Acts 26
Paul’s Defense before Agrippa
1 aNow Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul extended his hand and proceeded to make his defense: 2 “Regarding all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 3 ▼▼Or because you are especially expert
especially because you are an expert in all ccustoms and ▼▼Or controversial issues
questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. 4 “So then, all Jews know emy way of life since my youth, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and in Jerusalem, 5since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a fPharisee gaccording to the strictest hsect of our religion. 6And now I am standing trial ifor the hope of jthe promise made by God to our fathers; 7the promise kto which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. For this lhope, O king, I am being maccused by Jews. 8Why is it considered incredible among you people nif God raises the dead? 9 “So oI thought to myself that I had to act in strong opposition to pthe name of Jesus ▼▼Or the Nazarene
of Nazareth. 10And this is ▼▼Lit also
just what I sdid in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the ▼▼Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
saints in prisons, after ureceiving authority from the chief priests, but I also vcast my vote against them when they were being put to death. 11And was I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and since I was xextremely enraged at them, I kept pursuing them yeven to ▼▼Or outlying
foreign cities. 12 “ ▼▼Lit In which things
While so engaged, abas I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, ▼▼Lit above the brightness of
brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who were journeying with me. 14And when we had adall fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the ▼▼I.e., Jewish Aramaic
afHebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? ▼▼An idiom referring to an animal’s futile resistance to being prodded with a spiked stick
It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and ahstand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to aiappoint you as a ajservant and aka witness not only to the things in which you have seen Me, but also to the things in which I will appear to you, 17 alrescuing you amfrom the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to anopen their eyes so that they may turn from aodarkness to light, and from the ▼▼Or dominion
power of aqSatan to God, that they may receive arforgiveness of sins and an asinheritance among those who have been sanctified by atfaith in Me.’ 19 “For that reason, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20but continually proclaimed auto those in Damascus first, and avin Jerusalem, and then all the region of Judea, and even awto the Gentiles, that they are to axrepent and turn to God, performing deeds ayconsistent with repentance. 21For these reasons some Jews azseized me in the temple and tried bato murder me. 22So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day bbtestifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what bcthe Prophets and Moses said was going to take place, 23as to bdwhether the ▼▼I.e., Messiah
Christ was ▼▼Lit subject to suffering
to suffer, and whether, as bgfirst from the resurrection of the dead, He would proclaim bhlight both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” 24 While ▼▼Lit he
Paul was stating these things in his defense, Festus *said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! ▼▼Lit The many letters; i.e., education
Your great bklearning is ▼▼Lit turning you to madness
driving you insane.” 25But Paul *said, “I am not insane, bmmost excellent Festus; on the contrary, I am speaking out with ▼▼Lit words of truth and rationality
truthful and rational words. 26For the king ▼▼Or understands
bpknows about these matters, and I also speak to him with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a ▼▼I.e., a hidden or secret place
corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you believe.” 28Agrippa replied to Paul, “ ▼▼Or With a little
In a short time you are going to persuade me to ▼▼Or act as a Christian
make a btChristian of myself.” 29And Paul said, “I would ▼▼Or pray to
wish to God that even ▼▼Or with a little or with much
in a short or long time not only you, but also all who hear me this day would become such as I myself am, except for these bwchains.” 30 bxThe king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, 31and when they had gone out, they began talking to one another, saying, “ byThis man is not doing anything deserving death or ▼▼Lit bonds
imprisonment.” 32And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been caset free if he had not cbappealed to Caesar.”
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