Actuum Apostolorum 26

1 Agrippa vero ad Paulum ait: Permittitur tibi loqui pro temetipso. Tunc Paulus extenta manu coepit rationem reddere.

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, You are permitted to speak for yourself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

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

I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before you concerning all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

3 maxime te sciente omnia, et quae apud Iudaeos sunt consuetudines, et quaestiones: propter quod obsecro patienter me audias.

Especially because I know you to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I plead to you to hear me patiently.

4 Et quidem vitam meam a iuventute, quae ab initio fuit in gente mea in Ierosolymis, noverunt omnes Iudaei:

My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

5 praescientes me ab initio (si velint testimonium perhibere) quoniam secundum certissimam sectam nostrae religionis vixi Pharisaeus.

Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

6 Et nunc in spe, quae ad patres nostros repromissionis facta est a Deo, sto iudicio subiectus:

And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God, unto our fathers:

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

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.

8 Quid incredibile iudicatur apud vos, si Deus mortuos suscitat?

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

9 Et ego quidem existimaveram, me adversus nomen Iesu Nazareni debere multa contraria agere.

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

10 quod et feci Ierosolymis, et multos sanctorum ego in carceribus inclusi, a principibus sacerdotum potestate accepta: et cum occiderentur, detuli sententiam.

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.

11 Et per omnes synagogas frequenter puniens eos, compellebam blasphemare: et amplius insaniens in eos, persequebar usque in exteras civitates.

And I punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

12 In quibus dum irem Damascum cum potestate, et permissu principum sacerdotum,

Whereupon as I went 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.

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.

14 Omnesque nos cum decidissemus in terram, audivi vocem loquentem mihi Hebraica lingua: Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris? durum est tibi contra stimulum calcitrare.

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 persecute you me? it is hard for you to kick against the pricks.

15 Ego autem dixi: Quis es Domine? Dominus autem dixit: Ego sum Iesus, quem tu persequeris.

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

16 Sed exurge, 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 upon your feet: for I have appeared unto you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of these things which you have seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto you;

17 eripiens te de populis, et gentibus, in quas nunc ego mitto te,

Delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send you,

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, 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.

19 Unde rex Agrippa, non fui incredulus caelesti visioni:

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

20 sed his, qui sunt Damasci primum, et Ierosolymis, et in omnem regionem Iudaeae, et Gentibus annunciabam, ut poenitentiam agerent, et converterentur ad Deum, digna poenitentiae opera facientes.

But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

21 Hac ex causa me Iudaei, cum essem in templo, comprehensum tentabant interficere.

For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.

22 Auxilio autem adiutus Dei usque in hodiernum diem sto, testificans minori, atque maiori, nihil extra dicens quam ea, quae Prophetae locuti sunt futura esse, et Moyses,

Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

23 si passibilis Christus, si primus ex resurrectione mortuorum, lumen annunciaturus est populo, et Gentibus.

That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

24 Haec loquente eo, et rationem reddente, Festus magna voce dixit: Insanis Paule: multae te litterae ad insaniam convertunt.

And as he thus spoke for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, you are out of your mind; much learning does make you mad.

25 Et Paulus: Non insanio (inquit) optime Feste, sed veritatis, et sobrietatis verba loquor.

But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words (rhema) of truth and soberness.

26 Scit enim de his rex, ad quem et constanter loquor: latere enim eum nihil horum arbitror. Neque enim in angulo quidquam horum gestum est.

For the king knows 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.

27 Credis rex Agrippa prophetis? Scio quia credis.

King Agrippa, believe you the prophets? I know that you believe.

28 Agrippa autem ad Paulum: In modico suades me Christianum fieri.

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost you persuade me to be a Christian.

29 Et Paulus: Opto apud Deum, et in modico, et in magno, non tantum te, sed etiam omnes, qui audiunt, hodie fieri tales, qualis et ego sum, exceptis vinculis his.

And Paul said, I would to God, that not only you, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

30 Et exurrexit rex, et praeses, et Bernice, et qui assidebant eis.

And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

31 Et cum secessissent, loquebantur ad invicem, dicentes: Quia nihil morte, aut vinculis dignum quid fecit homo iste.

And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

32 Agrippa autem Festo dixit: Dimitti poterat homo hic, si non appellasset Caesarem.

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