Acts 25:23-26
World English Bible
23 So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him, 26 of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him.”
26 Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.”
Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense. 2 “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you today concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews, 3 especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
4 “Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem; 5 having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6 Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa! 8 Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?
9 “I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 I also did this in Jerusalem. 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 Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12 “Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me. 14 When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15 “I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
“He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you; 17 delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, 18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen, 23 how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles.”
Acts 25:23-26
New American Standard Bible
Paul before Agrippa
23 So, on the next day when (A)Agrippa and (B)Bernice came amid great pomp and entered the auditorium, [a]accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought before them. 24 And Festus *said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen present with us, you see this man about whom (C)all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that (D)he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had committed (E)nothing deserving death; and since he himself (F)appealed to [b]the Emperor, I decided to send him. 26 [c]Yet, I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore, I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him as well.”
Paul’s Defense before Agrippa
26 (G)Now Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul extended his hand and proceeded to make his defense:
2 “Regarding all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 3 [d]especially because you are an expert in all (H)customs and [e]questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 “So then, all Jews know (I)my way of life since my youth, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and in Jerusalem, 5 since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a (J)Pharisee (K)according to the strictest (L)sect of our religion. 6 And now I am standing trial (M)for the hope of (N)the promise made by God to our fathers; 7 the promise (O)to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. For this (P)hope, O king, I am being (Q)accused by Jews. 8 Why is it considered incredible among you people (R)if God raises the dead?
9 “So (S)I thought to myself that I had to act in strong opposition to (T)the name of Jesus [f]of Nazareth. 10 And this is [g]just what I (U)did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the [h]saints in prisons, after (V)receiving authority from the chief priests, but I also (W)cast my vote against them when they were being put to death. 11 And (X)as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and since I was (Y)extremely enraged at them, I kept pursuing them (Z)even to [i]foreign cities.
12 “[j]While so engaged, (AA)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, [k]brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who were journeying with me. 14 And when we had (AB)all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the [l](AC)Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? [m]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 (AD)stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to (AE)appoint you as a (AF)servant and (AG)a witness not only to the things in which you have seen Me, but also to the things in which I will appear to you, 17 (AH)rescuing you (AI)from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to (AJ)open their eyes so that they may turn from (AK)darkness to light, and from the [n]power of (AL)Satan to God, that they may receive (AM)forgiveness of sins and an (AN)inheritance among those who have been sanctified by (AO)faith in Me.’
19 “For that reason, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but continually proclaimed (AP)to those in Damascus first, and (AQ)in Jerusalem, and then all the region of Judea, and even (AR)to the Gentiles, that they are to (AS)repent and turn to God, performing deeds (AT)consistent with repentance. 21 For these reasons some Jews (AU)seized me in the temple and tried (AV)to murder me. 22 So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day (AW)testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what (AX)the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place, 23 as to (AY)whether the [o]Christ was [p]to suffer, and whether, as (AZ)first from the resurrection of the dead, He would proclaim (BA)light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
Footnotes
- Acts 25:23 Lit and with
- Acts 25:25 See note v 21
- Acts 25:26 Lit About whom I
- Acts 26:3 Or because you are especially expert
- Acts 26:3 Or controversial issues
- Acts 26:9 Or the Nazarene
- Acts 26:10 Lit also
- Acts 26:10 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Acts 26:11 Or outlying
- Acts 26:12 Lit In which things
- Acts 26:13 Lit above the brightness of
- Acts 26:14 I.e., Jewish Aramaic
- Acts 26:14 An idiom referring to an animal’s futile resistance to being prodded with a spiked stick
- Acts 26:18 Or dominion
- Acts 26:23 I.e., Messiah
- Acts 26:23 Lit subject to suffering
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