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保羅在亞基帕王面前申辯(A)

26 亞基帕對保羅說:“准你為自己申辯。”於是保羅伸手辯護說: “亞基帕王啊,猶太人控告我的事,今天我可以在你面前辯護,實在是萬幸; 特別是你熟悉猶太人的一切規例和爭論,所以求你耐心聽我申訴: 我從幼年到現在,在本國、在耶路撒冷為人怎樣,猶太人都知道。 如果他們肯作證的話,他們是早就知道,我是按著我們祖宗最嚴格的教派,過著法利賽人的生活。 現在我站著受審,是為了對 神向我們祖先的應許存著盼望。 我們十二支派晝夜切切地事奉 神,都是盼望這應許實現。王啊,我被猶太人控告,正是為了這個盼望。  神使死人復活,你們為甚麼認為是不可信的呢? 從前,我也認為應該多方敵對拿撒勒人耶穌的名。 10 後來就在耶路撒冷這樣作了。我得到了眾祭司長授權,把許多聖徒關在監裡,並且他們被殺的時候,我也表示同意。 11 我在各會堂裡多次用刑強迫他們說褻瀆的話;我非常憤恨他們,甚至追到國外的城巿去迫害他們。

12 “那時候,我得到祭司長的授權和准許,去大馬士革。 13 王啊,就在中午的時候,我在路上看見一道光,比太陽更明亮,從天上四面照著我和同行的人。 14 我們都仆倒在地上,我聽見有聲音用希伯來話對我說:‘掃羅!掃羅!你為甚麼迫害我?你要踢刺是難的。’ 15 我說:‘主啊,你是誰?’主說:‘我就是你所迫害的耶穌。 16 你起來,站著,我向你顯現,是要指派你為我工作。你要為你所見過的事,和我將要向你顯明的事作見證。 17 我要救你脫離這人民和外族人,差遣你到他們那裡去, 18 開他們的眼睛,使他們從黑暗中歸向光明,從撒但的權下歸向 神,使他們的罪惡得到赦免,並且在那些因信我而成聖的人中同得基業。’

19 “亞基帕王啊,因此,我沒有違背這從天上來的異象, 20 先向大馬士革、耶路撒冷、猶太全地的人宣講,後向外族人宣講,叫他們悔改,歸向 神,行事與悔改的心相稱。 21 猶太人就是為了這緣故在殿裡捉住我,想要殺我。 22 然而,我得到 神的幫助,直到今日還是站得穩,向尊卑老幼作見證,我所講的都是眾先知和摩西所論的將來必成的事, 23 就是基督必須受難,並且從死人中首先復活,把光明的信息傳報給這人民和外族人。”

保羅說服亞基帕王

24 保羅申訴到這裡,非斯都大聲說:“保羅!你瘋了;你的學問太大,使你瘋了!” 25 保羅說:“非斯都大人,我沒有瘋,我說的都是真實的話,清醒的話。 26 因為王知道這些事,所以我對王坦白直說。我確信這些事沒有一件能瞞得過他,因為這不是在背地裡作的。 27 亞基帕王啊,你信先知嗎?我知道你是信的。” 28 亞基帕對保羅說:“你想用這樣短短的時間就可以說服我作基督徒嗎!” 29 保羅說:“無論時間短也好,時間長也好,我向 神所求的,不單是你,而且是今天所有的聽眾,都能像我一樣作基督徒,只是不要有這些鎖鍊。”

30 亞基帕王、總督和百尼基,還有在座的人都站起來, 31 退到一邊,彼此談論,說:“這個人並沒有犯過甚麼該死該綁的罪。” 32 亞基帕對非斯都說:“這個人若沒有向凱撒上訴,早就可以釋放了。”

26 And Agrippa said to Paul, It is suffered to thee, to speak for thyself. Then Paul held forth the hand, and began to yield reason.

Of all things, in which I am accused of the Jews, thou king Agrippa, I guess me blessed at thee, when I shall defend me this day;

most for thou knowest all things that be among Jews, customs and questions. For which thing, I beseech, hear me patiently.

