Acts 26 NLT CSB Parallel

◄ Acts 26 ►

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1Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak in your defense.” So Paul, gesturing with his hand, started his defense:

1Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:

2“I am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders,

2"I consider myself fortunate, that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews,

3for I know you are an expert on all Jewish customs and controversies. Now please listen to me patiently!

3especially since you are very knowledgeable about all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

4“As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem.

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

5If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion.

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

6Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God’s promise made to our ancestors.

6And now I stand on trial because of the hope in what God promised to our ancestors,

7In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope!

7the promise our twelve tribes hope to reach as they earnestly serve him night and day. King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews because of this hope.

8Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead?

8Why do any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

9“I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene.

9In fact, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death.

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 was in agreement against them.

11Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities.

11In all the synagogues I often punished them and tried to make them blaspheme. Since I was terribly enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.

12“One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests.

12"I was traveling to Damascus under these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests.

13About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions.

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.

14We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will. ’

14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'

15“‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.

15"I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' "And the Lord replied: 'I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.

16 Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future.

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 will see of me.

17 And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles

17I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them

18 to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart 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 share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

19“And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven.

19"So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

20I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do.

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.

21Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried to kill me.

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

22But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen—

22To this very day, I have had help from God, and I stand and testify to both small and great, saying nothing other than what the prophets and Moses said would take place--

23that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God’s light to Jews and Gentiles alike.”

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."

24Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!”

24As he was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, "You're out of your mind, Paul! Too much study is driving you mad."

25But Paul replied, “I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the 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.

26And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner!

26For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak boldly to him. For I am convinced that none of these things has escaped his notice, since this was not done in a corner.

27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do—”

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

28Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?”

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

29Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”

29"I 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."

30Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others stood and left.

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

31As they went out, they talked it over and agreed, “This man hasn’t done anything to deserve death or imprisonment.”

31and when they had left they talked with each other and said, "This man is not doing anything to deserve death or imprisonment."

32And Agrippa said to Festus, “He could have been set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.”

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

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