| NET Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul held out his hand and began his defense: | 1So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: |
| 2"Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, | 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, |
| 3because you are especially familiar with all the customs and controversial issues of the Jews. Therefore I ask you to listen to me patiently. | 3especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. |
| 4Now all the Jews know the way I lived from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. | 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. |
| 5They know, because they have known me from time past, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. | 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. |
| 6And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, | 6And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, |
| 7a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God night and day. Concerning this hope the Jews are accusing me, Your Majesty! | 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! |
| 8Why do you people think it is unbelievable that God raises the dead? | 8Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? |
| 9Of course, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. | 9“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. |
| 10And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons by the authority I received from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote against them when they were sentenced to death. | 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. |
| 11I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to force them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged at them, I went to persecute them even in foreign cities. | 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. |
| 12"While doing this very thing, as I was going to Damascus with authority and complete power from the chief priests, | 12“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. |
| 13about noon along the road, Your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around me and those traveling with me. | 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. |
| 14When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself by kicking against the goads.' | 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.’ |
| 15So I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord replied, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. | 15And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. |
| 16But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance as a servant and witness to the things you have seen and to the things in which I will appear to you. | 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, |
| 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you | 17delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you |
| 18to open their eyes so that they turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' | 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.’ |
| 19"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, | 19“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, |
| 20but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds consistent with repentance. | 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. |
| 21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and were trying to kill me. | 21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. |
| 22I have experienced help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except what the prophets and Moses said was going to happen: | 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: |
| 23that the Christ was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles." | 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.” |
| 24As Paul was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed loudly, "You have lost your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!" | 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.” |
| 25But Paul replied, "I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, but am speaking true and rational words. | 25But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. |
| 26For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely to him, because I cannot believe that any of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner. | 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. |
| 27Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe." | 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” |
| 28Agrippa said to Paul, "In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?" | 28And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” |
| 29Paul replied, "I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains." | 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.” |
| 30So the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them, | 30Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. |
| 31and as they were leaving they said to one another, "This man is not doing anything deserving death or imprisonment." | 31And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” |
| 32Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar." | 32And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.” |
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