Acts 26

1 And Agrippa said to Paul, It is permitted to thee to speak for thyself. Then Paul reaching forth his hand, proceeded with his defence:

Then Agrippa said to Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

2 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:

I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee, concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews:

3 especially as thou art acquainted with all the customs and questions among the Jews: therefore I pray you to hear me patiently.

Especially, [because I know] thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

4 Moreover indeed all the Jews know my life from my youth; being from the beginning in my nation and in Jerusalem,

My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among my own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews,

5 knowing me originally, if they may be willing to testify, that according to the most rigid sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

Who knew me from the beginning, (if they would testify) that after the strictest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.

6 And now for the hope of the promise which is from God to our fathers, I stand being judged:

And now I stand, and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers:

7 unto which our twelve tribes constantly worshiping night and day, hope to attain: concerning which hope I am accused by the Jews, O king.

To which [promise] our twelve tribes, assiduously serving [God] day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.

8 Why is it judged by you incredible, if God shall raise the dead?

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

9 Moreover indeed, I thought to myself that I ought 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 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;

Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against [them].

11 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.

And I punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled [them] to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted [them] even to foreign cities.

12 Meanwhile journeying to Damascus with power and authority of the chief priests, I saw on the way, O king,

Upon which as I went to Damascus, with authority and commission from the chief priests,

13 about midday, a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me;

At mid-day, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, surpassing the brightness of the sun, shining around me, and them who journeyed with me.

14 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.

And when we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [It is] hard for thee to kick against the goads.

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

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

16 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;

But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared to thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of the things which thou hast seen, and of the things in which I will appear to thee;

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

Delivering thee from the people, and [from] the Gentiles, to whom now I send thee,

18 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.

To open their eyes, [and] to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them who are sanctified by faith that is in me.

19 Therefore, O king, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision:

Upon which O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

20 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.

But showed first to them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and [then] to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

21 On account of these things the Jews, taking me while in the temple, endeavored to kill me.

For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill [me].

22 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:

Having therefore obtained help from God, I continue to this day, testifying both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

23 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.

That Christ should suffer, [and] that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light to the people, and to the Gentiles.

24 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.

And as he was thus speaking for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee insane.

25 But Paul says, I am not a maniac, most noble Festus; but I speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

But he said, I am not insane, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

26 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.

For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

27 O king Agrippa, dost thou believe the prophets? I know that thou believest them.

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

28 And Agrippa said to Paul, With little persuasion thou dost persuade thyself to make me a Christian.

Then Agrippa said to Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

29 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.

And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

30 And the king, and the governor, and Bernice, and those sitting with them, arose up:

And when he had thus spoken, the king rose, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

31 and having gone away, they were talking to one another, saying, that This man is doing nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

And when they had gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death, or of bonds.

32 But Agrippa said to Festus, This man was able to have been released, if he had not appealed to Caesar.

Then said Agrippa to Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Cesar.