Acts 25:23-26
English Standard Version
23 So on the next day (A)Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom (B)the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, (C)shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that (D)he had done nothing deserving death. And (E)as he himself appealed to (F)the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.”
Paul's Defense Before Agrippa
26 So (G)Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:
2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today (H)against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 especially because you are familiar with all the (I)customs and (J)controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 (K)“My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among (L)my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. 5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that (M)according to the strictest (N)party of our (O)religion I have lived as (P)a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in (Q)the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 (R)to which (S)our twelve tribes hope to (T)attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope (U)I am accused by Jews, O king! 8 Why is it thought (V)incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
9 (W)“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of (X)Jesus of Nazareth. 10 (Y)And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority (Z)from the chief priests, but (AA)when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And (AB)I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them (AC)blaspheme, and (AD)in raging fury against them I (AE)persecuted them even to foreign cities.
Paul Tells of His Conversion
12 “In this connection (AF)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, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me (AG)in the Hebrew language,[a] ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 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 rise and (AH)stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, (AI)to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 (AJ)delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—(AK)to whom I (AL)am sending you 18 (AM)to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from (AN)the power of Satan to God, that they may receive (AO)forgiveness of sins and (AP)a place among those who are sanctified (AQ)by faith in me.’
19 “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to (AR)the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first (AS)to those in Damascus, (AT)then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also (AU)to the Gentiles, that they should (AV)repent and (AW)turn to God, performing deeds (AX)in keeping with their repentance. 21 For this reason (AY)the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 (AZ)To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so (BA)I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what (BB)the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 (BC)that the Christ (BD)must suffer and that, (BE)by being the first (BF)to rise from the dead, (BG)he would proclaim (BH)light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”
Footnotes
- Acts 26:14 Or the Hebrew dialect (probably Aramaic)
Acts 25:23-26
International Standard Version
23 The next day, Agrippa and Bernice arrived with much fanfare and went into the auditorium along with the tribunes and the leading men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all you men who are present with us! You see this man about whom the whole Jewish nation petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 I find that he has not done anything deserving of death. But since he has appealed to his Majesty, I have decided to send him. 26 I have nothing reliable to write our Sovereign about him, so I have brought him to all of you, and especially to you, King Agrippa, so that I will have something to write after he is cross-examined. 27 For it seems to me absurd to send a prisoner without specifying the charges against him.”
Paul Presents His Case to Agrippa
26 Then Agrippa told Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” So Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense.
2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, that I can defend myself today against all the accusations of the Jewish leaders,[a] 3 since you are especially familiar with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen patiently to me. 4 All the Jews know how I lived from the earliest days of my youth with my own people and in Jerusalem. 5 They have known for a long time, if they would but testify to it, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the standards of our strictest religious party.
6 “And now I stand here on trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our ancestors. 7 Our twelve tribes, worshiping day and night with intense devotion, hope to attain it. It is because of this hope, O King, that I am accused by the Jews. 8 Why is it thought incredible by all of you that God should raise the dead? 9 Indeed, I myself thought it my duty to take extreme measures against the name of Jesus from Nazareth.[b] 10 That is what I did in Jerusalem. I received authority from the high priests and locked many of the saints in prison. And when I cast my vote against them, they were put to death. 11 I would even punish them frequently in every synagogue and try to make them blaspheme. Raging furiously against them, I would hunt them down even in distant cities.
12 “That is how I happened to be traveling to Damascus with authority based on a commission from the high priests. 13 On the road at noon, O King, I saw a light from heaven that was brighter than the sun. It flashed around me and those who were traveling with me.
14 “All of us fell to the ground, and I heard a voice asking me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me? It is hurting you to keep on kicking against the cattle prods.’[c]
15 “I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’[d]
“The Lord answered, ‘I’m Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet, because I’ve appeared to you for the very purpose of appointing you to be my servant and witness of what you’ve seen and of what I’ll show you. 17 I’ll continue to rescue you from your people and from the gentiles to whom I’m sending you. 18 You will help them understand[e] and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan’s control to God, so that their sins will be forgiven and they will receive a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19 “And so, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. 20 Instead, I first told the people in Damascus and Jerusalem, then all the people in Judea—and after that the gentiles—to repent, turn to God, and perform deeds that are consistent with such repentance. 21 For this reason the Jewish leaders[f] grabbed me in the Temple and kept trying to kill me. 22 I’ve had help from God to this day, and so I stand here to testify to both the powerful and the lowly alike, stating only what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23 that the Messiah[g] would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead and would bring light both to our people and to the gentiles.”
Footnotes
- Acts 26:2 I.e. Judean leaders; lit. the Jews
- Acts 26:9 Or Jesus the Nazarene; the Gk. Nazoraios may be a word play between Heb. netser, meaning branch (cf. Isa 11:1), and the name Nazareth.
- Acts 26:14 Quoted in The Bacchae by Euripides, although Aeschylus in Prometheus Bound used almost identical language.
- Acts 26:15 Or Sir
- Acts 26:18 Lit. will open their eyes
- Acts 26:21 I.e. Judean leaders; lit. the Jews
- Acts 26:23 Or Christ
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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