Acts 26
1 And Agrippa said to Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand and made his defence:
Agrippa then said to Paul, “You are free to speak on your own behalf.” With a sweep of his arm, Paul began his defense.
2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am to make my defence this day before thee concerning all things of which I am accused by the Jews;
“I am delighted, King Agrippa, to make my defense before you today regarding everything I am accused of by the Jews,
3 especially as thou art acquainted with all the customs and questions among the Jews. Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
particularly because you are an expert in all Jewish issues and customs. I beg your patient indulgence as you listen to what I have to say.
4 My manner of life, then, from my youth, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem, all Jews know:
All the Jews know my life story—from my earliest days beginning in my own country and then in Jerusalem.
5 and they know, if they are willing to testify, that from the first, according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.
They have known me for a long time and can verify, if they choose to, that I have followed the religious school that observes our faith in the strictest way—I lived as a Pharisee.
6 And now I stand on trial for the hope of the promise made by God to the fathers,
Now I am standing here to be judged regarding the promised hope God gave to our fathers
7 which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God day and night, hope to obtain; concerning which hope, O king, I am accused by Jews.
that our twelve tribes hoped to receive as they continually dedicated themselves in God's service. Yes, it's because of this hope that I'm accused by the Jews, Your Majesty!
8 Why is it judged incredible with you if God raiseth the dead?
Why should any of you think it's unbelievable that God raises the dead?
9 I indeed thought with myself that I ought to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.
Previously I was sincerely convinced I should do as much as I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 Which I also did in Jerusalem; and many of the saints did I myself shut up in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
This is what I did in Jerusalem. I threw many of the believers in prison, having been given authority to do this by the chief priests. When they were sentenced to death I cast my vote against them.
11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.
I had them punished in all the synagogues, trying to make them recant. I was so furiously opposed to them that I went to cities outside our country to persecute them.
12 And as I was going to Damascus on this business, with authority and a commission from the chief priests,
That's why one day I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and orders from the chief priests.
13 at mid-day, on the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those who were journeying with me.
At about noon as I was on my way, Your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven that blazed brighter than the sun. It shone around me and those who were traveling with me.
14 And when we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goads.
All of us fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It's hard for you to fight against me!’
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest.
‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, the one you're persecuting,’ the Lord replied.
16 But arise and stand upon thy feet; for I have appeared to thee for this purpose, to prepare thee as a minister and a witness both of the things which thou sawest, and of those on account of which I will appear to thee;
‘But pick yourself up and get to your feet. The reason why I've appeared to you is to appoint you as my servant, to be a witness for me, telling others how you have seen me and everything I will reveal to you.
17 delivering thee from the people, and from the gentiles, to whom I send thee,
I will save you from your own people and from the foreigners. I am sending you to them
18 to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among the sanctified, by faith in me.
to open their eyes so they can turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, and so that they can receive forgiveness for their sins and a place with those who are set right as they trust in me.’
19 Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision;
Clearly, King Agrippa, I could not disobey this vision from heaven.
20 but first to those in Damascus, and Jerusalem, and to all the country of Judaea, and then to the gentiles, I proclaimed that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
First in Damascus, then in Jerusalem, and then all over Judea and also to the foreigners I shared the message of repentance: how they should turn to God, demonstrating their repentance through their actions.
21 For these causes the Jews seized me in the temple, and attempted to kill me.
That's why the Jews seized me in the Temple and tried to kill me.
22 Having, however, obtained help from God, I continue to this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing except those things which the Prophets and Moses said were to come to pass;
God has looked after me so I can stand here today as a witness to everyone, both to ordinary people and to those who are important. I am only repeating what Moses and the prophets said would happen—
23 that the Christ should suffer, and that, as first of those raised from the dead, he was to proclaim light both to the people and to the gentiles.
how the Messiah had to suffer, and that by being the first to rise from the dead he would announce the light of God's salvation to both Jews and foreigners.”
24 And as he was thus speaking in his defence, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning is making thee mad.
Festus interrupted Paul as he made his defense, shouting out, “Paul, you've gone mad! All your knowledge is driving you insane!”
25 But he saith, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but utter words of truth and soberness.
“I'm not mad, Festus your Excellency,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and makes sense.
26 For the king knoweth about these things well; to whom also I speak boldly; for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him: for this was not done in a corner.
The king recognizes this, and I'm explaining it very clearly. I am sure that he is aware of what's been happening, because none of this took place as if it were hidden in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, believest thou the Prophets? I know that thou believest.
King Agrippa, do you believe what the prophets said? I'm sure you do!”
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, With little effort thou thinkest to persuade me to become a Christian.
“Do you think you can convince me to become a Christian so quickly?” Agrippa asked Paul.
29 And Paul said, I would to God, that with little effort or with great, not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, might be made such as I am, except these bonds.
“Whether it takes a short time or a long time doesn't matter,” Paul answered. “But my prayer to God is that not just you, but everybody listening to me today would become like me—except for these chains!”
30 And the king rose up and the governor and Bernice, and those who sat with them;
The king stood up, along with the governor and Bernice, and everyone who had been sitting with them.
31 and going aside they talked with each other, saying, This man is doing nothing deserving death, or bonds.
They conferred together after they had left. “This man hasn't done anything that deserves death or imprisonment,” they concluded.
32 And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.
Agrippa told Festus, “He could have been freed if he hadn't appealed to Caesar.”
