Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options
Close ASV

Acts 26
American Standard Version

26 And Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defence:

2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am to make my defence before thee this day touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews: 3 [a]especially because thou art expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. 4 My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; 5 having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify, that after the straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers; 7 unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king! 8 Why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead? 9 I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And this I also did in Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them. 11 And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities. 12 [b]Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that journeyed with me. 14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against [c]the goad. 15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16 But arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things [d]wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee; 17 delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee, 18 to open their eyes, [e]that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me. 19 Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 20 but declared both to them of Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judaea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of [f]repentance. 21 For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and assayed to kill me. 22 Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand unto this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come; 23 [g]how that the Christ [h]must suffer, and [i]how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.

24 And as he thus made his defence, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning [j]is turning thee mad. 25 But Paul saith, I am not mad, most excellent Festus; but speak forth words of truth and soberness. 26 For the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hath not been done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. 28 And Agrippa said unto Paul, [k]With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a Christian. 29 And Paul said, I would to God, that [l]whether with little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except these bonds.

30 And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them: 31 and when they had withdrawn, they spake one to another, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. 32 And Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 26:3 Or, because thou art especially expert
  2. Acts 26:12 Or, On which errand
  3. Acts 26:14 Greek goads.
  4. Acts 26:16 Many ancient authorities read which thou hast seen.
  5. Acts 26:18 Or, to turn them
  6. Acts 26:20 Or, their repentance
  7. Acts 26:23 Or, if. Or, whether
  8. Acts 26:23 Or, is subject to suffering
  9. Acts 26:23 Or, if. Or, whether
  10. Acts 26:24 Greek turneth thee to madness.
  11. Acts 26:28 Or, In a little time thou etc.
  12. Acts 26:29 Or, both in little and in great, i.e., in all respects
Listen to Acts 26
Close NASB1995

Acts 26
New American Standard Bible 1995

Paul’s Defense before Agrippa

26 (A)Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense:

2 “In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today; 3 [a]especially because you are an expert in all (B)customs and [b]questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

4 “So then, all Jews know (C)my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem; 5 since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a (D)Pharisee (E)according to the strictest (F)sect of our religion. 6 And now I am [c]standing trial (G)for the hope of (H)the promise made by God to our fathers; 7 the promise (I)to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this (J)hope, O King, I am being (K)accused by Jews. 8 Why is it considered incredible among you people (L)if God does raise the dead?

9 “So then, (M)I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to (N)the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And this is [d]just what I (O)did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the [e]saints in prisons, having (P)received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I (Q)cast my vote against them. 11 And (R)as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being (S)furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them (T)even to [f]foreign cities.

12 “[g]While so engaged (U)as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13 at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, [h]brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. 14 And when we had (V)all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the [i](W)Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? [j]It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and (X)stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to (Y)appoint you a (Z)minister and (AA)a witness not only to the things which you have [k]seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; 17 (AB)rescuing you (AC)from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to (AD)open their eyes so that they may turn from (AE)darkness to light and from the dominion of (AF)Satan to God, that they may receive (AG)forgiveness of sins and an (AH)inheritance among those who have been sanctified by (AI)faith in Me.’

19 “So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but kept declaring both (AJ)to those of Damascus first, and also (AK)at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even (AL)to the Gentiles, that they should (AM)repent and turn to God, performing deeds (AN)appropriate to repentance. 21 For this reason some Jews (AO)seized me in the temple and tried (AP)to put me to death. 22 So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day (AQ)testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what (AR)the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; 23 [l](AS)that [m]the Christ was [n]to suffer, and [o]that (AT)by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim (AU)light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

24 While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus *said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! [p]Your great (AV)learning is [q]driving you mad.” 25 But Paul *said, “I am not out of my mind, (AW)most excellent Festus, but I utter words [r]of sober truth. 26 For the king [s](AX)knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a [t]corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you [u]do.” 28 Agrippa replied to Paul, “[v]In a short time you [w]will persuade me to [x]become a (AY)Christian.” 29 And Paul said, “[y]I would wish to God, that whether [z]in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these (AZ)chains.”

30 (BA)The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, 31 and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, “(BB)This man is not doing anything worthy of death or [aa]imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been (BC)set free if he had not (BD)appealed to Caesar.”

Footnotes

  1. Acts 26:3 Or because you are especially expert
  2. Acts 26:3 Or controversial issues
  3. Acts 26:6 Lit being tried
  4. Acts 26:10 Lit also
  5. Acts 26:10 Or holy ones
  6. Acts 26:11 Or outlying
  7. Acts 26:12 Lit In which things
  8. Acts 26:13 Lit above the brightness of
  9. Acts 26:14 I.e. Jewish Aramaic
  10. Acts 26:14 An idiom referring to an animal’s futile resistance to being prodded with goads
  11. Acts 26:16 Two early mss read seen Me
  12. Acts 26:23 Lit whether
  13. Acts 26:23 I.e. the Messiah
  14. Acts 26:23 Lit subject to suffering
  15. Acts 26:23 Lit whether
  16. Acts 26:24 Lit The many letters
  17. Acts 26:24 Lit turning you to madness
  18. Acts 26:25 Lit of truth and rationality
  19. Acts 26:26 Or understands
  20. Acts 26:26 I.e. a hidden or secret place
  21. Acts 26:27 Lit believe
  22. Acts 26:28 Or With a little
  23. Acts 26:28 Or are trying to convince
  24. Acts 26:28 Lit make
  25. Acts 26:29 Or I would pray to
  26. Acts 26:29 Or with a little or with much
  27. Acts 26:31 Lit bonds
Next
Acts 25
Acts 27
Next
dropdown
American Standard Version (ASV)

Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)

New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995)

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation