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:
Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak about yourself." So Paul, with outstretched arm, proceeded to make his defence.
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,
"As regards all the accusations brought against me by the Jews," he said, "I think myself fortunate, King Agrippa, in being about to defend myself to-day before you,
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.
who are so familiar with all the customs and speculations that prevail among the Jews; and for this reason, I pray you, give me a patient hearing.
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 kind of life I have lived from my youth upwards, as exemplified in my early days among my nation and in Jerusalem, is known to all the Jews.
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.
For they all know me of old--if they would but testify to the fact--how, being an adherent of the strictest sect of our religion, my life was that of 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 I stand here impeached because of my hope in the fulfilment of the promise made by God to our forefathers--
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.
the promise which our twelve tribes, worshipping day and night with intense devotedness, hope to have made good to them. It is on the subject of this hope, Sir, that I am accused by the Jews.
8 Why should it be judged a thing incredible in your sight if God raises the dead?
Why is it deemed with all of you a thing past belief if God raises the dead to life?
9 I indeed myself thought that I ought to do much against the name of Jesus the Nazaraean.
"I myself, however, thought it a duty to do many things in hostility to the name of Jesus, the Nazarene.
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.
And that was how I acted in Jerusalem. Armed with authority received from the High Priests I shut up many of God's people in various prisons, and when they were about to be 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].
In all the synagogues also I punished them many a time, and tried to make them blaspheme; and in my wild fury I chased them even to foreign towns.
12 And when, [engaged] in this, I was journeying to Damascus, with authority and power from the chief priests,
"While thus engaged, I was travelling one day to Damascus armed with authority and a commission from the High 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.
and on the journey, at noon, Sir, I saw a light from Heaven--brighter than the brightness of the sun--shining around me and around those who were travelling 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.
We all fell to the ground; and I heard a voice which said to me in Hebrew, "'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? You are finding it painful to kick against the ox-goad.'
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest:
"'Who art Thou, Lord?' I asked. "'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied.
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 I have appeared to you for the very purpose of appointing you My servant and My witness both as to the things you have already seen and as to those in which I will appear to you.
17 taking thee out from among the people, and the nations, to whom I send thee,
I will save you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you to open their eyes,
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.
that they may turn from darkness to light and from the obedience to Satan to God, in order to receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified through faith in Me.'
19 Whereupon, king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision;
"Therefore, 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 I proceeded to preach first to the people in Damascus, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and to the Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God, and live lives consistent with such repentance.
21 On account of these things the Jews, having seized me in the temple, attempted to lay hands on and destroy me.
"It was on this account that the Jews seized me in the Temple and tried 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, however, obtained the help which is from God, I have stood firm until now, and have solemnly exhorted rich and poor alike, saying nothing except what the Prophets and Moses predicted as soon to happen,
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.
since the Christ was to be a suffering Christ, and by coming back from the dead was then to be the first to proclaim a message of light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."
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.
As Paul thus made his defence, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, "You are raving mad, Paul; and great learning is driving you mad."
25 But Paul said, I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but utter words of truth and soberness;
"I am not mad, most noble Festus," replied Paul; "I am speaking words of sober truth.
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, to whom I speak freely, knows about these matters. I am not to be persuaded that any detail of them has escaped his notice; for these things have not been done in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you believe them."
28 And Agrippa [said] to Paul, In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian.
Agrippa answered, "In brief, you are doing your best to 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.
"My prayer to God, whether briefly or at length," replied Paul, "would be that not only you but all who are my hearers to-day, might become such as I am--except these chains."
30 And the king stood up, and the governor and Bernice, and those who sat with them,
So the King rose, and the Governor, and Bernice, and those who were 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 talked to one another and said, "This man is doing nothing for which he deserves death or imprisonment."
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, "He might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar."
