| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” So Paul stretched out his 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: " |
| 2“I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by 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 you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you 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." |
| 4“My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. | 4All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem. |
| 5They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest 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 by God to our fathers. | 6And now I stand on trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, |
| 7To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by 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 incredible by you that God raises the dead? | 8Why is it considered incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? |
| 9“Indeed, I myself thought I must 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. |
| 10This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were 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. |
| 11And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted 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 thus occupied, as I journeyed 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, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who 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 all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying 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 speaking 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 He 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. |
| 16But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal 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. |
| 17I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, | 17I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles. I now send you to them |
| 18to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are 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“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, | 19Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. |
| 20but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting 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 reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. | 21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple complex and were trying to kill me. |
| 22Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would 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 the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light 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." |
| 24Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much 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 he said, “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. | 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, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since 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, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.” | 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe." |
| 28Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost 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 to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether 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." |
| 30When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; | 30So the king, the governor, Bernice, and those sitting with them got up, |
| 31and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.” | 31and when they had left they talked with each other and said, "This man is doing nothing that deserves death or chains." |
| 32Then 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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