Acts 26
Amplified Bible
Paul’s Defense before Agrippa
26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are [now] permitted to speak on your own behalf.” At that, Paul stretched out his hand [as an orator] and made his defense [as follows]:
2 “I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, since it is before you that I am to make my defense today regarding all the charges brought against me by the Jews, 3 especially because you are an expert [fully knowledgeable, experienced and unusually conversant] in all the Jewish customs and controversial issues; therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 “So then, all the Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation [the Jewish people], and in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify to it, that according to the [a]strictest sect of our religion, I have lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers.(A) 7 Which hope [of the Messiah and the resurrection] our twelve tribes [confidently] expect to realize as they serve and worship God in earnest night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews! 8 Why is it thought incredible by [any of] you that God raises the dead?
9 “So then, I [once] thought to myself that it was my duty to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; I not only locked up many of the saints (God’s people) in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being condemned to death, I [b]cast my vote against them. 11 And I often punished them [making them suffer] in all the synagogues and tried to force them to blaspheme; and in my extreme rage at them, I kept hunting them even to foreign cities [harassing and persecuting them].
12 “While so engaged, as I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission and full power of the chief priests, 13 at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven surpassing the brightness of the sun, shining all around me and those who were traveling with me. 14 And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice in the Hebrew dialect (Jewish Aramaic) saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? [c]It is hard for you to kick [repeatedly] against the [d]goads [offering pointless resistance].’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 Get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you [to serve] as a minister and as a witness [to testify, with authority,] not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you, 17 [choosing you for Myself and] rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you,(B) 18 to open their [spiritual] eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness and release from their sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified (set apart, made holy) by faith in Me.’(C)
19 “So, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but I openly proclaimed first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent [change their inner self—their old way of thinking] and turn to God, doing deeds and living lives which are consistent with repentance. 21 Because of this some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 But I have had help from God to this day, and I stand [before people] testifying to small and great alike, stating nothing except what the Prophets and Moses said would come to pass— 23 that the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) was to suffer, and that He by being the first to rise from the dead [with an incorruptible body] would proclaim light (salvation) both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
24 While Paul was making this defense, Festus said loudly, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great education is turning you toward madness.” 25 But Paul replied, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent and noble Festus, but [with a sound mind] I am uttering rational words of truth and reason. 26 For [your majesty] the king understands these things, and [therefore] I am also speaking to him with confidence and boldness, since I am convinced that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner [hidden from view, in secret]. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the [writings of the] Prophets [their messages and words]? I know that you do.” 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time [and with so little effort] you [almost] persuade me to become a Christian.” 29 And Paul replied, “Whether in a short time or long, I wish to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these chains.”
30 Then the king stood up, and [with him] the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them; 31 and after they had gone out, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything worthy of death or [even] of imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to [e]Caesar (Emperor Nero).”
Footnotes
- Acts 26:5 Paul probably is referring to the school of Shammai, which flourished from 30 b.c. to a.d. 20. Gamaliel, Paul’s teacher in the school of Hillel (22:3), discussed and interpreted the teachings of both schools, and often agreed with the teachings of Shammai, so Paul was familiar with Shammai as well as Hillel.
- Acts 26:10 Lit cast down my (black) pebble. In ancient times a vote cast by throwing a white pebble meant acquittal, and a black one, condemnation.
- Acts 26:14 An ancient Greek proverb dating back to the time of Euripides.
- Acts 26:14 These were wooden shafts (like broomsticks) with a pointed piece of metal on one end, used by the farmer to keep an ox going in the right direction as it pulled a plow. Jesus was “prodding” Paul to take the proper direction in his life, and Paul had been resisting.
- Acts 26:32 Nero was the fifth and last of the Roman emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. He ruled after the death of Claudius and actively persecuted Christians. Both Paul and Peter were martyred during Nero’s reign (a.d. 54-68).
