Berean Study Bible

English Standard Version

1Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:

1So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:

2“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews,

2“I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews,

3especially since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me patiently.

3especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

4Surely all the Jews know how I have lived from the earliest days of my youth, among my own people and in Jerusalem.

4“My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews.

5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the strictest sect of our religion.

5They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee.

6And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made to our fathers,

6And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers,

7the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to realize as they earnestly serve God day and night. It is because of this hope, O king, that I am accused by the Jews.

7to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!

8Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

8Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

9So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

9“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10And that is what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them.

10And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.

11I frequently had them punished in the synagogues, and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.

11And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

12In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

12“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

13About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions.

13At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me.

14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

14And when we had all fallen to the ground, 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.’

15‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.

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

16‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen from Me and what I will show you.

16But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you,

17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them

17delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you

18to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’

18to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

19So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

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

20First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.

20but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.

21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.

21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.

22But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen:

22To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass:

23that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”

23that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

24At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!”

24And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.”

25But Paul answered, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.

25But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.

26For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.

26For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.

27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

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

28Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?”

28And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”

29“Short time or long,” Paul replied, “I wish to God that not only you but all who hear me this day may become what I am, except for these chains.”

29And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”

30Then the king and the governor rose, along with Bernice and those seated with them.

30Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them.

31On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”

31And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.”

32And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

32And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

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ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.