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:
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 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 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 as thou art acquainted with all the customs and questions among the Jews. Wherefore I beseech thee 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 My manner of life, then, from my youth, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem, all 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 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 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 I stand on trial for the hope of the promise made by God to the fathers,
"Today I am standing trial because of the hope of the promise made by God to our ancestors,
7 which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God day and night, hope to obtain; concerning which hope, O king, I am accused by 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 raiseth the dead?
"Why is it deemed incredible by you all, if 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.
"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 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.
"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 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.
"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 And as I was going to Damascus on this business, with authority and a 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 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.
"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 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.
"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 art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest.
"‘Who are you, Lord?’ I said. "And the Lord said. ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
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 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 thee from the people, and from the gentiles, to whom I send thee,
"‘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 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.
"‘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 Wherefore, O 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 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.
"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 For these causes the Jews seized me in the temple, and attempted to kill me.
"For this reason 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;
"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 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 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 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.
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 But he saith, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but utter words of truth and soberness.
"I am not mad, most noble Festus," said Paul,
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.
"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 King Agrippa, believest thou the Prophets? I know that thou believest.
"King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe."
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, With little effort thou thinkest to 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 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.
"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 the king rose up and the governor and Bernice, and those who sat with them;
Then the king rose, and Bernice, and those who were sitting with him.
31 and going aside they talked with each other, saying, This man is doing nothing deserving death, or 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 set at liberty, 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."
