New Living Translation

New American Standard Bible 1995

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 are permitted to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make 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"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;

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

3especially because you are an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews; 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"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;

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

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.

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

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

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

12"While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of 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.

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.

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. ’

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.'

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

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

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;

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

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

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 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.'

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

19"So, King Agrippa, I did not prove 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.

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.

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

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

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—

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;

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 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."

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

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."

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

25But Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth.

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!

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.

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

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

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

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

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.”

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."

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

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

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

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

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

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org