Acts 26

1 And Agrippa said unto Paul, 'It is permitted to thee to speak for thyself;' then Paul having stretched forth the hand, was making a defence:

Agrippa said to Paul, "You may speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.

2 'Concerning all things of which I am accused by Jews, king Agrippa, I have thought myself happy, being about to make a defence before thee to-day,

"I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews,

3 especially knowing thee to be acquainted with all things — both customs and questions — among Jews; wherefore, I beseech thee, patiently to hear me.

especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.

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

"Indeed, all Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem;

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 known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest 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,

Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,

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

which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O King.

8 why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?

Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?

9 'I, indeed, therefore, thought with myself, that against the name of Jesus of Nazareth it behoved [me] many things to do,

"In fact, I thought to myself that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus the Nazorean.

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

This I also did in Jerusalem. 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 unto strange cities.

Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged 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 —

"Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,

13 at mid-day, I saw in the way, O king, out of heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me a light — and those going on with me;

at noon, O King, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.

14 and we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why me dost thou persecute? hard for thee against pricks to kick!

When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'

15 'And I said, Who art thou, Lord? and he said, I am Jesus whom thou dost persecute;

"I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' "He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

16 but rise, and stand upon thy feet, for for this I appeared to thee, to appoint thee an officer and a witness both of the things thou didst see, and of the things [in which] I will appear to thee,

But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen me, and of the things which I will reveal to you;

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

delivering you from the people, and from the non-Jewish people, to whom I send you,

18 to open their eyes, to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the authority of the Adversary unto 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 to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

19 'Whereupon, king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

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

but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the non-Jews, 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 endeavouring to kill [me].

For this reason Jews seized me when I was in the temple, and tried to kill me.

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

Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said would happen,

23 that the Christ is to suffer, whether first by a rising from the dead, he is about to proclaim light to the people and to the nations.'

how the Christ would suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to non-Jewish people."

24 And, he thus making a defence, Festus with a loud voice said, 'Thou art mad, Paul; much learning doth turn thee mad;'

As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are crazy. Your great learning is driving you insane."

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

But he said, "I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.

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

For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner.

27 thou dost believe, king Agrippa, the prophets? I have known that thou dost believe!'

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

28 And Agrippa said unto Paul, 'In a little thou dost persuade me to become a Christian!'

Agrippa said to Paul, "With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?"

29 and Paul said, 'I would have wished to God, both in a little, and in much, not only thee, but also all those hearing me to-day, to become such as I also am — except these bonds.'

Paul said, "I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these bonds."

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

The king rose up with the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them.

31 and having withdrawn, they were speaking unto one another, saying — 'This man doth nothing worthy of death or of bonds;'

When they had withdrawn, they spoke one to another, saying, "This man does 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.'

Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."