Πραξεις 26

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

Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:

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

“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself 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 since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to 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

Surely all the Jews know how I have lived from the earliest days of my youth, among my own people and in Jerusalem.

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

They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the strictest sect of our religion.

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

And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made 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

the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to realize as they earnestly serve God day and night. It is because of this hope, O king, that I am accused by the Jews.

8 τι απιστον κρινεται παρ υμιν ει ο θεος νεκρους εγειρει

Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

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

So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

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

And that is what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, 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 frequently had them punished in the synagogues, and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.

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

In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of 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

About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions.

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

We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

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

‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.

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

‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen from Me and what I will show you.

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

I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them

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, so 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 sanctified by faith in Me.’

19 οθεν βασιλευ αγριππα ουκ εγενομην απειθης τη ουρανιω οπτασια

So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

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

First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.

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

For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.

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

But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond 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 the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our 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

At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!”

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

But Paul answered, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.

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 matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.

27 πιστευεις βασιλευ αγριππα τοις προφηταις οιδα οτι πιστευεις

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

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

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become 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

“Short time or long,” Paul replied, “I wish to God that not only you but all who hear me this day may become what I am, except for these chains.”

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

Then the king and the governor rose, along with Bernice and those seated with them.

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

On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”

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

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