| Holman Christian Standard Bible | New International Version |
| 1Agrippa said to Paul, "It is permitted for you to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: " | 1Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: |
| 2I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that today I am going to make a defense before you about everything I am accused of by the Jews, | 2"King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, |
| 3especially since you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently." | 3and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently. |
| 4All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem. | 4"The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. |
| 5They had previously known me for quite some time, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. | 5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. |
| 6And now I stand on trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, | 6And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. |
| 7the promise our 12 tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve Him night and day. King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews because of this hope. | 7This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. |
| 8Why is it considered incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? | 8Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? |
| 9In fact, I myself supposed it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. | 9"I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. |
| 10I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. | 10And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord's people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. |
| 11In all the synagogues I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them. I even pursued them to foreign cities since I was greatly enraged at them." | 11Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities. |
| 12I was traveling to Damascus under these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests. | 12"On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. |
| 13King Agrippa, while on the road at midday, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. | 13About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. |
| 14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'" | 14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' |
| 15Then I said, 'Who are You, Lord?'" And the Lord replied: I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting. | 15"Then I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' " 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied. |
| 16But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and of what I will reveal to you. | 16Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. |
| 17I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles. I now send you to them | 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them |
| 18to open their eyes so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that by faith in Me they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified.'" | 18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' |
| 19Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. | 19"So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. |
| 20Instead, I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance. | 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. |
| 21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple complex and were trying to kill me. | 21That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. |
| 22To this very day, I have obtained help that comes from God, and I stand and testify to both small and great, saying nothing else than what the prophets and Moses said would take place-- | 22But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen-- |
| 23that the Messiah must suffer, and that as the first to rise from the dead, He would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles." | 23that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles." |
| 24As he was making his defense this way, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, "You're out of your mind, Paul! Too much study is driving you mad!" | 24At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane." |
| 25But Paul replied, "I'm not out of my mind, most excellent Festus. On the contrary, I'm speaking words of truth and good judgment. | 25"I am not insane, most excellent Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is true and reasonable. |
| 26For the king knows about these matters. It is to him I am actually speaking boldly. For I am convinced that none of these things escapes his notice, since this was not done in a corner. | 26The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. |
| 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe." | 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do." |
| 28Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?"" | 28Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?" |
| 29I wish before God," replied Paul, "that whether easily or with difficulty, not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am--except for these chains." | 29Paul replied, "Short time or long--I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains." |
| 30So the king, the governor, Bernice, and those sitting with them got up, | 30The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. |
| 31and when they had left they talked with each other and said, "This man is doing nothing that deserves death or chains." | 31After they left the room, they began saying to one another, "This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment." |
| 32Then Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar." | 32Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar." |
| Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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