Acts 26
1 Then Agrippa sayd vnto Paul, Thou art permitted to speake for thy selfe. So Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himselfe.
And Agrippa said to Paul, It is permitted to thee to speak for thyself. Then Paul reaching forth his hand, proceeded with his defence:
2 I thinke my selfe happy, King Agrippa, because I shall answere this day before thee of all the things whereof I am accused of the Iewes.
O king Agrippa, I consider myself happy, being about this day to make my defence before thee concerning all those things of which I am accused by the Jews:
3 Chiefly, because thou hast knowledge of all customes, and questions which are among the Iewes: wherefore I beseech thee, to heare me patiently.
especially as thou art acquainted with all the customs and questions among the Jews: therefore I pray you to hear me patiently.
4 As touching my life from my childhood, and what it was from the beginning among mine owne nation at Hierusalem, know all the Iewes,
Moreover indeed all the Jews know my life from my youth; being from the beginning in my nation and in Jerusalem,
5 Which knewe me heretofore, euen from my elders (if they would testifie) that after the most straite sect of our religion I liued a Pharise.
knowing me originally, if they may be willing to testify, that according to the most rigid sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
6 And now I stand and am accused for the hope of the promise made of God vnto our fathers.
And now for the hope of the promise which is from God to our fathers, I stand being judged:
7 Whereunto our twelue tribes instantly seruing God day and night, hope to come: for the which hopes sake, O King Agrippa, I am accused of the Iewes.
unto which our twelve tribes constantly worshiping night and day, hope to attain: concerning which hope I am accused by the Jews, O king.
8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible vnto you, that God should raise againe the dead?
Why is it judged by you incredible, if God shall raise the dead?
9 I also verely thought in my selfe, that I ought to doe many contrarie things against the Name of Iesus of Nazareth.
Moreover indeed, I thought to myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene:
10 Which thing I also did in Hierusalem: for many of the Saints I shut vp in prison, hauing receiued authoritie of the hie Priests, and when they were put to death, I gaue my sentence.
which I did also in Jerusalem, and shut up many of the saints in prison; and having received authority from the chief priests, and they being slain, I gave my vote against them;
11 And I punished them throughout all the Synagogues, and compelled them to blaspheme, and being more mad against them, I persecuted them, euen vnto strange cities.
and throughout all the synagogues, frequently punishing them, I compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceeding mad against them, I was persecuting them even also unto foreign cities.
12 At which time, euen as I went to Damascus with authoritie, and commission from the hie Priests,
Meanwhile journeying to Damascus with power and authority of the chief priests, I saw on the way, O king,
13 At midday, O King, I sawe in the way a light from heauen, passing the brightnes of the sunne, shine round about mee, and them which went with me.
about midday, a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me;
14 So when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voyce speaking vnto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kicke against pricks.
and we all having fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against goads.
15 Then I sayd, Who art thou, Lord? And he sayd, I am Iesus whom thou persecutest.
And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou art persecuting.
16 But rise and stand vp on thy feete: for I haue appeared vnto thee for this purpose, to appoint thee a minister and a witnesse, both of the things which thou hast seene, and of the things in the which I will appeare vnto thee,
But rise up, and stand upon thy feet: for unto this have I appeared unto thee, to make thee a minister and a martyr both of those things which thou hast seen, and of which I will appear unto thee;
17 Deliuering thee from this people, and from the Gentiles, vnto whom now I send thee,
delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
18 To open their eyes, that they may turne from darknes to light, and from the power of Satan vnto God, that they may receiue forgiuenes of sinnes, and inheritance among them, which are sanctified by fayth in me.
to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God, in order that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.
19 Wherefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient vnto the heauenly vision,
Therefore, O king, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision:
20 But shewed first vnto them of Damascus, and at Hierusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Iudea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turne to God, and doe workes worthy amendment of life.
but first to those in Damascus, and also in Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and to the Gentiles, I was preaching that they should repent and turn to God, doing things worthy of repentance.
21 For this cause the Iewes caught me in the Temple, and went about to kill me.
On account of these things the Jews, taking me while in the temple, endeavored to kill me.
22 Neuertheles, I obteined helpe of God, and continue vnto this day, witnessing both to small and to great, saying none other things, then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come,
Then having received help from God, I have stood unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said were about to come to pass:
23 To wit, that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light vnto this people, and to the Gentiles.
how that Christ must suffer, how being the first from the resurrection of the dead, he is to proclaim light both to the people, and the Gentiles.
24 And as he thus answered for himselfe, Festus said with a loude voyce, Paul, thou art besides thy selfe: much learning doeth make thee mad.
And he making his defence to these things, Festus says with a loud voice, O Paul, thou art beside thyself; many writings turned thee into insanity.
25 But he said, I am not mad, O noble Festus, but I speake the wordes of trueth and sobernes.
But Paul says, I am not a maniac, most noble Festus; but I speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
26 For the King knoweth of these things, before whom also I speake boldly: for I am perswaded that none of these things are hidden from him: for this thing was not done in a corner.
For the king, to whom I also speak boldly, knows concerning these things: for I am persuaded that nothing of these things is hidden; for this has not been done in a corner.
27 O King Agrippa, beleeuest thou the Prophets? I know that thou beleeuest.
O king Agrippa, dost thou believe the prophets? I know that thou believest them.
28 Then Agrippa said vnto Paul, Almost thou perswadest me to become a Christian.
And Agrippa said to Paul, With little persuasion thou dost persuade thyself to make me a Christian.
29 Then Paul sayd, I would to God that not onely thou, but also all that heare me to day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
And Paul said, I would to God, that both in little and in much, not only you, but also all of those hearing me this day, were such as I am, except these bonds.
30 And when he had thus spoken, the King rose vp, and the gouernour, and Bernice, and they that sate with them.
And the king, and the governor, and Bernice, and those sitting with them, arose up:
31 And when they were gone apart, they talked betweene themselues, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death, nor of bonds.
and having gone away, they were talking to one another, saying, that This man is doing nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
32 Then sayd Agrippa vnto Festus, This man might haue bene loosed, if hee had not appealed vnto Cesar.
But Agrippa said to Festus, This man was able to have been released, if he had not appealed to Caesar.
