Acts 26

1 And Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted to you to speak for yourself”; then Paul having stretched forth the hand, was making a defense:

Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched forth his hand and began to make his defense.

2 “Concerning all things of which I am accused by Jews, King Agrippa, I have thought myself blessed, being about to make a defense before you today,

"I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day, in regard to all the accusations brought against me by the Jews;

3 especially knowing you to be acquainted with all things—both customs and questions—among Jews; for this reason, I implore you to hear me patiently.

"especially since you are an export in all Jewish customs and questions. I pray you, expert in all Jewish customs and questions. I pray you, hear me with patience.

4 The manner of my life then, indeed, from youth—which from the beginning was among my nation, in Jerusalem—all the Jews know,

"The kind of life I have lived from my youth upward among my own nation and at Jerusalem, all that early life of mine, is well known to all the Jews.

5 knowing me before from the first (if they may be willing to testify), that after the most exact sect of our worship, I lived a Pharisee;

"They know me of old, if they are willing to testify, how that according to the strict sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.

6 and now for the hope of the promise made to the fathers by God, I have stood judged,

"Today I am standing trial because of the hope of the promise made by God to our ancestors,

7 to which our twelve tribes, intently serving night and day, hope to come, concerning which hope I am accused, King Agrippa, by the Jews;

"a promise which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. It is concerning this hope, King Agrippa, that I am accused by the Jews.

8 why is it judged incredible with you if God raises the dead?

"Why is it deemed incredible by you all, if God raises the dead?

9 I indeed, therefore, thought with myself that it was necessary [for me] to do many things against the Name of Jesus of Nazareth,

"I indeed once thought with myself that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus, the Nazarene.

10 which I also did in Jerusalem, and I shut up many of the holy ones in prison, having received the authority from the chief priests; they also being put to death, I gave my vote against them,

"And this also I did in Jerusalem. Armed with authority from the chief priests, I shut up many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death I gave my vote against them.

11 and in every synagogue, often punishing them, I was constraining [them] to speak evil, being also exceedingly mad against them, I was also persecuting [them] even to strange cities.

"In all the synagogues also I punished them oftentimes, and tried to make them blaspheme; and in my mad fury I was pursuing them even to foreign cities.

12 In which things, also, going on to Damascus—with authority and commission from the chief priests—

"On this errand I was traveling to Damascus one day, armed with authority and commission of the chief priests,

13 at midday, I saw in the way, O king, out of Heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining around me a light—and those going on with me;

"when at noon, as I journeyed, O King, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and around those who journeyed with me.

14 and we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? [It is] hard for you to kick against goads!

"We all fell to the ground; and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew. "‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goad.’

15 And I said, Who are You, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom you persecute;

"‘Who are you, Lord?’ I said. "And the Lord said. ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

16 but rise, and stand on your feet, for this I appeared to you, to appoint you an officer and a witness both of the things you saw, and of the things [in which] I will appear to you,

"‘But rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you in order to appoint you my minister and my witness both of what you have already seen and of those things in which I will appear to you.

17 delivering you from the people, and the nations, to whom I now send you,

"‘I will deliver you from the Jewish people, and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you to open their eyes

18 to open their eyes, to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the authority of Satan to God, for their receiving forgiveness of sins, and a lot among those having been sanctified by faith that [is] toward Me.

"‘so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, in order to receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

19 After which, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

"So then, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision;

20 but to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem, also to all the region of Judea, and to the nations, I was preaching to convert, and to turn back to God, doing works worthy of conversion;

"but I proceeded to preach, first to those in Damascus, and then in Jerusalem and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God and do deeds worthy of repentance.

21 because of these things the Jews—having caught me in the temple—were endeavoring to kill [me].

"For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me.

22 Having obtained, therefore, help from God, until this day, I have stood witnessing both to small and to great, saying nothing besides the things that both the prophets and Moses spoke of as about to come,

"But having obtained the help that comes from God, I stand even to this day witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing except what the prophets and Moses said should come;

23 that the Christ is to suffer, whether first by a resurrection from the dead, He is about to proclaim light to the people and to the nations.”

"how that the Christ must suffer, and how he should be the first to rise from the dead, and should bring a message of light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."

24 And he thus making a defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “You are mad, Paul; much learning turns you mad!”

As Paul thus made his defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice. "Paul, you are raving mad; your great learning is driving you mad."

25 And he says, “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but of truth and soberness I speak forth the sayings;

"I am not mad, most noble Festus," said Paul,

26 for the king knows concerning these things, before whom I also speak boldly, for none of these things, I am persuaded, are hidden from him; for this thing has not been done in a corner;

"I am speaking words of sober truth. For the King, to whom I am speaking freely, knows of these matters. I am persuaded that not one of these things has escaped his notice; for these things were not done in a corner.

27 do you believe, King Agrippa, the prophets? I have known that you believe!”

"King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe."

28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In [so] little you persuade me to become a Christian?”

Agrippa answered, "In short, you are doing your best to persuade me to become a Christian."

29 And Paul said, “I would have wished to God, both in a little, and in much, not only you, but also all those hearing me today, to become such as I also am—except these bonds.”

"Long or short," answered Paul, "my prayer to God is that not only you but all who are my hearers this day might become such as I am, save for these chains."

30 And he having spoken these things, the king rose up, and the governor, Bernice also, and those sitting with them,

Then the king rose, and Bernice, and those who were sitting with him.

31 and having withdrawn, they were speaking to one another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds”;

When they had withdrawn they continued talking to one another. "This man is doing nothing," they said, "for which he deserves death or imprisonment."

32 and Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

And Agrippa said to Festus, "If he had not appealed to Caesar, he might have been set free."