Acts 26
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
26 So de Agrippa Agrippas said phēmi to pros · ho Paul Paulos, “ You sy have permission epitrepō to speak legō for peri yourself seautou.” Then tote · ho Paul Paulos stretched ekteinō out his ho hand cheir and began to make his defense apologeomai: 2 “ Regarding peri all pas the things of which hos I am being accused enkaleō by hypo the Jews Ioudaios, King basileus Agrippa Agrippas, I consider hēgeomai myself emautou fortunate makarios that it is before epi you sy that I am about mellō to make my defense apologeomai today sēmeron, 3 especially malista because eimi you sy are eimi well acquainted gnōstēs with all pas the ho customs ethos and kai controversies zētēma of kata the Jews Ioudaios. Therefore dio I beg deomai you to listen to akouō me egō patiently makrothumōs. 4 All pas the ho Jews Ioudaios know oida · ho my egō manner biōsis of life · ho from ek my youth neotēs, which ho from apo the beginning archē was ginomai spent among en · ho my own egō people ethnos in en Jerusalem Hierosolyma, 5 for they have known proginōskō me egō from the first anōthen, if ean they are willing thelō to go on record martyreō, that hoti I lived zaō as a Pharisee Pharisaios according kata to the ho strictest akribēs party hairesis of ho our hēmeteros religious thrēskeia system . 6 And kai now nyn I stand histēmi here on trial krinō because epi of my hope elpis in the ho promise epangelia made ginomai by hypo God theos to eis · ho our hēmeis fathers patēr, · ho 7 to eis which hos · ho our hēmeis twelve dōdekaphylon tribes hope elpizō to attain katantaō, worshipping latreuō strenuously en ekteneia night nyx and kai day hēmera. It is for peri this hos hope elpis, your Excellency basileus, that I am being accused enkaleō by hypo Jews Ioudaios! 8 Why tis is it thought krinō incredible apistos among para you hymeis that ei · ho God theos raises egeirō the dead nekros? 9 I egō thought dokeō to myself emautou that I ought dei to do prassō many polys deeds hostile enantios to pros the ho name onoma of Jesus Iēsous of ho Nazareth Nazōraios. 10 And I did poieō so hos · kai in en Jerusalem Hierosolyma; · kai not only te did katakleiō I egō lock up katakleiō in en prison phylakē many polys of the ho saints hagios, · ho after receiving lambanō authority exousia from para the ho chief archiereus priests , but also te when they autos were put to death anaireō I cast katapherō my vote psēphos against them. 11 And kai I punished timōreō them autos often pollakis in kata all pas the ho synagogues synagōgē and tried to make anankazō them blaspheme blasphēmeō; and te since I was so perissōs vehemently angry emmainomai at them autos, I pursued diōkō them even heōs · kai to eis · ho foreign exō cities polis.
12 “ On en one of these hos journeys I was poreuō going to eis · ho Damascus Damaskos with meta authority exousia and kai commission epitropē from ho the ho chief archiereus priests , 13 and at midday hēmera I saw on kata the ho way hodos, O king basileus, a light phōs from heaven ouranothen, brighter than hyper · ho the ho sun hēlios, that shone perilampō around me egō and kai those ho who journeyed poreuō with syn me egō. 14 And te when we hēmeis had all pas fallen katapiptō to eis the ho ground gē, I heard akouō a voice phōnē saying legō to pros me egō in the ho Hebrew Hebrais language dialektos, ‘ Saul Saoul, Saul Saoul, why tis are you persecuting diōkō me egō? It is hard sklēros for you sy to kick laktizō against pros the goads kentron.’ 15 And de I egō said legō, ‘ Who tis are eimi you , Lord kyrios?’ And de the ho Lord kyrios said legō, ‘ I egō am eimi Jesus Iēsous whom hos you sy are persecuting diōkō. 