Actus Apostolorum, 26

1. Agrippa vero ad Paulum ait: “Permittitur tibi loqui pro temetipso”. Tunc Paulus, extenta manu, coepit rationem reddere:

1. Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:

2. “De omnibus, quibus accusor a Iudaeis, rex Agrippa, aestimo me beatum, apud te cum sim defensurus me hodie,

2. "I think myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews,

3. maxime te sciente omnia, quae apud Iudaeos sunt consuetudines et quaestiones; propter quod, obsecro, patienter me audias.

3. because you are especially familiar with all customs and controversies of the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

4. Et quidem vitam meam a iuventute, quae ab initio fuit in gente mea et in Hierosolymis, noverunt omnes Iudaei;

4. "My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews.

5. praescientes me ab initio, si velint testimonium perhibere, quoniam secundum diligentissimam sectam nostrae religionis vixi pharisaeus.

5. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee.

6. Et nunc propter spem eius, quae ad patres nostros repromissionis facta est a Deo, sto iudicio subiectus,

6. And now I stand here on trial for hope in the promise made by God to our fathers,

7. in quam duodecim tribus nostrae cum perseverantia nocte ac die deservientes sperant devenire; de qua spe accusor a Iudaeis, rex!

7. to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!

8. Quid incredibile iudicatur apud vos, si Deus mortuos suscitat?

8. Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

9. Et ego quidem existimaveram me adversus nomen Iesu Nazareni debere multa contraria agere;

9. "I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10. quod et feci Hierosolymis, et multos sanctorum ego in carceribus inclusi, a principibus sacerdotum potestate accepta, et cum occiderentur, detuli sententiam;

10. And I did so in Jerusalem; I not only shut up many of the saints in prison, by authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.

11. et per omnes synagogas frequenter puniens eos compellebam blasphemare, et abundantius insaniens in eos persequebar usque in exteras civitates.

11. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme; and in raging fury against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

12. In quibus, dum irem Damascum cum potestate et permissu principum sacerdotum,

12. "Thus I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

13. die media in via vidi, rex, de caelo supra splendorem solis circumfulgens me lumen et eos, qui mecum simul ibant;

13. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining round me and those who journeyed with me.

14. omnesque nos cum decidissemus in terram, audivi vocem loquentem mihi Hebraica lingua: “Saul, Saul, quid me persequeris? Durum est tibi contra stimulum calcitrare”.

14. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, `Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.'

15. Ego autem dixi: “Quis es, Domine?”. Dominus autem dixit: “Ego sum Iesus, quem tu persequeris.

15. And I said, `Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, `I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

16. Sed exsurge et sta super pedes tuos; ad hoc enim apparui tibi, ut constituam te ministrum et testem eorum, quae vidisti, et eorum, quibus apparebo tibi,

16. But rise and stand upon your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and bear witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you,

17. eripiens te de populo et de gentibus, in quas ego mitto te

17. delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles -- to whom I send you

18. aperire oculos eorum, ut convertantur a tenebris ad lucem et de potestate Satanae ad Deum, ut accipiant remissionem peccatorum et sortem inter sanctificatos per fidem, quae est in me”.

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

19. Unde, rex Agrippa, non fui incredulus caelestis visionis,

19. "Wherefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

20. sed his, qui sunt Damasci primum et Hierosolymis, et in omnem regionem Iudaeae et gentibus annuntiabam, ut paenitentiam agerent et converterentur ad Deum digna paenitentiae opera facientes.

20. but declared first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and perform deeds worthy of their repentance.

21. Hac ex causa me Iudaei, cum essem in templo comprehensum, tentabant interficere.

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

22. Auxilium igitur assecutus a Deo usque in hodiernum diem sto testificans minori atque maiori, nihil extra dicens quam ea, quae Prophetae sunt locuti futura esse et Moyses:

22. To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass:

23. si passibilis Christus, si primus ex resurrectione mortuorum lumen annuntiaturus est populo et gentibus”.

23. that the Christ must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles."

24. Sic autem eo rationem reddente, Festus magna voce dixit: “Insanis, Paule; multae te litterae ad insaniam convertunt!”.

24. And as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are mad; your great learning is turning you mad."

25. At Paulus: “Non insanio, inquit, optime Feste, sed veritatis et sobrietatis verba eloquor.

25. But Paul said, "I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking the sober truth.

26. Scit enim de his rex, ad quem et audenter loquor; latere enim eum nihil horum arbitror, neque enim in angulo hoc gestum est.

26. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak freely; for I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner.

27. Credis, rex Agrippa, Prophetis? Scio quia credis”.

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

28. Agrippa autem ad Paulum: “In modico suades me Christianum fieri!”.

28. And Agrippa said to Paul, "In a short time you think to make me a Christian!"

29. Et Paulus: “Optarem apud Deum et in modico et in magno non tantum te sed et omnes hos, qui audiunt me hodie, fieri tales, qualis et ego sum, exceptis vinculis his!”.

29. And Paul said, "Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am -- except for these chains."

30. Et exsurrexit rex et praeses et Berenice et qui assidebant eis;

30. Then the king rose, and the governor and Berni'ce and those who were sitting with them;

31. et cum secessissent, loquebantur ad invicem dicentes: “Nihil morte aut vinculis dignum quid facit homo iste”.

31. and when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, "This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment."

32. Agrippa autem Festo dixit: “Dimitti poterat homo hic, si non appellasset Caesarem”.

32. And Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."