Acts 26

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

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

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 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.

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

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

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

5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

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 judged for the hope of the promise made of YHWH unto our fathers:

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

7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving Elohim day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

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 with you, that YHWH should raise the dead?

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

9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Yahushua 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 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.

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 oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto 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 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief 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 saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

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

14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the 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 And I said, Who art thou, Master? And he said, I am Yahushua 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 upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto 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 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto 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, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto YHWH, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is 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 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

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

20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to YHWH, and do works meet for repentance.

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 these causes the Jews 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 Having therefore obtained help of YHWH, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than 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 That the Messiah should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the 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 spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth 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, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

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 speak freely: for I am persuaded 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 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

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

28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Messianic.

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

29 And Paul said, I would to Elohim, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this 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 up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

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

31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or 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 said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

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