Acts 26:1-29

New International Version

26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”^(A)

So Paul motioned with his hand^(B) and began his defense: ²“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you^(C) today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews,^(D) ³and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs^(E) and controversies.^(F) Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴“The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child,^(G) from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. ⁵They have known me for a long time^(H) and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect^(I) of our religion, living as a Pharisee.^(J) ⁶And now it is because of my hope^(K) in what God has promised our ancestors^(L) that I am on trial today. ⁷This is the promise our twelve tribes^(M) are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night.^(N) King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me.^(O) ⁸Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?^(P)

⁹“I too was convinced^(Q) that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose^(R) the name of Jesus of Nazareth.^(S) ¹⁰And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people^(T) in prison,^(U) and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.^(V) ¹¹Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished,^(W) and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

¹²“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. ¹³About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. ¹⁴We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice^(X) saying to me in Aramaic,^[a]^(Y) ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

¹⁵“Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ¹⁶‘Now get up and stand on your feet.^(Z) I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.^(AA) ¹⁷I will rescue you^(AB) from your own people and from the Gentiles.^(AC) I am sending you to them ¹⁸to open their eyes^(AD) and turn them from darkness to light,^(AE) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins^(AF) and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’^(AG)

¹⁹“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient^(AH) to the vision from heaven. ²⁰First to those in Damascus,^(AI) then to those in Jerusalem^(AJ) and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles,^(AK) I preached that they should repent^(AL) and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.^(AM) ²¹That is why some Jews seized me^(AN) in the temple courts and tried to kill me.^(AO) ²²But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen^(AP)— ²³that the Messiah would suffer^(AQ) and, as the first to rise from the dead,^(AR) would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”^(AS)

²⁴At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind,^(AT) Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning^(AU) is driving you insane.”

²⁵“I am not insane, most excellent^(AV) Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. ²⁶The king is familiar with these things,^(AW) and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced 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 do.”

²⁸Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”^(AX)

²⁹Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”^(AY)

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Footnotes

Acts 26:14 Or Hebrew

Psalm 71:14-24

New International Version

¹⁴As for me, I will always have hope;^(A)
I will praise you more and more.

¹⁵My mouth will tell^(B) of your righteous deeds,^(C)
    of your saving acts all day long—
    though I know not how to relate them all.
¹⁶I will come and proclaim your mighty acts,^(D) Sovereign Lord;
    I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
¹⁷Since my youth, God, you have taught^(E) me,
    and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.^(F)
¹⁸Even when I am old and gray,^(G)
    do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power^(H) to the next generation,
    your mighty acts to all who are to come.^(I)

¹⁹Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,^(J)
    you who have done great things.^(K)
    Who is like you, God?^(L)
²⁰Though you have made me see troubles,^(M)
    many and bitter,
    you will restore^(N) my life again;
from the depths of the earth^(O)
    you will again bring me up.
²¹You will increase my honor^(P)
    and comfort^(Q) me once more.

²²I will praise you with the harp^(R)
    for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,^(S)
    Holy One of Israel.^(T)
²³My lips will shout for joy^(U)
    when I sing praise to you—
    I whom you have delivered.^(V)
²⁴My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
    all day long,^(W)
for those who wanted to harm me^(X)
    have been put to shame and confusion.^(Y)

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Psalm 145

New International Version

Psalm 145^[a]

A psalm of praise. Of David.

¹I will exalt you,^(A) my God the King;^(B)
I will praise your name^(C) for ever and ever.
²Every day I will praise^(D) you
and extol your name^(E) for ever and ever.

³Great^(F) is the Lord and most worthy of praise;^(G)
    his greatness no one can fathom.^(H)
⁴One generation^(I) commends your works to another;
    they tell^(J) of your mighty acts.^(K)
⁵They speak of the glorious splendor^(L) of your majesty—
    and I will meditate on your wonderful works.^[b]^(M)
⁶They tell^(N) of the power of your awesome works—^(O)
    and I will proclaim^(P) your great deeds.^(Q)
⁷They celebrate your abundant goodness^(R)
    and joyfully sing^(S) of your righteousness.^(T)

⁸The Lord is gracious and compassionate,^(U)
slow to anger and rich in love.^(V)

⁹The Lord is good^(W) to all;
    he has compassion^(X) on all he has made.
¹⁰All your works praise you,^(Y) Lord;
    your faithful people extol^(Z) you.^(AA)
¹¹They tell of the glory of your kingdom^(AB)
    and speak of your might,^(AC)
¹²so that all people may know of your mighty acts^(AD)
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.^(AE)
¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,^(AF)
    and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is trustworthy^(AG) in all he promises^(AH)
    and faithful in all he does.^[c]
¹⁴The Lord upholds^(AI) all who fall
    and lifts up all^(AJ) who are bowed down.^(AK)
¹⁵The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food^(AL) at the proper time.
¹⁶You open your hand
    and satisfy the desires^(AM) of every living thing.

¹⁷The Lord is righteous^(AN) in all his ways
    and faithful in all he does.^(AO)
¹⁸The Lord is near^(AP) to all who call on him,^(AQ)
    to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹He fulfills the desires^(AR) of those who fear him;^(AS)
    he hears their cry^(AT) and saves them.^(AU)
²⁰The Lord watches over^(AV) all who love him,^(AW)
    but all the wicked he will destroy.^(AX)

²¹My mouth will speak^(AY) in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature^(AZ) praise his holy name^(BA)
for ever and ever.

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Footnotes

Psalm 145:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which (including verse 13b) begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 145:5 Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text On the glorious splendor of your majesty / and on your wonderful works I will meditate
Psalm 145:13 One manuscript of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text do not have the last two lines of verse 13.