ⲚⲒⲠⲢⲀⲜⲒⲤ 26
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” So Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:
2 ⲃ̅ ϫⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ ⲉⲅⲕⲁⲗⲉⲓ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲃⲏⲏⲧⲟⲩ ⲡⲣⲣⲟ ⲁⲅⲣⲓⲡⲡⲁ ⲁⲓⲟⲡⲧ ⲙⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲉⲓⲛⲁⲁⲡⲟⲗⲟⲅⲓⲍⲉ ϩⲓⲱⲱⲕ ⲙⲡⲟⲟⲩ
“I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, in that I am to make my defense before you this day concerning the things of which I am accused by the Jews,
3 ⲅ̅ ⲙⲁⲗⲓⲥⲧⲁ ⲉⲕⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲛⲥⲱⲛⲧ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲍⲏⲧⲏⲙⲁ ⲛⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ϯⲥⲟⲡⲥ ⲙⲙⲟⲕ ⲉⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲣⲟⲓ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲛⲧϩⲁⲣϣϩⲏⲧ
especially because you are expert in all the Jewish customs and issues; therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
Really, the Jews all know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation in Jerusalem,
5 ⲉ̅ ⲉⲩⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ϫⲓⲛ ⲛϣⲟⲣⲡ ⲉⲩϣⲁⲛⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲣⲙⲛⲧⲣⲉ ⲛⲧⲙⲉ ϫⲉ ⲁⲓⲱⲛϩ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲑⲁⲓⲣⲉⲥⲓⲥ ⲙⲡⲁϣⲙϣⲉ ⲉⲧⲟⲣϫ ⲁⲛⲅ ⲟⲩⲫⲁⲣⲓⲥⲁⲓⲟⲥ
since they have known me for a long time, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee.
6 ⲋ̅ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲟⲛ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ ⲉⲓⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧ ⲉⲩⲕⲣⲓⲛⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲑⲉⲗⲡⲓⲥ ⲙⲡⲉⲣⲏⲧ ⲛⲧⲁϥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲛⲁϩⲣⲛ ⲛⲉⲛⲉⲓⲟⲧⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ
And now I stand here being judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,
7 ⲍ̅ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉⲧⲙⲛⲧⲥⲛⲟⲟⲩⲥⲉ ⲙⲫⲩⲗⲏ ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲅⲉⲛⲟⲥ ϩⲉⲗⲡⲓⲍⲉ ⲉⲧⲁϩⲟϥ ⲉⲩϣⲙϣⲉ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲛⲥⲟⲡⲥ ⲛⲧⲉⲩϣⲏ ⲙⲛ ⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲧⲉⲓϩⲉⲗⲡⲓⲥ ⲡⲣⲣⲟ ⲉⲩⲉⲅⲕⲁⲗⲉⲓ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛϭⲓ ⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ
to which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. It is because of this hope that I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa.
Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
“However, I myself thought that I had to perpetrate many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Natsorean;
10 ⲓ̅ ⲡⲁⲓ ϭⲉ ⲁⲓⲁⲁϥ ϩⲛ ⲑⲓⲗⲏⲙ ⲉⲁⲓⲛⲉϫ ϩⲁϩ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲉⲡⲉϣⲧⲉⲕⲟ ⲉⲁⲓϫⲓ ⲧⲉⲝⲟⲩⲥⲓⲁ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲛⲁⲣⲭⲓⲉⲣⲉⲩⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲟⲛ ⲁⲓϯⲡⲍⲏⲫⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲁⲕⲟⲟⲩ
I actually did this in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.
11 ⲓ̅ⲁ̅ ⲛⲉⲓⲇⲓⲙⲱⲣⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲛϩⲁϩ ⲛⲥⲟⲡ ϩⲛ ⲥⲩⲛⲁⲅⲱⲅⲏ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲓⲁⲛⲁⲅⲕⲁⲍⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲉϫⲓⲟⲩⲁ ⲉⲡⲉϥⲣⲁⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲓϭⲟⲛⲧ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲡⲉϩⲟⲩⲟ ⲛⲉⲓⲇⲓⲱⲕⲉ ⲛⲥⲱⲟⲩ ϣⲁϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲙⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲏⲩ
Yes, I punished them often in every synagogue, trying to force them to blaspheme; I was so excessively enraged against them that I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
“It was on one of those journeys, as I was going to Damascus with authority and a commission from the chief priests,
13 ⲓ̅ⲅ̅ ⲁⲓⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲡⲣⲣⲟ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉϩⲓⲏ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲉⲉⲣⲉ ⲉⲩⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲉⲁϥⲡⲓⲣⲁ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲧⲡⲉ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲉ ⲡⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲙⲡⲣⲏⲁϥϣⲁ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲱⲓ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲓ
at midday, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, blazing around me and those traveling with me.
