Acts 26
Worldwide English (New Testament)
26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, `You may speak for yourself.' So Paul put out his hand and began to speak.
2 `King Agrippa, I am happy to speak for myself before you today. I will talk about all the things the leaders of the Jews have said against me.
3 You know all the ways of the Jews. You know what they believe. So please take time to listen to me.
4 `All the Jews know the way I lived from the time I was young. From the beginning I lived with my own people at Jerusalem.
5 They have known me for a long time. They know, if they would tell it, that I lived like the Pharisee group. They obey the law better than any others who worship God the way we do.
6 I believe that God will keep the promise that he made to our fathers long ago. That is why I am standing here being judged today.
7 All the people of our twelve tribes serve God faithfully day and night. They do this because they believe they will receive what he has promised. Because I believe this, king Agrippa, the Jewish leaders are talking against me.
8 Why is it so hard for any of you to believe that God should raise the dead?
9 `I used to think that I must do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 I did this in Jerusalem. The chief priests gave me power. I put many of God's people in prison. And when they were killed, I agreed to it.
11 Often I punished them in all the meeting places. I tried to make them say wrong things about Christ. I was very, very angry. I even went to other cities to trouble them.'
12 `And so I was on my way to the city of Damascus. The chief priests had given me power and a letter.
13 I was on the road at midday, king Agrippa, and I saw a bright light. It came from the sky and was brighter than the light of the sun. It shone all around me and the men who were travelling with me.
14 We all fell to the ground. I heard someone say to me in the Jews' language, "Saul, Saul, why are you troubling me? You hurt yourself when you kick against the sticks which guide you."
15 `I said, "Who are you, Lord?" And the Lord said, "I am Jesus, the one you are troubling.
16 But get up. Stand on your feet. Here is why I have shown myself to you. I have chosen you to work for me. I have chosen you to tell people what you saw when you saw me today. You are to tell them also about the other times when I will show myself to you.
17 I will keep you safe from your own people, the Jews. And I will keep you safe from those who are not Jews. I am sending you to them.
18 I send you to them to open their eyes. Then they will turn from darkness to light. You are to take them out of Satan's power and turn them to God, to be forgiven of their wrong ways. Then they will be among those who are made clean and pure by believing in me." '
19 `So, king Agrippa, I obeyed what the one from heaven told me to do.
20 I told the good news to the people of Damascus and Jerusalem. Then I told it all over Judea. I went to those who are not Jews. I told everyone that they must stop doing wrong things and turn to God. I told them they must show by the way they live that they have stopped doing wrong things.
21 That is why the leaders of the Jews caught me in the temple and tried to kill me.
22 God has always helped me up to today. I have stood and talked to both small people and great people. I have said nothing more than what the prophets and Moses said would happen.
23 They said Christ must suffer. They said he would be the first person to rise from death. He would be the first person to bring news of light to the Jews and those who are not Jews.'
24 While Paul was saying these things Festus shouted, `Paul, you are crazy! All your book learning is making you crazy.'
25 Paul said, `No, great ruler Festus, I am not crazy. But what I say is true. It makes good sense.
26 The king knows about these things. I am not afraid to talk to him about them. I am sure that not one of these things happened without his knowing about it. This did not happen in secret.
27 King Agrippa do you believe the prophets? I know you believe them.'
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, `You are trying to make me a Christian right away.'
29 `Right away or later,' said Paul. `I wish that all who hear me today might be what I am. That is, what I am without these chains.'
30 Then king Agrippa stood up. Festus and Bernice and those who were sitting there with them stood up also.
31 They left the room and talked the matter over. They said, `This man is not doing anything wrong for which he ought to be in prison or die.'
32 Agrippa said to Festus, `We could let this man go free if he had not asked to go to Caesar.'
Hechos 26
Reina Valera Actualizada
26 Luego Agripa dijo a Pablo:
—Se te permite hablar por ti mismo.
Entonces Pablo extendió la mano y comenzó su defensa:
2 —Me tengo por dichoso que haya de exponer hoy mi defensa delante de ti, oh rey Agripa, acerca de todas las cosas de las que soy acusado por los judíos; 3 mayormente por ser tú conocedor de todas las costumbres y cuestiones de los judíos. Por lo tanto, te ruego que me escuches con paciencia.
4 »Mi manera de vivir, desde mi juventud, la cual pasé desde el comienzo entre los de mi nación en Jerusalén, la conocen todos los judíos. 5 Ellos me conocen desde antes, si quisieran testificarlo, que conforme a la más rigurosa secta de nuestra religión viví como fariseo. 6 Y ahora soy sometido a juicio por la esperanza de la promesa que Dios hizo a nuestros padres, 7 promesa que esperan alcanzar nuestras doce tribus sirviendo constantemente día y noche. ¡Por la misma esperanza soy acusado por los judíos, oh rey! 8 ¿Por qué se juzga increíble entre ustedes que Dios resucite a los muertos?
9 »Pues yo, a la verdad, había pensado que debía hacer muchas cosas contra el nombre de Jesús de Nazaret; 10 y esto hice en Jerusalén. Habiendo recibido autorización de los principales sacerdotes, yo encerré en cárceles a muchos de los santos; y cuando les mataban, yo di mi voto contra ellos. 11 Muchas veces, castigándoles en todas las sinagogas, procuraba obligarles a blasfemar; y enfurecido en extremo contra ellos, los perseguía hasta en las ciudades extranjeras.
