Actus Apostolorum 26

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Agrippa vero ad Paulum ait : Permittitur tibi loqui pro temetipso. Tunc Paulus extenta manu cœpit rationem reddere :	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 De omnibus quibus accusor a Judæis, rex Agrippa, æstimo me beatum apud te cum sim defensurus me hodie,	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 maxime te sciente omnia, et quæ apud Judæos sunt consuetudines et quæstiones : propter quod obsecro patienter me audias.	3 especially since you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and controversies. And therefore I beg you to listen patiently.
4 Et quidem vitam meam a juventute, quæ ab initio fuit in gente mea in Jerosolymis, noverunt omnes Judæi :	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 præscientes me ab initio (si velint testimonium perhibere) quoniam secundum certissimam sectam nostræ religionis vixi pharisæus.	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 Et nunc, in spe quæ ad patres nostros repromissionis facta est a Deo, sto judicio subjectus :	6 But now I am standing trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors.
7 in quam duodecim tribus nostræ nocte ac die deservientes, sperant devenire. De qua spe accusor a Judæis, rex.	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 Quid incredibile judicatur apud vos, si Deus mortuos suscitat ?	8 Why is it thought unbelievable among you that God raises the dead?
9 Et ego quidem existimaveram me adversus nomen Jesu Nazareni debere multa contraria agere,	9 I myself once thought that I had to do many things against the name of Jesus the Nazorean,
10 quod et feci Jerosolymis, et multos sanctorum ego in carceribus inclusi, a principibus sacerdotum potestate accepta : et cum occiderentur, detuli sententiam.	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 Et per omnes synagogas frequenter puniens eos, compellebam blasphemare : et amplius insaniens in eos, persequebar usque in exteras civitates.	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 In quibus dum irem Damascum cum potestate et permissu principum sacerdotum,	12 "On one such occasion I was traveling to Damascus with the authorization and commission of the chief priests.
13 die media in via vidi, rex, de cælo supra splendorem solis circumfulsisse me lumen, et eos qui mecum simul erant.	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 Omnesque nos cum decidissemus in terram, audivi vocem loquentem mihi hebraica lingua : Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris ? durum est tibi contra stimulum calcitrare.	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 Ego autem dixi : Quis es, domine ? Dominus autem dixit : Ego sum Jesus, quem tu persequeris.	15 And I said, 'Who are you, sir?' And the Lord replied, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
16 Sed exsurge, et sta super pedes tuos : ad hoc enim apparui tibi, ut constituam te ministrum, et testem eorum quæ vidisti, et eorum quibus apparebo tibi,	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 eripiens te de populo et gentibus, in quas nunc ego mitto te,	17 I shall deliver you from this people and from the Gentiles to whom I send you,
18 aperire oculos eorum, ut convertantur a tenebris ad lucem, et de potestate Satanæ ad Deum, ut accipiant remissionem peccatorum, et sortem inter sanctos, per fidem quæ est 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 Unde, rex Agrippa, non fui incredulus cælesti visioni :	19 "And so, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.
20 sed his qui sunt Damasci primum, et Jerosolymis, et in omnem regionem Judææ, et gentibus, annuntiabam, ut pœnitentiam agerent, et converterentur ad Deum, digna pœnitentiæ opera facientes.	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 Hac ex causa me Judæi, cum essem in templo, comprehensum tentabant interficere.	21 That is why the Jews seized me (when I was) in the temple and tried to kill me.
22 Auxilio autem adjutus Dei usque in hodiernum diem, sto, testificans minori atque majori, nihil extra dicens quam ea quæ prophetæ locuti sunt futura esse, et Moyses,	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 si passibilis Christus, si primus ex resurrectione mortuorum, lumen annuntiaturus est populo et gentibus.	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 Hæc loquente eo, et rationem reddente, Festus magna voce dixit : Insanis, Paule : multæ te litteræ ad insaniam convertunt.	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 Et Paulus : Non insanio, inquit, optime Feste, sed veritatis et sobrietatis verba loquor.	25 But Paul replied, "I am not mad, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and reason.
26 Scit enim de his rex, ad quem et constanter loquor : latere enim eum nihil horum arbitror. Neque enim in angulo quidquam horum gestum est.	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 Credis, rex Agrippa, prophetis ? Scio quia credis.	27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe."
28 Agrippa autem ad Paulum : In modico suades me christianum fieri.	28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You will soon persuade me to play the Christian."
29 Et Paulus : Opto apud Deum, et in modico et in magno, non tantum te, sed etiam omnes qui audiunt hodie fieri tales, qualis et ego sum, exceptis vinculis his.	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 Et exsurrexit rex, et præses, et Bernice, et qui assidebant eis.	30 Then the king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and the others who sat with them.
31 Et cum secessissent, loquebantur ad invicem, dicentes : Quia nihil morte aut vinculis dignum quid fecit homo iste.	31 And after they had withdrawn they said to one another, "This man is doing nothing (at all) that deserves death or imprisonment."
32 Agrippa autem Festo dixit : Dimitti poterat homo hic, si non appellasset Cæsarem.	32 And Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."