14 ⲓ̅ⲇ̅ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲛϩⲉ ⲧⲏⲣⲛ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲙ ⲡⲕⲁϩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲑⲟⲧⲉ ⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲩⲥⲙⲏ ⲉⲥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲁⲥⲡⲉ ⲙⲙⲛⲧϩⲉⲃⲣⲁⲓⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲥⲁⲩⲗⲉ ⲥⲁⲩⲗⲉ ⲁϩⲣⲟⲕ ⲕⲡⲏⲧ ⲛⲥⲱⲓ ⲥⲙⲟⲕϩ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲉϯⲧⲃⲏⲣ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ϩⲛϩⲉⲛⲥⲟⲩⲣⲉ
Well we all fell to the ground and I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And He said: ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
16 ⲓ̅ⲋ̅ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲅⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧⲕ ϩⲓϫⲛ ⲛⲉⲕⲟⲩⲉⲣⲏⲧⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲁⲓⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉⲧⲟϣⲕ ⲛϩⲩⲡⲏⲣⲉⲧⲏⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙⲙⲛⲧⲣⲉ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲧⲁⲕⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟⲓ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲉϯⲛⲁⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
Now get up and stand on your feet; because I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness both of the things you have seen and of the things I will reveal to you,
delivering you from ‘the people’ and the ethnic nations, to which I am sending you:
18 ⲓ̅ⲏ̅ ⲉⲟⲩⲱⲛ ⲛⲛⲉⲩⲃⲁⲗ ⲉⲕⲧⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲕⲁⲕⲉ ⲉⲡⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉⲝⲟⲩⲥⲓⲁ ⲙⲡⲥⲁⲧⲁⲛⲁⲥ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲩϫⲓ ⲙⲡⲕⲱ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲛⲉⲩⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲟⲩⲕⲗⲏⲣⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ϩⲙ ⲡⲧⲣⲉⲩⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲓ
to open their eyes, so as to bring them back from darkness into light and from the authority of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified, by faith into me.’
Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision
20 ⲕ̅ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲁⲓⲕⲩⲣⲏⲥⲥⲉ ⲛϣⲟⲣⲡ ϩⲛ ⲇⲁⲙⲁⲥⲕⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ϩⲛ ⲑⲓⲗⲏⲙ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲉⲭⲱⲣⲁ ⲧⲏⲣⲥ ⲛⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ ⲙⲛ ⲛϩⲉⲑⲛⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲩⲙⲉⲧⲁⲛⲟⲓ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲥⲉⲕⲧⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲩⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲛⲛⲉϩⲃⲏⲩⲉ ⲉⲩⲙⲡϣⲁ ⲛⲧⲙⲉⲧⲁⲛⲟⲓⲁ
—first to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to all the region of Judea and to the ethnic nations, I still preach: ‘repent and turn back to God, doing works worthy of repentance.’
That is why the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.
22 ⲕ̅ⲃ̅ ⲁⲓⲙⲁⲧⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲃⲟⲏⲑⲓⲁ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲓⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧ ϣⲁϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲡⲟⲟⲩ ⲛϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲓⲣⲙⲛⲧⲣⲉ ⲛⲛⲕⲟⲩⲓ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲛⲟϭ ⲛϯϫⲉ ⲗⲁⲁⲩ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲛⲉⲛⲧⲁ ⲛⲉⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲙⲱⲩⲥⲏⲥ ϫⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲩⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ
So then, having experienced the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying to both small and great, saying nothing beyond what both the prophets and Moses said would happen
—that the Messiah would suffer; that as the first to rise from the dead He would proclaim light to both ‘the people’ and the ethnic nations.”
Well as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice: “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”
So he said: “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus; rather I pronounce words of truth and reasonableness.
26 ⲕ̅ⲋ̅ ϥⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲛⲁⲓ ⲛϭⲓ ⲁⲅⲣⲓⲡⲡⲁⲥ ⲡⲣⲣⲟ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉϯϣⲁϫⲉ ⲛⲙⲙⲁϥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲓⲡⲁⲣⲣⲏⲥⲓⲁⲍⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ⲁⲩⲱ ϯⲡⲓⲑⲉ ϫⲉ ⲙⲛⲗⲁⲁⲩ ⲛⲛⲁⲓ ϩⲏⲡ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲛⲧⲁⲡⲉⲓϩⲱⲃ ⲅⲁⲣ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲁⲛ ϩⲙⲫⲱⲡ
For the king knows about these things, before whom I speak freely; for I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, since it was not done in a corner.
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”
So Agrippa said to Paul, “You will soon persuade me to become a Christian!”
29 ⲕ̅ⲑ̅ ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ϯϣⲗⲏⲗ ⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲕⲟⲩⲓ ⲙⲛ ⲟⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲟⲩ ⲙⲟⲛⲟⲛ ⲛⲧⲟⲕ ⲁⲗⲗⲁⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲣⲟⲓ ⲙⲡⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲩϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲑⲉ ϩⲱⲱⲧ ⲟⲛ ⲉϯⲛϩⲏⲧⲥ ϣⲁⲛⲧⲉ ⲛⲉⲓⲙⲣⲣⲉ
So Paul said, “Whether sooner or later, I would to God that not only you but also all who are hearing me this day may become such as I am, except for these chains.”
Upon his saying this, the king stood up, along with the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them;
and when they had withdrawn they started talking among themselves, saying, “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.”
And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free, if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
