| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: | 1Agrippa said to Paul, "It is permitted for you to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: " |
| 2I 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: | 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, |
| 3Especially 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. | 3especially since you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently." |
| 4My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; | 4All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem. |
| 5Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. | 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. |
| 6And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: | 6And now I stand on trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, |
| 7Unto 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. | 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. |
| 8Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? | 8Why is it considered incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? |
| 9I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. | 9In fact, I myself supposed it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. |
| 10Which 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. | 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. |
| 11And 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. | 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." |
| 12Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, | 12I was traveling to Damascus under these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests. |
| 13At 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. | 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. |
| 14And 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. | 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.'" |
| 15And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. | 15Then I said, 'Who are You, Lord?'" And the Lord replied: I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting. |
| 16But 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; | 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. |
| 17Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, | 17I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles. I now send you to them |
| 18To 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. | 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.'" |
| 19Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: | 19Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. |
| 20But 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. | 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. |
| 21For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. | 21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple complex and were trying to kill me. |
| 22Having 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: | 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-- |
| 23That 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. | 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." |
| 24And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. | 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!" |
| 25But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. | 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. |
| 26For 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. | 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. |
| 27King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. | 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe." |
| 28Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. | 28Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?"" |
| 29And 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. | 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." |
| 30And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them: | 30So the king, the governor, Bernice, and those sitting with them got up, |
| 31And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. | 31and when they had left they talked with each other and said, "This man is doing nothing that deserves death or chains." |
| 32Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar. | 32Then Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar." |
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