For all Jews that before knew me from the beginning, know my life from youth; [And soothly all Jews before-witting me from the beginning, have known my life from youth;]

that from the beginning was in my folk in Jerusalem, if they will bear witnessing, that by the most certain sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee. [that from the beginning was in my folk in Jerusalem, if they will bear witness, for after the most certain sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.]

And now for the hope of repromission, that is made to our fathers of God, I stand subject in doom;

in which hope our twelve lineages serving night and day hope to come; of which hope, sir king [of which hope, thou king], I am accused of the Jews.

What unbelieveful thing is deemed at you [What unbelieveful thing is deemed of you], if God raiseth dead men?

And soothly I guessed, that I ought to do many contrary things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10 Which thing also I did in Jerusalem, and I enclosed many of the saints in prison, when I had taken power of the princes of priests. And when they were slain, I brought the sentence. [Which thing and I did in Jerusalem, and I enclosed many of saints in prisons, power taken of the princes of priests. And when they were slain, I gave the sentence.]

11 And by all synagogues oft I punished them, and constrained to blaspheme; and more I waxed mad against them, and pursued [till] into alien cities [and more I waxing mad against them, pursued to alien cities].

12 In which, [the] while I went to Damascus, with power and suffering of the princes of priests,

13 at midday, in the way I saw, sir king, that from heaven a light shined about me, passing the shining of the sun, and about them that were together with me.[a]

14 And when we all had fallen down into the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, what pursuest thou me? it is hard to thee, to kick against the prick [it is hard for thee, for to kick against the prick].

15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou pursuest.

16 But rise up, and stand on thy feet. For why to this thing I appeared to thee, that I ordain thee minister and witness of those things that thou hast seen, and of those things in which I shall show to thee [and of those things in which I shall appear to thee;].

17 And I shall deliver thee from peoples and folks, to which now I send thee, [delivering thee from peoples and folks, into which now I send thee,]

18 to open the eyes of them, that they be converted from darkness to light [to open the eyes of them, that they be turned from darknesses to light], and from power of Satan to God, that they take remission of sins, and part among saints [and sort, or part, among saints], by faith that is in me.

19 Wherefore, sir king Agrippa [Wherefore, thou king Agrippa], I was not unbelieveful to the heavenly vision;

20 but I told [I showed, or told,] to them that be at Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and by all the country of Judaea, and to heathen men, that they should do penance, and be converted to God, and do worthy works of penance.

21 For this cause Jews took me, when I was in the temple, to slay me [and would slay me].

22 But I was helped by the help of God [till] into this day, and stand, witnessing to less and to more [and stand, witnessing to less and more]. And I say nothing else [Nothing saying over] than which things the prophets and Moses spake that shall come,

23 if Christ is to suffer, if he is the first of the again-rising of dead men[b], that shall show light to the people and to heathen men.

24 When he spake these things, and yielded reason, Festus said with great voice, Paul, thou maddest [Paul, thou maddest, or waxest mad]; many letters turn thee to madness.

25 And Paul said, I mad not, thou best Festus, but I speak out the words of truth and of soberness [but I speak out the words of truth and soberness].

26 For also the king, to whom I speak steadfastly, knoweth of these things; for I deem, that nothing of these is hid from him; for neither in a corner was aught of these things done.

27 Believest thou, king Agrippa, to prophets? I know that thou believest.

28 And Agrippa said to Paul, In little thing thou counselest me to be made a christian man. [Soothly Agrippa said to Paul, A little thou counselest me for to be made a christian man.]

29 And Paul said, I desire with God, both in little and in great, not only thee, but [and] all these that hear to day, to be made such as I am, except these bonds.

30 And the king rose up, and the president, and Bernice, and they that sat nigh to them.

31 And when they went away, they spake together, and said, That this man hath not done any thing worthy death, neither bonds.[c]

32 And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might be delivered, if he had not appealed to the emperor. [Forsooth Agrippa said to Festus, This man might be dismissed, or delivered, if he had not appealed to Caesar.]

