26:1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
26:1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself:

26:2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
26:2 "I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews,

26:3 Especially [because I know ] thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
26:3 "especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.

26:4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
26:4 "My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know.

26:5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
26:5 "They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

26:6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
26:6 "And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers.

26:7 Unto which [promise] our twelve tribes, instantly serving [God] day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
26:7 "To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.

26:8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
26:8 "Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?

26:9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
26:9 "Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

26:10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against [them].
26:10 "This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.

26:11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled [them] to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted [them] even unto strange cities.
26:11 "And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

26:12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
26:12 "While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

26:13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
26:13 "at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.

26:14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
26:14 "And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'

26:15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
26:15 "So I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

26:16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
26:16 'But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.

26:17 Delivering thee from the people, and [from] the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
26:17 'I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,

26:18 To open their eyes, [and] to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
26:18 'to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'

26:19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
26:19 "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and [then] to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
26:20 "but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.

26:21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill [me].
26:21 "For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.

26:22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
26:22 "Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come--

26:23 That Christ should suffer, [and] that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
26:23 "that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."

26:24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
26:24 Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!"

26:25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
26:25 But he said, "I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason.

26:26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
26:26 "For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner.

26:27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
26:27 "King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe."

26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
26:28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian."

26:29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
26:29 And Paul said, "I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains."

26:30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
26:30 When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them;

26:31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
26:31 and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, "This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains."

26:32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.
26:32 Then Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."