Acts 26

1And Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defence:

1And Agrippa said to Paul, It is permitted thee to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretching out his hand answered in his defence:

1And Agrippa said to Paul, You may put your cause before us. Then Paul, stretching out his hand, made his answer, saying:

2I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am to make my defence before thee this day touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews:

2I count myself happy, king Agrippa, in having to answer to-day before thee concerning all of which I am accused by the Jews,

2In my opinion I am happy, King Agrippa, to be able to give my answer before you today to all these things which the Jews say against me:

3especially because thou art expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

3especially because thou art acquainted with all the customs and questions which are among the Jews; wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

3The more so, because you are expert in all questions to do with the Jews and their ways: so I make my request to you to give me a hearing to the end.

4My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

4My manner of life then from my youth, which from its commencement was passed among my nation in Jerusalem, know all the Jews,

4All the Jews have knowledge of my way of life from my early years, as it was from the start among my nation, and at Jerusalem;

5having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify, that after the straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

5who knew me before from the outset [of my life], if they would bear witness, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

5And they are able to say, if they would give witness, that I was living as a Pharisee, in that division of our religion which is most regular in the keeping of the law.

6And now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers;

6And now I stand to be judged because of the hope of the promise made byGod to our fathers,

6And now I am here to be judged because of the hope given by God's word to our fathers;

7unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king!

7to which our whole twelve tribes serving incessantly day and night hope to arrive; about which hope, O king, I am accused of [the] Jews.

7For the effecting of which our twelve tribes have been working and waiting night and day with all their hearts. And in connection with this hope I am attacked by the Jews, O king!

8Why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?

8Why should it be judged a thing incredible in your sight ifGod raises the dead?

8Why, in your opinion, is it outside belief for God to make the dead come to life again?

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

9I indeed myself thought that I ought to do much against the name of Jesus the Nazaraean.

9For I, truly, was of the opinion that it was right for me to do a number of things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10And this I also did in Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.

10Which also I did in Jerusalem, and myself shut up in prisons many of the saints, having received the authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death I gave my vote.

10And this I did in Jerusalem: and numbers of the saints I put in prison, having had authority given to me from the chief priests, and when they were put to death, I gave my decision against them.

11And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.

11And often punishing them in all the synagogues, I compelled them to blaspheme. And, being exceedingly furious against them, I persecuted them even to cities out [of our own land].

11And I gave them punishment frequently, in all the Synagogues, forcing them to say things against God; and burning with passion against them, I went after them even into far-away towns.

12Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

12And when, [engaged] in this, I was journeying to Damascus, with authority and power from the chief priests,

12Then, when I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and orders of the chief priests,

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

13at mid-day, on the way, I saw, O king, a light above the brightness of the sun, shining from heaven round about me and those who were journeying with me.

13In the middle of the day, on the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining round me and those who were journeying with me.

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

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

14And when we had all gone down on the earth, a voice came to me, saying in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you attacking me so cruelly? It is hard for you to go against the impulse which is driving you.

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

15And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest:

15And I said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are attacking.

16But arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee;

16but rise up and stand on thy feet; for, for this purpose have I appeared to thee, to appoint thee to be a servant and a witness both of what thou hast seen, and of what I shall appear to thee in,

16But get up on your feet: for I have come to you for this purpose, to make you a servant and a witness of the things in which you have seen me, and of those in which you will see me;

17delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee,

17taking thee out from among the people, and the nations, to whom I send thee,

17And I will keep you safe from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,

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

18to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan toGod, that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.

18To make their eyes open, turning them from the dark to the light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may have forgiveness of sins and a heritage among those who are made holy by faith in me.

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

19Whereupon, king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision;

19So, then, King Agrippa, I did not go against the vision from heaven;

20but declared both to them of Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judæa, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

20but have, first to those both in Damascus and Jerusalem, and to all the region of Judaea, and to the nations, announced that they should repent and turn toGod, doing works worthy of repentance.

20But I went about, first to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, and through all the country of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, preaching a change of heart, so that they, being turned to God, might give, in their works, the fruits of a changed heart.

21For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and assayed to kill me.

21On account of these things the Jews, having seized me in the temple, attempted to lay hands on and destroy me.

21For this reason, the Jews took me in the Temple, and made an attempt to put me to death.

22Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand unto this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come;

22Having therefore met with [the] help which is fromGod, I have stood firm unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing else than those things which both the prophets and Moses have said should happen,

22And so, by God's help, I am here today, witnessing to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come about;

23how that the Christ must suffer, and how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.

23[namely,] whether Christ should suffer; whether he first, through resurrection of [the] dead, should announce light both to the people and to the nations.

23That the Christ would go through pain, and being the first to come back from the dead, would give light to the people and to the Gentiles.

24And as he thus made his defence, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning is turning thee mad.

24And as he answered for his defence with these things, Festus says with a loud voice, Thou art mad, Paul; much learning turns thee to madness.

24And when he made his answer in these words, Festus said in a loud voice, Paul, you are off your head; your great learning has made you unbalanced.

25But Paul saith, I am not mad, most excellent Festus; but speak forth words of truth and soberness.

25But Paul said, I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but utter words of truth and soberness;

25Then Paul said, I am not off my head, most noble Festus, but my words are true and wise.

26For the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hath not been done in a corner.

26for the king is informed about these things, to whom also I speak with all freedom. For I am persuaded that of these things nothing is hidden from him; for this was not done in a corner.

26For the king has knowledge of these things, to whom I am talking freely; being certain that all this is common knowledge to him; for it has not been done in secret.

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

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

27King Agrippa, have you faith in the prophets? I am certain that you have.

28And Agrippa said unto Paul, With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a Christian.

28And Agrippa [said] to Paul, In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian.

28And Agrippa said to Paul, A little more and you will be making me a Christian.

29And Paul said, I would to God, that whether with little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except these bonds.

29And Paul [said], I would toGod, both in little and in much, that not only thou, but all who have heard me this day, should become such as I also am, except these bonds.

29And Paul said, It is my prayer to God that, in little or great measure, not only you, but all those hearing me today might be even as I am, but for these chains.

30And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

30And the king stood up, and the governor and Bernice, and those who sat with them,

30And the king and the ruler and Bernice and those who were seated with them got up;

31and when they had withdrawn, they spake one to another, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

31and having gone apart, they spoke to one another saying, This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

31And when they had gone away they said to one another, This man has done nothing which might give cause for death or prison.

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

32And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have been let go if he had not appealed to Caesar.

32And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have been made free, if he had not put his cause before Caesar.