Footnotes

  1. Acts 26:13 in the midday, in the way I saw, thou king, from heaven light shined about me, over the shining of the sun, and them that went together with me.
  2. Acts 26:23 if Christ is passible, or able to suffer, if the first of the again-rising of dead
  3. Acts 26:31 Which when they went away, spake together, saying, That this man hath not done any thing worthy death, or bonds.

Paul's Defense before Agrippa

26 Agrippa told Paul, “You may now speak for yourself.”

Paul stretched out his hand and said:

King Agrippa, I am glad for this chance to defend myself before you today on all these charges my own people have brought against me. You know a lot about our religious customs and the beliefs that divide us. So I ask you to listen patiently to me.

4-5 (A) All the Jews have known me since I was a child. They know what kind of life I have lived in my own country and in Jerusalem. And if they were willing, they could tell you I was a Pharisee, a member of a group that is stricter than any other. Now I am on trial because I believe the promise God made to our people long ago.

Day and night our twelve tribes have earnestly served God, waiting for his promised blessings. King Agrippa, because of this hope, some of our leaders have brought charges against me. (B) Why should any of you doubt that God raises the dead to life?

(C) I once thought that I should do everything I could to oppose Jesus from Nazareth. 10 I did this first in Jerusalem, and with the authority of the chief priests I put many of God's people in jail. I even voted for them to be killed. 11 I often had them punished in our synagogues, and I tried to make them give up their faith. In fact, I was so angry with them, that I went looking for them in foreign cities.

12 King Agrippa, one day I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and permission of the chief priests. 13 About noon I saw a light brighter than the sun. It flashed from heaven on me and on everyone traveling with me. 14 We all fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice say to me in Aramaic,[a] “Saul, Saul, why are you so cruel to me? It's foolish to fight against me!”

15 “Who are you?” I asked.

Then the Lord answered, “I am Jesus! I am the one you are so cruel to. 16 Now stand up. I have appeared to you, because I have chosen you to be my servant. You are to tell others what you have learned about me and what I will show you later.”

17 The Lord also said, “I will protect you from the Jews and from the Gentiles that I am sending you to. 18 I want you to open their eyes, so they will turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then their sins will be forgiven, and by faith in me they will become part of God's holy people.”

19 King Agrippa, I obeyed this vision from heaven. 20 (D) First I preached to the people in Damascus, and then I went to Jerusalem and all over Judea. Finally, I went to the Gentiles and said, “Stop sinning and turn to God! Then prove what you have done by the way you live.”

21 That is why some men grabbed me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 But all this time God has helped me, and I have preached both to the rich and to the poor. I have told them only what the prophets and Moses said would happen. 23 (E) I told them how the Messiah would suffer and be the first to be raised from death, so he could bring light to his own people and to the Gentiles.

24 Before Paul finished defending himself, Festus shouted, “Paul, you're crazy! Too much learning has driven you out of your mind.”

25 But Paul replied, “Honorable Festus, I am not crazy. What I am saying is true, and it makes sense. 26 None of these things happened off in a corner somewhere. I am sure that King Agrippa knows what I am talking about. That's why I can speak so plainly to him.”

27 Then Paul said to Agrippa, “Do you believe what the prophets said? I know you do.”

28 Agrippa asked Paul, “In such a short time do you think you can talk me into being a Christian?”

29 Paul answered, “Whether it takes a short time or a long time, I wish you and everyone else who hears me today would become just like me! Except, of course, for these chains.”

30 Then King Agrippa, Governor Festus, Bernice, and everyone who was with them got up. 31 But before they left, they said, “This man isn't guilty of anything. He doesn't deserve to die or to be put in jail.”

32 Agrippa told Festus, “Paul could have been set free, if he had not asked to be tried by the Roman Emperor.”

Footnotes

  1. 26.14 Aramaic: Or “Hebrew.” Aramaic is a Semitic language closely related to Hebrew.