1 A grippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself:

2 “ I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you today concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews,

“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,

3 e specially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.

especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.

4 “ Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem;

“My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know.

5 h aving known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

6 N ow I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,

And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers.

7 w hich our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa!

To 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.

8 W hy is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?

Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?

9 “ I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10 T his I also did in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.

This 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.

11 P unishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

And 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. Paul Recounts His Conversion

12 “ Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,

“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

13 a t noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.

at 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.

14 W hen we had all fallen to the earth, 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.’

And 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.’

15 “ I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

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

16 B ut arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you;

But 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.

17 d elivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,

I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,

18 t o open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

to 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.’ Paul’s Post-Conversion Life

19 “ Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

20 b ut declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

but 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.

21 F or this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me.

For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.

22 H aving therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen,

Therefore, 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—

23 h ow the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles.”

that 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.” Agrippa Parries Paul’s Challenge

24 A s he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”

Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”

25 B ut he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.

But he said, “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason.

26 F or the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner.

For 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.

27 K ing Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”

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

28 A grippa said to Paul, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?”

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

29 P aul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these bonds.”

And 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.”

30 T he king rose up with the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them.

When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them;

31 W hen they had withdrawn, they spoke to one another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.”

and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.”

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

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