12 »En esto estaba ocupado cuando iba a Damasco con autorización y comisión de los principales sacerdotes[a]. 13 En el camino a mediodía, oh rey, vi que desde el cielo una luz, más resplandeciente que el sol, alumbró alrededor de mí y de los que viajaban conmigo. 14 Habiendo caído todos nosotros a tierra, oí una voz que me decía en lengua hebrea: “Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues? ¡Dura cosa te es dar coces contra el aguijón!”. 15 Entonces yo dije: “¿Quién eres, Señor?”. Y el Señor dijo: “Yo soy Jesús, a quien tú persigues. 16 Pero levántate y ponte sobre tus pies, porque te he aparecido para esto: para constituirte en ministro y testigo de las cosas que has visto de mí y de aquellas en que apareceré a ti. 17 Yo te libraré del pueblo y de los gentiles, a los cuales ahora yo te envío 18 para abrir sus ojos, para que se conviertan de las tinieblas a la luz y del poder de Satanás a Dios, para que reciban perdón de pecados y una herencia entre los santificados por la fe en mí”.
19 »Por lo cual, oh rey Agripa, no fui desobediente a la visión celestial. 20 Más bien, primeramente a los que estaban en Damasco, y en Jerusalén y por toda la tierra de Judea, y a los gentiles, les he proclamado que se arrepientan y se conviertan a Dios, haciendo obras dignas de arrepentimiento.
21 »A causa de esto, los judíos me prendieron en el templo e intentaron matarme. 22 Pero habiendo obtenido auxilio de Dios, me he mantenido firme hasta el día de hoy, dando testimonio a pequeños y a grandes, sin decir nada ajeno a las cosas que los profetas y Moisés dijeron que habían de suceder: 23 que el Cristo había de padecer, y que por ser el primero de la resurrección de los muertos, había de anunciar luz al pueblo y a los gentiles.
24 Mientras él decía estas cosas en su defensa, Festo le dijo a gran voz:
—¡Estás loco, Pablo! ¡Las muchas letras te vuelven loco!
25 Pero Pablo dijo:
—No estoy loco, oh excelentísimo Festo, sino que hablo palabras de verdad y de cordura. 26 Pues el rey, delante de quien también hablo confiadamente, entiende de estas cosas. Porque estoy convencido de que nada de esto le es oculto, pues esto no ha ocurrido en algún rincón. 27 ¿Crees, oh rey Agripa, a los profetas? ¡Yo sé que crees!
28 Entonces Agripa dijo a Pablo:
—¡Por poco me persuades a ser cristiano!
29 Y Pablo dijo:
—¡Quisiera Dios que, por poco o por mucho, no solamente tú sino también todos los que hoy me escuchan fueran hechos como yo, salvo estas cadenas!
30 Entonces[b] se levantaron el rey, el procurador, Berenice y los que se habían sentado con ellos. 31 Y después de retirarse aparte, hablaban los unos con los otros diciendo:
—Este hombre no hace ninguna cosa digna de muerte ni de prisión.
32 Y Agripa dijo a Festo:
—Este hombre podría ser puesto en libertad, si no hubiera apelado al César.
Footnotes
- Hechos 26:12 Cf. Hech. 9:1-22; 22:6-21.
- Hechos 26:30 Algunos mss. antiguos incluyen cuando habían dicho estas palabras.
Acts 26
New King James Version
Paul’s Early Life
26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.”
So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: 2 “I think myself (A)happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer (B)for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am (C)accused by the Jews, 3 especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
4 “My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. 5 They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to (D)the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6 (E)And now I stand and am judged for the hope of (F)the promise made by God to our fathers. 7 To this promise (G)our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God (H)night and day, (I)hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. 8 Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?
9 (J)“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things [a]contrary to the name of (K)Jesus of Nazareth. 10 (L)This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority (M)from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 (N)And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
Paul Recounts His Conversion(O)
12 (P)“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, (Q)to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will [b]deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, (R)to whom I [c]now send you, 18 (S)to open their eyes, in order (T)to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, (U)that they may receive forgiveness of sins and (V)an inheritance among those who are (W)sanctified[d] by faith in Me.’
Paul’s Post-Conversion Life
19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but (X)declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do (Y)works befitting repentance. 21 For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those (Z)which the prophets and (AA)Moses said would come— 23 (AB)that the Christ would suffer, (AC)that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and (AD)would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
Agrippa Parries Paul’s Challenge
24 Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, (AE)you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”
25 But he said, “I am not [e]mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. 26 For the king, before whom I also speak freely, (AF)knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.”
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”
29 And Paul said, (AG)“I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”
30 When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; 31 and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, (AH)“This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.”
32 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set (AI)free (AJ)if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
Footnotes
- Acts 26:9 against
- Acts 26:17 rescue
- Acts 26:17 NU, M omit now
- Acts 26:18 set apart
- Acts 26:25 out of my mind
© 1969, 1971, 1996, 1998 by SOON Educational Publications
Version Reina Valera Actualizada, Copyright © 2015 by Editorial Mundo Hispano
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
