Acts of the Apostles 26

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Yet truly, Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted for you to speak for yourself.” Then Paul, extending his hand, began to offer his defense.	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 blessed, O king Agrippa, that I am to give my defense today before you, about everything of which I am accused 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 especially since you know everything that pertains to the Jews, both customs and questions. Because of this, I beg 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 And certainly, all the Jews know about my life from my youth, which had its beginning among my own people in Jerusalem.	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 knew me well from the beginning, (if they would be willing to offer testimony) for I lived according to the most determined sect of our religion: 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 in the hope of the Promise which was made by God to our fathers that I stand subject to judgment.	6 But now I am standing trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors.
7 It is the Promise that our twelve tribes, worshiping night and day, hope to see. About this hope, O king, I am accused by the 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 should it be judged so unbelievable with you all that God might raise the dead?	8 Why is it thought unbelievable among you that God raises the dead?
9 And certainly, I myself formerly considered that I ought to act in many ways which are contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.	9 I myself once thought that I had to do many things against the name of Jesus the Nazorean,
10 This is also how I acted at Jerusalem. And so, I enclosed many holy persons in prison, having received authority from the leaders of the priests. And when they were to be killed, I brought the sentence.	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 And in every synagogue, frequently while punishing them, I compelled them to blaspheme. And being all the more maddened against them, I persecuted them, even to 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 Thereafter, as I was going to Damascus, with authority and permission from the high priest,	12 "On one such occasion I was traveling to Damascus with the authorization and commission of the chief priests.
13 at midday, O king, I and those who were also with me, saw along the way a light from heaven shining around me with a splendor greater than that of the sun.	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 And when we had all fallen down to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick 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 said, ‘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 rise up and stand on your feet. For I appeared to you for this reason: so that I may establish you as a minister and a witness concerning the things that you have seen, and concerning the things that I will show 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 rescuing you from the people and the nations to which I am now sending you,	17 I shall deliver you from this people and from the Gentiles to whom I send you,
18 in order to open their eyes, so that they may be converted from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive the remission of sins and a place among the saints, through the faith that is in me.’	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 From then on, O king Agrippa, I was not unbelieving to the heavenly vision.	19 "And so, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.
20 But I preached, first to those who are at Damascus and at Jerusalem, and then to the entire region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, so that they would repent and convert to God, doing the works that are worthy of repentance.	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 It was for this reason that the Jews, having apprehended me when I was in the temple, attempted to kill me.	21 That is why the Jews seized me (when I was) in the temple and tried to kill me.
22 But having been aided by the help of God, even to this day, I stand witnessing to the small and the great, saying nothing beyond what the Prophets and Moses have said would be in the future:	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 would suffer, and that he would be the first from the resurrection of the dead, and that he would bring light to the people and to the nations.”	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 While he was speaking these things and presenting his defense, Festus said with a loud voice: “Paul, you are insane! Too much studying has turned you to insanity.”	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 And Paul said: “I am not insane, most excellent Festus, but rather I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.	25 But Paul replied, "I am not mad, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and reason.
26 For the king knows about these things. To him also, I am speaking with constancy. For I think that none of these things are unknown to him. And neither were these things 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 Do you believe the Prophets, O king Agrippa? I know that you believe.”	27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe."
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “To some extent, you persuade me to become a Christian.”	28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You will soon persuade me to play the Christian."
29 And Paul said, “I hope to God that, both to a small extent and to a great extent, not only you, but also all those who hear me this day will become just as I also 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 And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them.	30 Then the king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and the others who sat with them.
31 And when they had withdrawn, they were speaking among themselves, saying, “This man has done nothing worthy of death, nor of 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 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released, if he had not appealed to Caesar.”	32 And Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."