Acts 26 ISV BSB Parallel

◄ Acts 26 ►

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Berean Study Bible

1Then Agrippa told Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense.

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

2"I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, that I can defend myself today against all the accusations of the Jewish leaders,

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

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

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

4All the Jews know how I lived from the earliest days of my youth with my own people and in Jerusalem.

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

5They have known for a long time, if they would but testify to it, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the standards of our strictest religious party.

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.

6"And now I stand here on trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our ancestors.

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

7Our twelve tribes, worshiping day and night with intense devotion, hope to attain it. It is because of this hope, O King, that I am accused by the Jews.

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.

8Why is it thought incredible by all of you that God should raise the dead?

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

9Indeed, I myself thought it my duty to take extreme measures against the name of Jesus from Nazareth.

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

10That is what I did in Jerusalem. I received authority from the high priests and locked many of the saints in prison. And when I cast my vote against them, they were put to death.

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.

11I would even punish them frequently in every synagogue and try to make them blaspheme. Raging furiously against them, I would hunt them down even in distant cities.

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.

12"That is how I happened to be traveling to Damascus with authority based on a commission from the high priests.

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

13On the road at noon, O King, I saw a light from heaven that was brighter than the sun. It flashed around me and those who were traveling with me.

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.

14"All of us fell to the ground, and I heard a voice asking me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me? It is hurting you to keep on kicking against the cattle prods.'

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.’

15"I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' "The Lord answered, 'I'm Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

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

16But get up and stand on your feet, because I've appeared to you for the very purpose of appointing you to be my servant and witness of what you've seen and of what I'll show you.

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.

17I'll continue to rescue you from your people and from the gentiles to whom I'm sending you.

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

18You will help them understand and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan's control to God, so that their sins will be forgiven and they will receive a share among those who are 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 an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’

19"And so, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

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

20Instead, I first told the people in Damascus and Jerusalem, then all the people in Judea—and after that the gentiles—to repent, turn to God, and perform deeds that are consistent with such repentance.

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.

21For this reason the Jewish leaders grabbed me in the Temple and kept trying to kill me.

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

22I've had help from God to this day, and so I stand here to testify to both the powerful and the lowly alike, stating only what the prophets and Moses said would happen—

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:

23that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead and would bring light both to our people and to the gentiles."

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

24As he continued his defense, Festus shouted, "You're out of your mind, Paul! Too much education is driving you crazy!"

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!”

25But Paul said, "I'm not out of my mind, Your Excellency Festus. I'm reporting what is absolutely true.

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

26Indeed, the king knows about these things, and I can speak to him freely. For I'm certain that none of these things has escaped his notice, since this wasn't done in a corner.

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.

27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe them!"

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

28Agrippa asked Paul, "Can you so quickly persuade me to become a Christian?"

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

29Paul replied, "Whether quickly or not, I wish to God that not only you but everyone listening to me today would become what I am—except for these chains!"

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.”

30Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and those who were sitting with him got up.

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

31As they were leaving, they began to say to each other, "This man hasn't been doing anything to deserve death or imprisonment."

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

32Agrippa told Festus, "This man could have been set free if he hadn't appealed to the emperor."

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

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