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, to Paul, said—It is permitted thee, on thine own behalf, to be speaking. Then Paul, stretching forth his hand, went on to make 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:

Concerning all things of which I am accused by Jews, King Agrippa, I have been counting myself happy, that, before thee, am I about, this day, to be making my defence;

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, well-versed, in all the Jewish customs and questions. Wherefore, I beseech thee, patiently, to hear me.

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

My manner of life, then, from my youth, which, from its commencement, was formed among my nation, even in Jerusalem, know all Jews,

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

inasmuch as they were aforetime observing me, from the outset, —if they please to bear witness, —that, according to the strictest sect of our own religion, I lived, a Pharisee.

6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

And, now, for the hope of the promise, unto our fathers, being brought to pass by God, am I standing to be judged, —

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

unto which [hope], our twelve-tribed nation, with intensity, night and day, rendering divine service, is hoping to attain—concerning which hope, I am being accused by Jews, O King!

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

What! incredible, is it judged with you, that, God the dead doth raise?

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

I, therefore, imagined to myself, that, against the name of Jesus the Nazarene, it was needful, many hostile things, to bring about, —

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 also I did in Jerusalem, yea and, many of the saints, I myself, in prisons, shut up, —the authority, from the High-priests, having received: and, when they were to be put to death, I brought against them my vote;

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, ofttimes punishing them, I would fain have compelled them to defame; and, being excessively maddened against them, I went on to pursue them as far as even the outlying cities.

12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

Among which things, being on a journey unto Damascus, with the authority and commission of the High-priests,

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.

at mid-day, on the road, I saw, O King, from heaven, above the splendour of the sun, shining around me, a light, and [around] them who, with me, were journeying;

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, when we were all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice, saying unto me, in the Hebrew language—Saul! Saul! why, me, art thou persecuting? It is hard for thee, against goads, to be kicking!

15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus 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 and stand upon thy feet; for, to this end, have I appeared unto thee, —To appoint thee an attendant and a witness, both of the things as to which thou hast seen me, and of those as to which I will appear unto thee:

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

Rescuing thee from among the people, and from among the nations, unto whom, I, am sending thee—

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

To open their eyes; that they turn from darkness unto light, and the authority of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among them who have been made holy by the faith respecting me.

19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

Wherefore, O King Agrippa, —I became not disobedient unto the heavenly vision;

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

But—both to them in Damascus, first, and in Jerusalem, unto all the country of Judaea also, and unto the nations, I carried tidings—that they should repent, and turn unto God, and, works worthy of their repentance, should practise.

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

Because of these things, Jews seized me in the temple, and were attempting to slay me with their own hands.

22 Having therefore obtained help of God, 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:

So then, having met with, the help that is from God, until this day, do I stand, witnessing to both small and great, nothing else saying, than those things which both the prophets, and Moses, did say should certainly come to pass: —

23 That Christ 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.

If, to suffer, the Christ was destined, if, the first of a resurrection of the dead, he is about to carry tidings, of light, both unto the people, and unto the nations.

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.

Now, as he was saying these things in his defence, Festus, with a loud voice, saith—Thou art raving, Paul! Thy great learning, is turning thee round unto, raving madness.

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

But Paul—I am not raving (saith he), most noble Festus, —but, the declarations of truth and soberness, am I sounding forth:

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 well-knoweth, the king, concerning these things, unto whom, with boldness of utterance, am I speaking; for, that these things are not hidden from him, I am well persuaded, —for, not in a corner, hath this thing been done.

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

Believest thou, King Agrippa, in the prophets? I know that thou believest!

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

And, Agrippa, [said] unto Paul—Almost, art thou persuading, me, to become a, Christian!

29 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.

And, Paul, [answered] —I could pray unto God that, both almost and altogether, not only thou but all they who are hearing me this day, might become such, —as even, I, am, excepting 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 rose up, and the governor, Bernice also, and they who had been sitting with them;

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

And, retiring, they began conversing one with another, saying, Nothing worthy of death or of bonds, doth this man practise.

32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cæsar.

And, Agrippa, unto Festus, said—This man might have been released, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.