New American Standard Bible 1995

Holman Christian Standard Bible

1Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense:

1Agrippa said to Paul, "It is permitted for you to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: "

2"In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today;

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 you are an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

3especially since you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently."

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

4All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem.

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

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.

6"And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers;

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

7the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by 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.

8"Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?

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

9"So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile 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.

10"And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote 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.

11"And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign 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."

12"While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of 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 on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying 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.

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

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

15Then I said, 'Who are You, Lord?'" And the Lord replied: I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting.

16'But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you;

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.

17rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you,

17I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles. I now send you to them

18to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith 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.'"

19"So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision,

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

20but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to 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.

21"For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death.

21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple complex and were trying to kill me.

22"So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place;

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 the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish 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."

24While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you 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 Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth.

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.

26"For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been 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.

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

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

28Agrippa replied to Paul, "In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian."

28Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?""

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

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."

30The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them,

30So the king, the governor, Bernice, and those sitting with them got up,

31and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, "This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment."

31and when they had left they talked with each other and said, "This man is doing nothing that deserves death or chains."

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

32Then Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar."

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Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.