| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: | 1Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak in your defense.” So Paul, gesturing with his hand, started 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 am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders, |
| 3especially since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me patiently. | 3for I know you are an expert on all Jewish customs and controversies. Now please 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“As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem. |
| 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. | 5If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion. |
| 6And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made to our fathers, | 6Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God’s promise made to our ancestors. |
| 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. | 7In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope! |
| 8Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? | 8Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise 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 used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene. |
| 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. | 10Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. |
| 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. | 11Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities. |
| 12In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. | 12“One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading 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. | 13About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. |
| 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.’ | 14We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will. ’ |
| 15‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. | 15“‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one 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. | 16 Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. |
| 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them | 17 And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles |
| 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.’ | 18 to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’ |
| 19So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. | 19“And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven. |
| 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. | 20I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do. |
| 21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. | 21Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they 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: | 22But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen— |
| 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 Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God’s light to Jews and Gentiles alike.” |
| 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!” | 24Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!” |
| 25But Paul answered, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety. | 25But Paul replied, “I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth. |
| 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. | 26And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! |
| 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.” | 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do—” |
| 28Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?” | 28Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?” |
| 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.” | 29Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same 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, the governor, Bernice, and all the others stood and left. |
| 31On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.” | 31As they went out, they talked it over and agreed, “This man hasn’t done anything 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, “He could have been set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.” |
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