Acts 26

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

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

2 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.

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:

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

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

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

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;

5 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.

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

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

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

7 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!

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!

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

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

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

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

10 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.

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.

11 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.

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.

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

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

13 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.

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.

14 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.

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.

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

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

16 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,

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;

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

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

18 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.

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.

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

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

20 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.

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

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

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

22 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,

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;

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

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.

24 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.

And as he thus made his defence, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning is turning thee mad.

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

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

26 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

29 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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