Πραξεις 26

1 αγριππας δε προς τον παυλον εφη επιτρεπεται σοι υπερ σεαυτου λεγειν τοτε ο παυλος εκτεινας την χειρα απελογειτο

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

2 περι παντων ων εγκαλουμαι υπο ιουδαιων βασιλευ αγριππα ηγημαι εμαυτον μακαριον επι σου μελλων απολογεισθαι σημερον

“I regard myself as happy, King Agrippa, to make my case before you today against all the accusations of the Jews;

3 μαλιστα γνωστην οντα σε παντων των κατα ιουδαιους εθων τε και ζητηματων διο δεομαι σου μακροθυμως ακουσαι μου

especially, because you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and questions. So I ask you to hear me patiently.

4 την μεν ουν βιωσιν μου την εκ νεοτητος την απ αρχης γενομενην εν τω εθνει μου εν ιεροσολυμοις ισασιν παντες οι ιουδαιοι

Truly, all the Jews know how I lived from my youth in my own nation and at Jerusalem.

5 προγινωσκοντες με ανωθεν εαν θελωσιν μαρτυρειν οτι κατα την ακριβεστατην αιρεσιν της ημετερας θρησκειας εζησα φαρισαιος

They knew me from the beginning and they should admit that I lived as a Pharisee, the strictest party of our religion.

6 και νυν επ ελπιδι της προς τους πατερας επαγγελιας γενομενης υπο του θεου εστηκα κρινομενος

Now I stand here to be judged because of my certain hope in the promise made by God to our fathers.

7 εις ην το δωδεκαφυλον ημων εν εκτενεια νυκτα και ημεραν λατρευον ελπιζει καταντησαι περι ης ελπιδος εγκαλουμαι βασιλευ αγριππα υπο [ των ] ιουδαιων

For this is the promise that our twelve tribes sought to receive as they earnestly worshiped God night and day. It is for this certain hope, King Agrippa, that the Jews accuse me.

8 τι απιστον κρινεται παρ υμιν ει ο θεος νεκρους εγειρει

Why should any of you think it is unbelievable that God raises the dead?

9 εγω μεν ουν εδοξα εμαυτω προς το ονομα ιησου του ναζωραιου δειν πολλα εναντια πραξαι

Now indeed, I myself thought that I should do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10 ο και εποιησα εν ιεροσολυμοις και πολλους των αγιων εγω εν φυλακαις κατεκλεισα την παρα των αρχιερεων εξουσιαν λαβων αναιρουμενων τε αυτων κατηνεγκα ψηφον

I did these in Jerusalem. I locked up many of the saints in prison by the authority I received from the chief priests, and when they were killed, I cast my vote against them.

11 και κατα πασας τας συναγωγας πολλακις τιμωρων αυτους ηναγκαζον βλασφημειν περισσως τε εμμαινομενος αυτοις εδιωκον εως και εις τας εξω πολεις

I punished them many times in all the synagogues and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was furiously enraged against them and I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

12 εν οις [ και ] πορευομενος εις την δαμασκον μετ εξουσιας και επιτροπης της παρα των αρχιερεων

While I was doing this, I went to Damascus with authority and orders from the chief priests;

13 ημερας μεσης κατα την οδον ειδον βασιλευ ουρανοθεν υπερ την λαμπροτητα του ηλιου περιλαμψαν με φως και τους συν εμοι πορευομενους

and on the way there, at midday, King, I saw a light from heaven that was brighter than the sun and it shone around both me and the men who were traveling with me.

14 παντων δε καταπεσοντων ημων εις την γην ηκουσα φωνην λαλουσαν προς με και λεγουσαν τη εβραιδι διαλεκτω σαουλ σαουλ τι με διωκεις σκληρον σοι προς κεντρα λακτιζειν

When we all fell to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me that said in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick a goad.'

15 εγω δε ειπον τις ει κυριε ο δε ειπεν εγω ειμι ιησους ον συ διωκεις

Then I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' The Lord replied, 'I am Jesus whom you persecute.

