1 ¶ Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand and answered for himself:

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

2 I esteem myself blessed, King Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee concerning all the things of which I am accused of the Jews,

“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;

3 e specially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews; therefore, I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

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

4 M y manner of life from my youth, which from the beginning was among my own nation at Jerusalem, is known of all the Jews,

“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;

5 w ho knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most perfect sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

since 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.

6 A nd now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers;

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

7 u nto which promise our twelve tribes, constantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

the 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.

8 W hy should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead?

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

9 I verily had thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

“So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10 W hich things I also did in Jerusalem, and I shut up many of the saints in prison, having received authority from the princes of the priests, and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

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.

11 A nd I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.

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 ¶ Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the princes of the priests,

“ While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

13 a t midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and those who journeyed with me.

at 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.

14 A nd when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

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 A nd I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou dost persecute.

And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

16 B ut rise and stand upon thy feet, for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen and of those things in which I will appear unto thee;

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 d elivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee

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

18 t o open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among those who are sanctified by the faith that is in me.

to 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 W hereupon, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision,

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

20 b ut I announced first unto those of Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the coasts of Judaea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

but 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.

21 F or these causes the Jews caught me in the temple and went about to kill me.

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

22 H aving, therefore, obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said should come:

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;

23 t hat the Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead and should show light unto this people and to the Gentiles.

that 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.”

24 ¶ And as he spoke these things and answered for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

While 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.”

25 B ut he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth words of truth and temperance.

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

26 F or the king knows of these things, before whom I also speak freely; for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him, for this thing was not done in a corner.

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.

27 K ing Agrippa, dost thou believe the prophets? I know that thou believest.

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

28 T hen Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

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

29 A nd Paul said, I desire before God that by little or by much, not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were such as I am, except these bonds.

And 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.”

30 A nd when he had said these things, the king rose up and the governor and Bernice and those that sat with them;

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

31 a nd when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

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

32 T hen Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

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