Acts, 26

1. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

1. Agrippa said to Paul: "You may speak in your own defense." So Paul stretched out his hand and began in this way:

2. I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

2. "King Agrippa, you have just heard about the accusations of the Jews. I consider myself fortunate in having the opportunity to defend myself against all this before you today,

3. Especially [because I know] thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

3. for you are an expert in the customs of the Jews and their disputes. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

4. My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

4. All the Jews know how I have lived from my youth, how I have lived among my own people and in Jerusalem.

5. Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

5. They have always known me and they can tell you, if they wish, that I have lived as a Pharisee in the most rigorous sect of our religion.

6. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

6. If I am now tried here, it is because of the hope I have in the promise made by God to our ancestors.

7. Unto which [promise] our twelve tribes, instantly serving [God] day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

7. The hope of attaining this promise is behind the fervent worship which our twelve tribes render to God night and day. Yet now, O king, the Jews accuse me for this hope!

8. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

8. But why refuse to believe that God raises the dead?

9. I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

9. I myself in the beginning thought that I had to use all possible means to counteract the Name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against [them].

10. This I did in Jerusalem and, with the authorization of the chief priests, I put in prison many who believed; and I cast my vote when they were condemned to death.

11. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled [them] to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted [them] even unto strange cities.

11. I went round the synagogues and multiplied punishments against them to force them to renounce their faith; such was my rage against them that I pursued them even to foreign cities.

12. Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

12. With this purpose in mind I went to Damascus with full authority and commissioned by the chief priests.

13. At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

13. On the way, O King, at midday I saw a light from heaven, more brilliant than the sun, that dazzled me and those who accompanied me.

14. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

14. We all fell to the ground and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew: 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? In vain do you kick against the goad.'

15. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

15. I answered: 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said: 'I am Jesus whom you persecute.

16. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

16. Get up now and stand on your feet. I have revealed myself to you to make you servant and witness to what I have just shown you and to what I will show you later on.

17. Delivering thee from the people, and [from] the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

17. I will rescue you from all evil that may come from your own people or from the pagans to whom I am sending you.

18. To open their eyes, [and] to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

18. For you shall open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; and, through faith in me, may obtain forgiveness of their sins and a place among those who are sanctified.'

19. Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

19. Since that time, King Agrippa, I did not stray from this heavenly vision;

20. But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and [then] to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

20. on the contrary, I began preaching first to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and throughout Judea, and then to the pagan nations, that they should repent and turn to God, showing the fruits of true conversion.

21. For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill [me].

21. I was carrying out this mission when the Jews arrested me in the Temple and tried to kill me. But with the help of God, I still stand here today to give my testimony both to the great and the small.

22. Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

22. I do not teach anything other than what Moses and the Prophets announced beforehand:

23. That Christ should suffer, [and] that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

23. the Messiah had to die, and after being the first to be raised from the dead, he would proclaim the light to his people as well as to all nations."

24. And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

24. As Paul came to this point of his defense, Festus said in a loud voice: "Paul, you are mad; your great learning has deranged your mind!"

25. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

25. But Paul answered: "I am not mad, Most Excellent Festus, but everything I have said is reliable and true.

26. For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

26. The king is acquainted with all these things, so to him I speak with such confidence. I am convinced that he knows everything about this case, for these things did not happen in a dark corner.

27. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

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

28. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

28. Agrippa said to him: "You almost believe that you have already made me a Christian!"

29. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

29. Paul answered him: "Whether little or more, I would that not only you but all who hear me this day may come to be as I am - except for these chains."

30. And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

30. Then the king rose and, with him, the governor, Bernice and all the attendants.

31. And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

31. When they went out they talked among themselves and said: "This man has done nothing to deserve death or imprisonment."

32. Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

32. And Agrippa said to Festus: "Had he not appealed to Caesar, he could have been set free."