16 But alla get up anistēmi and kai stand histēmi on epi · ho your sy feet pous; for gar I have appeared horaō to you sy for eis this houtos purpose , to appoint procheirizō you sy a servant hypēretēs and kai witness martys both te to the things in which hos you have seen me egō and te to those in which hos I will appear horaō to you sy. 17 I will rescue exaireō you sy from ek your ho people laos and kai from ek the ho Gentiles ethnos, to eis whom hos I egō am sending apostellō you sy 18 to open anoigō their autos eyes ophthalmos, that ho they may turn epistrephō from apo darkness skotos to eis light phōs, and kai from the ho power exousia of ho Satan Satanas to epi · ho God theos, that ho they autos may receive lambanō forgiveness aphesis of sins hamartia and kai a place klēros among en those ho who are sanctified hagiazō by faith pistis · ho in eis me egō.’ 19 So then hothen, King basileus Agrippa Agrippas, I was ginomai not ou disobedient apeithēs to the ho heavenly ouranios vision optasia, 20 but alla I declared apangellō to those ho in en Damascus Damaskos first prōton, then te also kai to those in Jerusalem Hierosolyma and te through all pas the ho region chōra of ho Judea Ioudaia, and kai to the ho Gentiles ethnos, that they should repent metanoeō and kai turn epistrephō to epi · ho God theos, performing prassō works ergon worthy axios of ho repentance metanoia. 21 It was for that houtos reason that the Jews Ioudaios seized syllambanō me egō in en the ho temple hieron and tried peiraō to kill diacheirizō me. 22 Obtaining tynchanō help epikouria, therefore oun, · ho from apo · ho God theos, until achri · ho this houtos day hēmera I have stood histēmi testifying martyreō both te to small mikros and kai great megas, saying legō nothing oudeis beyond ektos what hos the ho prophets prophētēs and kai Moses Mōysēs said laleō would mellō come ginomai to pass : 23 that ei the ho Christ Christos was to suffer pathētos and, as ei the first prōtos to ek rise anastasis from the dead nekros, he would mellō proclaim katangellō light phōs both te to our ho people laos and kai to the ho Gentiles ethnos.”
24 As Paul autos was saying apologeomai these houtos things · de in his defense apologeomai, · ho Festus Phēstos said phēmi in a loud megas · ho voice phōnē, “ You are out of your mind mainomai, Paul Paulos! · ho Much polys learning gramma is driving peritrepō you sy insane eis mania!” 25 · ho But de Paul Paulos said phēmi, “ I am not ou out mainomai of my mind , most kratistos excellent Festus Phēstos, but alla true alētheia and kai rational sōphrosynē are the words rhēma that I declare apophthengomai. 26 For gar the ho king basileus knows epistamai about peri these houtos matters , and to pros him hos · kai I am speaking laleō boldly parrēsiazomai, for gar I am persuaded peithō that none outheis of these houtos things has escaped lanthanō his autos notice lanthanō, for gar this houtos was eimi not ou done prassō in en a corner gōnia. 27 Do you believe pisteuō, King basileus Agrippa Agrippas, in the ho prophets prophētēs? I know oida that hoti you believe pisteuō.” 28 · ho Then de Agrippa Agrippas said to pros · ho Paul Paulos, “ In en too oligos short a time you believe peithō you are making poieō a Christian Christianos of me egō.” 29 · ho · de Paul Paulos replied, “ I would euchomai to ho God theos that whether kai the time be short en oligos or kai long en megas, not ou only monon you sy but alla also kai all pas those ho who are listening akouō to me egō today sēmeron would also kai become ginomai as toioutos hopoios I egō am eimi, except parektos for · ho these houtos chains desmos.” 30 Then te the ho king basileus stood anistēmi up , and kai the ho governor hēgemōn · ho and te Bernice Bernikē and kai those ho sitting synkathēmai with them autos; 31 and kai after they had left anachōreō the room , they spoke laleō to pros one allēlōn another , saying legō, “ This houtos man anthrōpos is doing prassō nothing oudeis worthy axios of death thanatos or ē imprisonment desmos.” · ho 32 And de Agrippa Agrippas said phēmi to ho Festus Phēstos, “ This houtos man anthrōpos could have dynamai been set apolyō free · ho if ei he had not mē appealed epikaleō to Caesar Kaisar.”
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The Mounce Reverse Interlinear™ New Testament (MOUNCE)
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