Acts of the Apostles 26

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, 'You have leave to speak on your own behalf.' And Paul held up his handand began his defence:	1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You may now speak on your own behalf." So Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense.
2 'I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, in that it is before you I am to answer today all the chargesmade against me by the Jews,	2 "I count myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am to defend myself before you today against all the charges made against me by the Jews,
3 the more so because you are an expert in matters of custom and controversy among the Jews. So Ibeg you to listen to me patiently.	3 especially since you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and controversies. And therefore I beg you to listen patiently.
4 'My manner of life from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my own people and inJerusalem, is common knowledge among the Jews.	4 My manner of living from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my people and in Jerusalem, all (the) Jews know.
5 They have known me for a long time and could testify, if they would, that I fol owed the strictest party inour religion and lived as a Pharisee.	5 They have known about me from the start, if they are willing to testify, that I have lived my life as a Pharisee, the strictest party of our religion.
6 And now it is for my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors that I am on trial,	6 But now I am standing trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors.
7 the promise that our twelve tribes, constant in worship night and day, hope to attain. For that hope,Your Majesty, I am actual y put on trial by Jews!	7 Our twelve tribes hope to attain to that promise as they fervently worship God day and night; and on account of this hope I am accused by Jews, O king.
8 Why does it seem incredible to you that God should raise the dead?	8 Why is it thought unbelievable among you that God raises the dead?
9 'As for me, I once thought it was my duty to use every means to oppose the name of Jesus theNazarene.	9 I myself once thought that I had to do many things against the name of Jesus the Nazorean,
10 This I did in Jerusalem; I myself threw many of God's holy people into prison, acting on authority fromthe chief priests, and when they were being sentenced to death I cast my vote against them.	10 and I did so in Jerusalem. I imprisoned many of the holy ones with the authorization I received from the chief priests, and when they were to be put to death I cast my vote against them.
11 I often went round the synagogues inflicting penalties, trying in this way to force them to renouncetheir faith; my fury against them was so extreme that I even pursued them into foreign cities.	11 Many times, in synagogue after synagogue, I punished them in an attempt to force them to blaspheme; I was so enraged against them that I pursued them even to foreign cities.
12 'On such an expedition I was going to Damascus, armed with ful powers and a commission from thechief priests,	12 "On one such occasion I was traveling to Damascus with the authorization and commission of the chief priests.
13 and in the middle of the day as I was on my way, Your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven shiningmore bril iantly than the sun round me and my fel ow-travellers.	13 At midday, along the way, O king, I saw a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my traveling companions.
14 We all fel to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew, "Saul, Saul, why are youpersecuting me? It is hard for you, kicking against the goad.	14 We all fell to the ground and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goad.'
15 Then I said, "Who are you, Lord?" And the Lord answered, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.	15 And I said, 'Who are you, sir?' And the Lord replied, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
16 But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason: to appoint you as myservant and as witness of this vision in which you have seen me, and of others in which I shal appear to you.	16 Get up now, and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness of what you have seen (of me) and what you will be shown.
17 I shal rescue you from the people and from the nations to whom I send you	17 I shall deliver you from this people and from the Gentiles to whom I send you,
18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light, from the dominion of Satan to God,and receive, through faith in me, forgiveness of their sins and a share in the inheritance of the sanctified."	18 to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may obtain forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been consecrated by faith in me.'
19 'After that, King Agrippa, I could not disobey the heavenly vision.	19 "And so, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.
20 On the contrary I started preaching, first to the people of Damascus, then to those of Jerusalem andal Judaean territory, and also to the gentiles, urging them to repent and turn to God, proving their change ofheart by their deeds.	20 On the contrary, first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem and throughout the whole country of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached the need to repent and turn to God, and to do works giving evidence of repentance.
21 This was why the Jews laid hands on me in the Temple and tried to do away with me.	21 That is why the Jews seized me (when I was) in the temple and tried to kill me.
22 But I was blessed with God's help, and so I have stood firm to this day, testifying to great and smalalike, saying nothing more than what the prophets and Moses himself said would happen:	22 But I have enjoyed God's help to this very day, and so I stand here testifying to small and great alike, saying nothing different from what the prophets and Moses foretold,
23 that the Christ was to suffer and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he was to proclaim a light forour people and for the gentiles.'	23 that the Messiah must suffer and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles."
24 He had reached this point in his defence when Festus shouted out, 'Paul, you are out of your mind; althat learning of yours is driving you mad.'	24 While Paul was so speaking in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, "You are mad, Paul; much learning is driving you mad."
25 But Paul answered, 'Festus, your Excel ency, I am not mad: I am speaking words of sober truth andgood sense.	25 But Paul replied, "I am not mad, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and reason.
26 The king understands these matters, and to him I now speak fearlessly. I am confident that nothing ofal this comes as a surprise to him; after al , these things were not done in a corner.	26 The king knows about these matters and to him I speak boldly, for I cannot believe that (any) of this has escaped his notice; this was not done in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, do you believe in the prophets? I know you do.'	27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe."
28 At this Agrippa said to Paul, 'A little more, and your arguments would make a Christian of me.'	28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You will soon persuade me to play the Christian."
29 Paul replied, 'Little or much, I wish before God that not only you but al who are listening to me todaywould come to be as I am -- except for these chains.'	29 Paul replied, "I would pray to God that sooner or later not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am except for these chains."
30 At this the king rose to his feet, with the governor and Bernice and those who sat there with them.	30 Then the king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and the others who sat with them.
31 When they had retired they talked together and agreed, 'This man is doing nothing that deservesdeath or imprisonment.'	31 And after they had withdrawn they said to one another, "This man is doing nothing (at all) that deserves death or imprisonment."
32 And Agrippa remarked to Festus, 'The man could have been set free if he had not appealed toCaesar.'	32 And Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."