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:

And Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defence:

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 defence before thee this day touching all the things whereof I am accused 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 because thou art expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

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

My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation, and at Jerusalem, know 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;

having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify, how that after the straitest 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,

And now I stand [here] to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers;

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;

unto which [promise] our twelve tribes, earnestly serving [God] night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king!

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

Why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise 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 verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

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 I also did in Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put 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.

And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.

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

Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the 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;

at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that 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!

And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the goad.

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

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

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 arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee;

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

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

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.

to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.

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

Wherefore, 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 declared both to them of Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judaea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

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

For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and assayed 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,

Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand unto this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say 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 that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the 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!”

And as he thus made his defence, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning doth turn thee to madness.

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

But Paul saith, I am not mad, most excellent Festus; but speak forth words of truth and soberness.

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;

For the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hath not been done in a corner.

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

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

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

And Agrippa [said] unto Paul, With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me 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.”

And Paul [said], I would to God, that whether with little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except these bonds.

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

And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

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

and when they had withdrawn, they spake one to another, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

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

And Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.