the splendour of the sun, shining around me, a light, and [around] them who, with me, were journeying;

at midday, O king, I saw on the road a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, which shone around me and those who went with me.

14 and, when we were all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice, saying unto me, in the Hebrew language—Saul! Saul! why, me, art thou persecuting? It is hard for thee, against goads, to be kicking!

And when we all fell to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why do 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, art persecuting!

And I said, Who are thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecute.

16 But rise and stand upon thy feet; for, to this end, have I appeared unto thee, —To appoint thee an attendant and a witness, both of the things as to which thou hast seen me, and of those as to which I will appear unto thee:

But arise, and stand upon thy feet, for I appeared to thee for this, to appoint thee an assistant and a witness both of things that thou saw, and of the things that I will make visible to thee,

17 Rescuing thee from among the people, and from among the nations, unto whom, I, am sending thee—

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

18 To open their eyes; that they turn from darkness unto light, and the authority of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among them who have been made holy by the faith respecting me.

to open their eyes to turn about from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, for them to receive remission of sins and a lot among those who have been sanctified by faith in me.

19 Wherefore, O King Agrippa, —I became not disobedient unto the heavenly vision;

Whereupon, King Agrippa, I did not become disobedient to the heavenly vision,

20 But—both to them in Damascus, first, and in Jerusalem, unto all the country of Judaea also, and unto the nations, I carried tidings—that they should repent, and turn unto God, and, works worthy of their repentance, should practise.

but declaring first to those at Damascus and then at Jerusalem, and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, to repent and return to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

21 Because of these things, Jews seized me in the temple, and were attempting to slay me with their own hands.

Because of these things the Jews, having seized me in the temple, tried to grasp and kill me.

22 So then, having met with, the help that is from God, until this day, do I stand, witnessing to both small and great, nothing else saying, than those things which both the prophets, and Moses, did say should certainly come to pass: —

Having therefore experienced the help from God, I stand to this day solemnly declaring both to small and great, saying nothing apart from what both the prophets and Moses said was going to happen,

23 If, to suffer, the Christ was destined, if, the first of a resurrection of the dead, he is about to carry tidings, of light, both unto the people, and unto the nations.

that the suffering Christ, since first from a resurrection of the dead, is going to proclaim light to our people and to the nations.

24 Now, as he was saying these things in his defence, Festus, with a loud voice, saith—Thou art raving, Paul! Thy great learning, is turning thee round unto, raving madness.

And while he made a defense by these things, Festus said in a loud voice, Paul, thou are mad. Much scholarship is driving thee into madness.

25 But Paul—I am not raving (saith he), most noble Festus, —but, the declarations of truth and soberness, am I sounding forth:

But Paul says, I am not mad, eminent Festus, but I speak forth sayings of truth and soberness.

26 For well-knoweth, the king, concerning these things, unto whom, with boldness of utterance, am I speaking; for, that these things are not hidden from him, I am well persuaded, —for, not in a corner, hath this thing been done.

For the king knows about these things, before whom I also speak boldly. For I am convinced not any of these things, nothing, to be hidden from him. For this was not done in a corner.

27 Believest thou, King Agrippa, in the prophets? I know that thou believest!

King Agrippa, do thou believe the prophets? I know that thou believe.

28 And, Agrippa, [said] unto Paul—Almost, art thou persuading, me, to become a, Christian!

And Agrippa said to Paul, By a little thou persuade me to become a Christian.

29 And, Paul, [answered] —I could pray unto God that, both almost and altogether, not only thou but all they who are hearing me this day, might become such, —as even, I, am, excepting these bonds.

And Paul said, I ever pray to God, both by little and by much, not only thee, but also all who hear me this day, to become such kind as I also am, apart from these bonds.

30 And the king rose up, and the governor, Bernice also, and they who had been sitting with them;

And when he spoke these things, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them.

31 And, retiring, they began conversing one with another, saying, Nothing worthy of death or of bonds, doth this man practise.

And having withdrawn, they spoke to each other, saying, This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

32 And, Agrippa, unto Festus, said—This man might have been released, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

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