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

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, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee concerning all the things of which 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 I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: therefore 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 from my youth, which was at the first among my own nation 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;

Who knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most 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,

And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to 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;

To which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly 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 incredible with you if God raises the dead?

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should 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,

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

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

Upon which as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from 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 noon, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, beyond the brightness of the sun, shining around me and them 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!

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

And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he 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 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 you from the people, and the nations, to whom I now send you,

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

Upon which, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to 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 showed first to them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works fit for repentance.

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

For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about 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 help from God, I continue to this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which 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.”

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

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

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

But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the 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, 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 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?”

Then Agrippa said to Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be 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 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 he having spoken these things, the king rose up, and the governor, Bernice also, and those sitting with them,

And when he had thus spoken, the king rose, 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 gone aside, they talked between themselves, 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.”

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