Act 26 | ABEn | STEP | And Agrippa [ 2 to 3 Paul 1 said], It is permitted for you [ 2 for yourself 1 to speak]. Then Paul made a defense, having stretched out the hand.

Acts 26

CHAPTER 26 Paul's Defense before Agrippa

1 And Agrippa [²to ³Paul ¹said], It is permitted for you [²for yourself ¹to speak]. Then Paul made a defense, having stretched out the hand. 2 Concerning all of which I am accused by the Jews, O king Agrippa, I esteem myself blessed being about to make a defense unto you today; 3 especially [³a diviner ²being ¹you] of all the things among the Jews of both customs and matters. Therefore I beseech you leniently to hear me. 4 Indeed then the mode of my life, the one from youth, the thing from the beginning happening among my nation in Jerusalem, [⁴understand ¹all ²the ³Jews]; 5 foreknowing me from the beginning, (if they should want to witness) that according to the exactest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6 And now for the hope of the [⁵to ⁶the ⁷fathers ¹promise ²being ³by ⁴God] I stand being judged, 7 in which our twelve tribes, [²with ³intensity ⁴night ⁵and ⁶day ¹serving], hope to arrive; concerning which hope I am accused, O king Agrippa, by the Jews. 8 Why [²unbelievable ¹is it judged] by you if God [²the dead ¹raises]? 9 I indeed then thought to myself [⁵towards ⁶the ⁷name ⁸of Jesus ⁹the ¹⁰Nazarene ¹that it was necessary ²in many things ⁴opposite ³to act]. 10 Which also I did in Jerusalem. And many of the holy ones I [²in prisons ¹imprisoned], [³from ⁴the ⁵chief priests ²authority ¹receiving]; and for doing away with them I brought down a vote. 11 And in all the synagogues often punishing them, I compelled them to blaspheme. And extremely raging against them, I persecuted them even as unto the outer cities. 12 In which also going unto Damascus with authority and delegated power by the chief priests, 13 [²of the day ¹in the middle] in the way I beheld, O king, from heaven above [²the ³brightness ⁴of the ⁵sun ⁶shining about ⁷me ¹light], and the ones [²with ³me ¹going]. 14 And all of us having fallen down onto the ground, heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you [²against ³spurs ¹to kick]. 15 And I said, Who are you, O Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom you persecute. 16 But rise up, and stand upon your feet! [²in ³this ¹For] I appeared to you, to handpick you as an assistant and witness both of what you beheld, and of what I shall make known to you; 17 taking you out from the people and the nations, unto whom now I shall send you, 18 to open their eyes, to turn from darkness unto light, and the authority of Satan unto God, for them to receive a release of sins, and a lot among the ones having been sanctified by the belief in me. 19 From where, O king Agrippa, not to be resisting persuasion to the heavenly apparition, 20 but to the ones in Damascus first, and Jerusalem, [²in ³all ¹and] the region of Judea, and to the nations, I reported to repent and to turn unto God, [³worthy ⁴of repentance ²works ¹doing]. 21 Because of these things [⁴me ¹the ²Jews ³having seized] in the temple, attempted to lay hands upon me. 22 [²aid ³then ¹Having attained] from God, unto this day I have stood, testifying both to small and great, [²nothing ³outside ¹saying] of what both the prophets [³said ⁴was about ⁵to happen ¹and ²Moses], 23 whether [³is susceptible of suffering ¹the ²Christ]; whether he first through resurrection of the dead [³light ¹is about ²to announce] to the people, and to the nations. 24 [³with these things ¹And ²having made his defense], Festus with a great voice said, You are maniacal, Paul; many [³you ¹letters ⁴into ⁵a frenzy ²dizzies]. 25 But I am not maniacal, he says, most excellent Festus, but truth and discreetness of words I declare. 26 [⁶knows ¹For ²concerning ³these things ⁴the ⁵king], to whom also openly speaking I speak. [⁷to be unaware ¹For ⁶for him ⁸in any ⁹of these things ³not ²I am ⁴persuaded ⁵in any way]. For not in a corner [²being done ¹is this]. 27 You believe, O king Agrippa, the prophets? I know that you believe. 28 And Agrippa [²to ³Paul ¹said], By little you persuade me to become a Christian. 29 And Paul said, I would make a vow even to God, both in a little and in much, not only you, but also all the ones hearing me today to become such as to like what even I am, except these bonds. 30 And these things him having said, [³rose up ¹the ²king], and the governor, and also Bernice, and the ones sitting together with them. 31 And having withdrawn they spoke with one another, saying that, Nothing [²of death ¹worthy] or bonds [²does ¹this man]. 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, [³to be loosed ²was able ¹This man] if he had not called upon Caesar.