English Standard Version

International Standard Version

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

1Then Agrippa told Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense.

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

2"I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, that I can defend myself today against all the accusations of the Jewish leaders,

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

3since you are especially familiar with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen patiently to me.

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

4All the Jews know how I lived from the earliest days of my youth with my own people and in Jerusalem.

5They 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.

5They have known for a long time, if they would but testify to it, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the standards of our strictest religious party.

6And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers,

6"And now I stand here on trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our ancestors.

7to 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!

7Our twelve tribes, worshiping day and night with intense devotion, hope to attain it. It is because of this hope, O King, that I am accused by the Jews.

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

8Why is it thought incredible by all of you that God should raise the dead?

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

9Indeed, I myself thought it my duty to take extreme measures against the name of Jesus from Nazareth.

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

10That is what I did in Jerusalem. I received authority from the high priests and locked many of the saints in prison. And when I cast my vote against them, they were put to death.

11And 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.

11I would even punish them frequently in every synagogue and try to make them blaspheme. Raging furiously against them, I would hunt them down even in distant cities.

12“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

12"That is how I happened to be traveling to Damascus with authority based on a commission from the high priests.

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

13On the road at noon, O King, I saw a light from heaven that was brighter than the sun. It flashed around me and those who were traveling with me.

14And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

14"All of us fell to the ground, and I heard a voice asking me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me? It is hurting you to keep on kicking against the cattle prods.'

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

15"I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' "The Lord answered, 'I'm Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

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

16But get up and stand on your feet, because I've appeared to you for the very purpose of appointing you to be my servant and witness of what you've seen and of what I'll show you.

17delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you

17I'll continue to rescue you from your people and from the gentiles to whom I'm sending you.

18to open their eyes, so 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.’

18You will help them understand and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan's control to God, so that their sins will be forgiven and they will receive a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

19“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

19"And so, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

20but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.

20Instead, I first told the people in Damascus and Jerusalem, then all the people in Judea—and after that the gentiles—to repent, turn to God, and perform deeds that are consistent with such repentance.

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

21For this reason the Jewish leaders grabbed me in the Temple and kept trying to kill me.

22To 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:

22I've had help from God to this day, and so I stand here to testify to both the powerful and the lowly alike, stating only what the prophets and Moses said would happen—

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

23that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead and would bring light both to our people and to the gentiles."

24And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.”

24As he continued his defense, Festus shouted, "You're out of your mind, Paul! Too much education is driving you crazy!"

25But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.

25But Paul said, "I'm not out of my mind, Your Excellency Festus. I'm reporting what is absolutely true.

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

26Indeed, the king knows about these things, and I can speak to him freely. For I'm certain that none of these things has escaped his notice, since this wasn't done in a corner.

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

27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe them!"

28And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”

28Agrippa asked Paul, "Can you so quickly persuade me to become a Christian?"

29And 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.”

29Paul replied, "Whether quickly or not, I wish to God that not only you but everyone listening to me today would become what I am—except for these chains!"

30Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them.

30Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and those who were sitting with him got up.

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

31As they were leaving, they began to say to each other, "This man hasn't been doing anything to deserve death or imprisonment."

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

32Agrippa told Festus, "This man could have been set free if he hadn't appealed to the emperor."

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