16 αλλα αναστηθι και στηθι επι τους ποδας σου εις τουτο γαρ ωφθην σοι προχειρισασθαι σε υπηρετην και μαρτυρα ων τε ειδες ων τε οφθησομαι σοι

Now get up and stand on your feet; because for this purpose I appeared to you, to appoint you to be a servant and a witness concerning the things that you know about me now and the things that I will show to you later;

17 εξαιρουμενος σε εκ του λαου και των εθνων εις ους εγω σε αποστελλω

and I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you,

18 ανοιξαι οφθαλμους αυτων του επιστρεψαι απο σκοτους εις φως και της εξουσιας του σατανα επι τον θεον του λαβειν αυτους αφεσιν αμαρτιων και κληρον εν τοις ηγιασμενοις πιστει τη εις εμε

to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive from God the forgiveness of sins and the inheritance that I give to them who are sanctified by faith in me.'

19 οθεν βασιλευ αγριππα ουκ εγενομην απειθης τη ουρανιω οπτασια

Therefore, King Agrippa, I did not disobey the heavenly vision;

20 αλλα τοις εν δαμασκω πρωτον και ιεροσολυμοις εις πασαν τε την χωραν της ιουδαιας και τοις εθνεσιν απαγγελλω μετανοειν και επιστρεφειν επι τον θεον αξια της μετανοιας εργα πρασσοντας

but, to those in Damascus first, and then at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, I gave them the message that that they should repent and turn to God, doing deeds worthy of repentance.

21 ενεκα τουτων με οι ιουδαιοι συλλαβομενοι εν τω ιερω επειρωντο διαχειρισασθαι

For this cause the Jews arrested me in the temple and tried to kill me.

22 επικουριας ουν τυχων της παρα του θεου αχρι της ημερας ταυτης εστηκα μαρτυρομενος μικρω τε και μεγαλω ουδεν εκτος λεγων ων τε οι προφηται ελαλησαν μελλοντων γενεσθαι και μωυσης

God has helped me until now, so I stand and testify to the common people and to the great ones about nothing more than what the prophets and Moses said would happen—

23 ει παθητος ο χριστος ει πρωτος εξ αναστασεως νεκρων φως μελλει καταγγελλειν τω λαω και τοις εθνεσιν

that Christ must suffer and that by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light to our own people and to the Gentiles.”

24 ταυτα δε αυτου απολογουμενου ο φηστος μεγαλη τη φωνη εφη μαινη παυλε τα πολλα σε γραμματα εις μανιαν περιτρεπει

As Paul completed his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are insane; your great learning makes you insane.”

25 ο δε ου μαινομαι φησιν κρατιστε φηστε αλλα αληθειας και σωφροσυνης ρηματα αποφθεγγομαι

But Paul said, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus, but what I am declaring is true and rational.

26 επισταται γαρ περι τουτων ο βασιλευς προς ον και παρρησιαζομενος λαλω λανθανειν γαρ αυτον τι τουτων ου πειθομαι ουδεν ου γαρ εστιν εν γωνια πεπραγμενον τουτο

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

27 πιστευεις βασιλευ αγριππα τοις προφηταις οιδα οτι πιστευεις

Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe.”

28 ο δε αγριππας προς τον παυλον εφη εν ολιγω με πειθεις χριστιανον γενεσθαι

Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me and make me a Christian?”

29 ο δε παυλος ειπεν ευξαιμην αν τω θεω και εν ολιγω και εν πολλω ου μονον σε αλλα και παντας τους ακουοντας μου σημερον γενεσθαι τοιουτους οποιος καγω ειμι παρεκτος των δεσμων τουτων

Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether in a short or long time, not you only, but also all that hear me today, would be like me, but without these prison chains.”

30 και ταυτα ειποντος αυτου ανεστη ο βασιλευς και ο ηγεμων η τε βερενικη και οι συγκαθημενοι αυτοις

Then the king stood up, and the governor, and Bernice also, and those who were sitting with them;

31 και αναχωρησαντες ελαλουν προς αλληλους λεγοντες οτι ουδεν θανατου αξιον η δεσμων πρασσει ο ανθρωπος ουτος

when they left the hall, they talked to one another and said, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.”

32 αγριππας δε τω φηστω εφη απολελυσθαι εδυνατο ο ανθρωπος ουτος ει μη επεκεκλητο καισαρα

Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been freed if he had not appealed to Caesar.”