Acts 26

1 And Agrippa said to Paul, It is permitted thee to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretching out his hand answered in his defence:

And Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted to you to speak for yourself”; then Paul having stretched forth the hand, was making a defense:

2 I count myself happy, king Agrippa, in having to answer to-day before thee concerning all of which I am accused by the Jews,

“Concerning all things of which I am accused by Jews, King Agrippa, I have thought myself blessed, being about to make a defense before you today,

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

especially knowing you to be acquainted with all things—both customs and questions—among Jews; for this reason, I implore you to hear me patiently.

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

The manner of my life then, indeed, from youth—which from the beginning was among my nation, in Jerusalem—all the Jews know,

5 who knew me before from the outset [of my life], if they would bear witness, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

knowing me before from the first (if they may be willing to testify), that after the most exact sect of our worship, I lived a Pharisee;

6 And now I stand to be judged because of the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,

and now for the hope of the promise made to the fathers by God, I have stood judged,

7 to which our whole twelve tribes serving incessantly day and night hope to arrive; about which hope, O king, I am accused of [the] Jews.

to which our twelve tribes, intently serving night and day, hope to come, concerning which hope I am accused, King Agrippa, by the Jews;

8 Why should it be judged a thing incredible in your sight if God raises the dead?

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

9 I indeed myself thought that I ought to do much against the name of Jesus the Nazaraean.

I indeed, therefore, thought with myself that it was necessary [for me] to do many things against the Name of Jesus of Nazareth,

10 Which also I did in Jerusalem, and myself shut up in prisons many of the saints, having received the authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death I gave my vote.

which I also did in Jerusalem, and I shut up many of the holy ones in prison, having received the authority from the chief priests; they also being put to death, I gave my vote against them,

11 And often punishing them in all the synagogues, I compelled them to blaspheme. And, being exceedingly furious against them, I persecuted them even to cities out [of our own land].

and in every synagogue, often punishing them, I was constraining [them] to speak evil, being also exceedingly mad against them, I was also persecuting [them] even to strange cities.

12 And when, [engaged] in this, I was journeying to Damascus, with authority and power from the chief priests,

In which things, also, going on to Damascus—with authority and commission from the chief priests—

13 at mid-day, on the way, I saw, O king, a light above the brightness of the sun, shining from heaven round about me and those who were journeying with me.

at midday, I saw in the way, O king, out of Heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining around me a light—and those going on with me;

14 And, when we were all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [it is] hard for thee to kick against goads.

and we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? [It is] hard for you to kick against goads!

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

And I said, Who are You, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom you persecute;

16 but rise up and stand on thy feet; for, for this purpose have I appeared to thee, to appoint thee to be a servant and a witness both of what thou hast seen, and of what I shall appear to thee in,

but rise, and stand on your feet, for this I appeared to you, to appoint you an officer and a witness both of the things you saw, and of the things [in which] I will appear to you,

17 taking thee out from among the people, and the nations, to whom I send thee,

delivering you from the people, and the nations, to whom I now send you,

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

to open their eyes, to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the authority of Satan to God, for their receiving forgiveness of sins, and a lot among those having been sanctified by faith that [is] toward Me.

19 Whereupon, king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision;

After which, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

20 but have, first to those both in Damascus and Jerusalem, and to all the region of Judaea, and to the nations, announced that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

but to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem, also to all the region of Judea, and to the nations, I was preaching to convert, and to turn back to God, doing works worthy of conversion;

21 On account of these things the Jews, having seized me in the temple, attempted to lay hands on and destroy me.

because of these things the Jews—having caught me in the temple—were endeavoring to kill [me].

22 Having therefore met with [the] help which is from God, I have stood firm unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing else than those things which both the prophets and Moses have said should happen,

Having obtained, therefore, help from God, until this day, I have stood witnessing both to small and to great, saying nothing besides the things that both the prophets and Moses spoke of as about to come,

23 [namely, ] whether Christ should suffer; whether he first, through resurrection of [the] dead, should announce light both to the people and to the nations.

that the Christ is to suffer, whether first by a resurrection from the dead, He is about to proclaim light to the people and to the nations.”

24 And as he answered for his defence with these things, Festus says with a loud voice, Thou art mad, Paul; much learning turns thee to madness.

And he thus making a defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “You are mad, Paul; much learning turns you mad!”

25 But Paul said, I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but utter words of truth and soberness;

And he says, “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but of truth and soberness I speak forth the sayings;

26 for the king is informed about these things, to whom also I speak with all freedom. For I am persuaded that of these things nothing is hidden from him; for this was not done in a corner.

for the king knows concerning these things, before whom I also speak boldly, for none of these things, I am persuaded, are hidden from him; for this thing has not been done in a corner;

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

do you believe, King Agrippa, the prophets? I have known that you believe!”

28 And Agrippa [said] to Paul, In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian.

And Agrippa said to Paul, “In [so] little you persuade me to become a Christian?”

29 And Paul [said], I would to God, both in little and in much, that not only thou, but all who have heard me this day, should become such as I also am, except these bonds.

And Paul said, “I would have wished to God, both in a little, and in much, not only you, but also all those hearing me today, to become such as I also am—except these bonds.”

30 And the king stood up, and the governor and Bernice, and those who sat with them,

And he having spoken these things, the king rose up, and the governor, Bernice also, and those sitting with them,

31 and having gone apart, they spoke to one another saying, This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

and having withdrawn, they were speaking to one another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds”;

32 And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have been let go if he had not appealed to Caesar.

and Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”