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.
So Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense.
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.
“I regard myself as happy, King Agrippa, to make my case before you today against all the accusations of 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, because you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and questions. So I ask 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,
Truly, all the Jews know how I lived from my youth in my own nation and at 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.
They knew me from the beginning and they should admit that I lived as a Pharisee, the strictest party of our religion.
6 And now I stand and am accused for the hope of the promise made of God vnto our fathers.
Now I stand here to be judged because of my certain hope in the promise made by God to our fathers.
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.
For this is the promise that our twelve tribes sought to receive as they earnestly worshiped God night and day. It is for this certain hope, King Agrippa, that the Jews accuse me.
8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible vnto you, that God should raise againe the dead?
Why should any of you think it is unbelievable that God raises 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.
Now indeed, I myself thought that I should do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
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.
I did these in Jerusalem. I locked up many of the saints in prison by the authority I received from the chief priests, and when they were killed, I cast 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.
I punished them many times in all the synagogues and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was furiously enraged against them and I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12 At which time, euen as I went to Damascus with authoritie, and commission from the hie Priests,
While I was doing this, I went to Damascus with authority and orders from the chief priests;
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.
and on the way there, at midday, King, I saw a light from heaven that was brighter than the sun and it shone around both me and the men who were 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.
When we all fell to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me that said in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick a goad.'
15 Then I sayd, Who art thou, Lord? And he sayd, I am Iesus whom thou persecutest.
Then I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' The Lord replied, 'I am Jesus whom you persecute.
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,
Now get up and stand on your feet; because for this purpose I appeared to you, to appoint you to be a servant and a witness concerning the things that you know about me now and the things that I will show to you later;
17 Deliuering thee from this people, and from the Gentiles, vnto whom now I send thee,
and I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you,
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 and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive from God the forgiveness of sins and the inheritance that I give to them who are sanctified by faith in me.'
19 Wherefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient vnto the heauenly vision,
Therefore, King Agrippa, I did not disobey 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, to those in Damascus first, and then at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, I gave them the message that that they should repent and turn to God, doing deeds worthy of repentance.
21 For this cause the Iewes caught me in the Temple, and went about to kill me.
For this cause the Jews arrested me in the temple and tried 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,
God has helped me until now, so I stand and testify to the common people and to the great ones about nothing more than what the prophets and Moses said would happen—
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.
that Christ must suffer and that by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light to our own people and to 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.
As Paul completed his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are insane; your great learning makes you insane.”
25 But he said, I am not mad, O noble Festus, but I speake the wordes of trueth and sobernes.
But Paul said, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus, but what I am declaring is true and rational.
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 knows about these things; and so, I speak freely to him, for I am persuaded that none of this is hidden from him; for this has not been done in a corner.
27 O King Agrippa, beleeuest thou the Prophets? I know that thou beleeuest.
Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe.”
28 Then Agrippa said vnto Paul, Almost thou perswadest me to become a Christian.
Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me and 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.
Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether in a short or long time, not you only, but also all that hear me today, would be like me, but without these prison chains.”
30 And when he had thus spoken, the King rose vp, and the gouernour, and Bernice, and they that sate with them.
Then the king stood up, and the governor, and Bernice also, and those who were sitting with them;
31 And when they were gone apart, they talked betweene themselues, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death, nor of bonds.
when they left the hall, they talked to one another and said, “This man does 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.
Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been freed if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
