NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

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

1Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense:

2"Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today,

2"In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today;

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

3especially because you are an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

4Now all the Jews know the way I lived from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem.

4"So then, all Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem;

5They know, because they have known me from time past, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee.

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

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

6"And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers;

7a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God night and day. Concerning this hope the Jews are accusing me, Your Majesty!

7the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews.

8Why do you people think it is unbelievable that God raises the dead?

8"Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?

9Of course, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.

9"So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons by the authority I received from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote against them when they were sentenced to death.

10"And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them.

11I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to force them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged at them, I went to persecute them even in foreign cities.

11"And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.

12"While doing this very thing, as I was going to Damascus with authority and complete power from the chief priests,

12"While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

13about noon along the road, Your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around me and those traveling with me.

13at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me.

14When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself by kicking against the goads.'

14"And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'

15So I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord replied, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

15"And I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

16But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance as a servant and witness to the things you have seen and to the things in which I will appear to you.

16'But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you;

17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you

17rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you,

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

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

19"So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision,

20but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds consistent with repentance.

20but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.

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

21"For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death.

22I have experienced help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except what the prophets and Moses said was going to happen:

22"So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place;

23that the Christ was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles."

23that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."

24As Paul was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed loudly, "You have lost your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!"

24While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad."

25But Paul replied, "I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, but am speaking true and rational words.

25But Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth.

26For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely to him, because I cannot believe that any of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner.

26"For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner.

27Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe."

27"King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do."

28Agrippa said to Paul, "In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?"

28Agrippa replied to Paul, "In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian."

29Paul replied, "I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains."

29And Paul said, "I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains."

30So the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them,

30The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them,

31and as they were leaving they said to one another, "This man is not doing anything deserving death or imprisonment."

31and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, "This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment."

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

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

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