Acts 26

1 And Agrippa said unto Paul, ‘It is permitted to thee to speak for thyself;’ then Paul having stretched forth the hand, was making a defence:YLT — Acts 26:1

2 ’Concerning all things of which I am accused by Jews, king Agrippa, I have thought myself happy, being about to make a defence before thee to-day,YLT — Acts 26:2

3 especially knowing thee to be acquainted with all things — both customs and questions — among Jews; wherefore, I beseech thee, patiently to hear me.YLT — Acts 26:3

4 ’The manner of my life then, indeed, from youth — which from the beginning was among my nation, in Jerusalem — know do all the Jews,YLT — Acts 26:4

5 knowing me before from the first, (if they may be willing to testify,) that after the most exact sect of our worship, I lived a Pharisee;YLT — Acts 26:5

6 and now for the hope of the promise made to the fathers by God, I have stood judged,YLT — Acts 26:6

7 to which our twelve tribes, intently night and day serving, do hope to come, concerning which hope I am accused, king Agrippa, by the Jews;YLT — Acts 26:7

8 why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?YLT — Acts 26:8

9 ’I, indeed, therefore, thought with myself, that against the name of Jesus of Nazareth it behoved [me] many things to do,YLT — Acts 26:9

10 which also I did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I in prison did shut up, from the chief priests having received the authority; they also being put to death, I gave my vote against them,YLT — Acts 26:10

11 and in every synagogue, often punishing them, I was constraining [them] to speak evil, being also exceedingly mad against them, I was also persecuting [them] even unto strange cities.YLT — Acts 26:11

12 ’In which things, also, going on to Damascus — with authority and commission from the chief priests —YLT — Acts 26:12

13 at mid-day, I saw in the way, O king, out of heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me a light — and those going on with me;YLT — Acts 26:13

14 and we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why me dost thou persecute? hard for thee against pricks to kick!YLT — Acts 26:14

15 ’And I said, Who art thou, Lord? and he said, I am Jesus whom thou dost persecute;YLT — Acts 26:15

16 but rise, and stand upon thy feet, for for this I appeared to thee, to appoint thee an officer and a witness both of the things thou didst see, and of the things [in which] I will appear to thee,YLT — Acts 26:16

17 delivering thee from the people, and the nations, to whom now I send thee,YLT — Acts 26:17

18 to open their eyes, to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the authority of the Adversary unto God, for their receiving forgiveness of sins, and a lot among those having been sanctified, by faith that [is] toward me.YLT — Acts 26:18

19 ’Whereupon, king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,YLT — Acts 26:19

20 but to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem, to all the region also of Judea, and to the nations, I was preaching to reform, and to turn back unto God, doing works worthy of reformation;YLT — Acts 26:20

21 because of these things the Jews — having caught me in the temple — were endeavouring to kill [me].YLT — Acts 26:21

22 ’Having obtained, therefore, help from God, till this day, I have stood witnessing both to small and to great, saying nothing besides the things that both the prophets and Moses spake of as about to come,YLT — Acts 26:22

23 that the Christ is to suffer, whether first by a rising from the dead, he is about to proclaim light to the people and to the nations.’YLT — Acts 26:23

24 And, he thus making a defence, Festus with a loud voice said, ‘Thou art mad, Paul; much learning doth turn thee mad;’YLT — Acts 26:24

25 and he saith, ‘I am not mad, most noble Festus, but of truth and soberness the sayings I speak forth;YLT — Acts 26:25

26 for the king doth know concerning these things, before whom also I speak boldly, for none of these things, I am persuaded, are hidden from him; for this thing hath not been done in a corner;YLT — Acts 26:26

27 thou dost believe, king Agrippa, the prophets? I have known that thou dost believe!’YLT — Acts 26:27

28 And Agrippa said unto Paul, ‘In a little thou dost persuade me to become a Christian!’YLT — Acts 26:28

29 and Paul said, ‘I would have wished to God, both in a little, and in much, not only thee, but also all those hearing me to-day, to become such as I also am — except these bonds.’YLT — Acts 26:29

30 And, he having spoken these things, the king rose up, and the governor, Bernice also, and those sitting with them,YLT — Acts 26:30

31 and having withdrawn, they were speaking unto one another, saying — ‘This man doth nothing worthy of death or of bonds;’YLT — Acts 26:31

32 and Agrippa said to Festus, ‘This man might have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.’YLT — Acts 26:32