Acts 26
Lexham English Bible
Paul Makes His Defense Before King Agrippa
26 So Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted for you to speak for yourself.” Then Paul extended his[a] hand and[b] began to defend himself:[c]
2 “Concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that before you I am about to defend myself today, 3 because[d] you are especially acquainted with both all the customs and controversial questions with respect to the Jews. Therefore I beg you[e] to listen to me with patience.
4 “Now all the Jews know my manner of life from my youth, that had taken place from the beginning among my own people[f] and in Jerusalem, 5 having known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that in accordance with the strictest party of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand here on trial on the basis of hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 to which our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve him[g] night and day. Concerning this hope I am being accused by the Jews, O king! 8 Why is it thought incredible by you people[h] that God raises the dead? 9 Indeed, I myself thought it was necessary to do many things opposed to the name of Jesus the Nazarene, 10 which I also did in Jerusalem, and not only did I lock up many of the saints in prison, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when[i] they were being executed, I cast my vote[j] against them.[k] 11 And throughout all the synagogues I punished them often and[l] tried to force[m] them[n] to blaspheme, and because I[o] was enraged at them beyond measure, I was pursuing them[p] even as far as to foreign cities. 12 In this activity[q] I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and full power of the chief priests. 13 In the middle of the day along the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven, more than the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those who were traveling with me. 14 And when[r] we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Aramaic 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 the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet, because for this reason I have appeared to you, to appoint you a servant and witness both to the things in which you saw me and to the things in which I will appear to you, 17 rescuing you from the people and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you, 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19 “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but to those in Damascus first, and in Jerusalem and all the region of Judea and to the Gentiles, I proclaimed that they should repent and turn to God, doing deeds worthy of repentance. 21 On account of these things the Jews seized me in[s] the temple courts[t] and[u] were attempting to kill me.[v] 22 Therefore I have experienced help from God until this day, and[w] I stand here testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except what both the prophets and Moses have said were going to happen, 23 that the Christ[x] was to suffer and that as the first of the resurrection from the dead, he was going to proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.”
24 And as[y] he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “You are out of your mind, Paul! Your[z] great learning is driving[aa] you insane!”[ab] 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but am speaking words of truth and rationality. 26 For the king knows about these things, to whom also I am speaking freely, for I am not convinced that these things in any way have escaped[ac] his notice, because this was[ad] not done[ae] in a corner. 27 Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe.” 28 But Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?”[af] 29 And Paul replied, “I pray to God, whether in a short time or in a long time, not only you but also all those who are listening to me today may become such people as I also am, except for these bonds!”
30 Both the king and the governor got up, and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. 31 And as they[ag] were going out, they were talking to one another, saying, “This man is not doing anything deserving death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
Footnotes
- Acts 26:1 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Acts 26:1 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“extended”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 26:1 *The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to defend himself”)
- Acts 26:3 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are”) which is understood as causal
- Acts 26:3 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 26:4 Or “nation”
- Acts 26:7 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 26:8 Here “people” is supplied in the translation to indicate that the pronoun (“you”) is plural
- Acts 26:10 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“were being executed”)
- Acts 26:10 Literally “voting pebble,” but here “vote” rather than “voting pebble” is used in the translation to avoid the idea that this small stone was actually thrown at the accused (it was used as a method of voting)
- Acts 26:10 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 26:11 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“punished”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 26:11 The imperfect tense has been translated as conative here (“tried to force”)
- Acts 26:11 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 26:11 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was enraged”) which is understood as causal
- Acts 26:11 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 26:12 Literally “which”
- Acts 26:14 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“had … fallen”)
- Acts 26:21 Some manuscripts have “while I was in”
- Acts 26:21 Here “courts” is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
- Acts 26:21 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“seized”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 26:21 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 26:22 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“have experienced”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 26:23 Or “Messiah”
- Acts 26:24 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“was saying … in his defense”)
- Acts 26:24 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Acts 26:24 Literally “is turning”
- Acts 26:24 Literally “to madness”
- Acts 26:26 Some manuscripts have “that any of these things in any way has escaped”
- Acts 26:26 Literally “is”
- Acts 26:26 Literally “having been done”
- Acts 26:28 Or “In a short time you are persuading me to become a Christian”
- Acts 26:31 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“were going out”)
Hechos 26
Nueva Versión Internacional (Castilian)
26 Entonces Agripa le dijo a Pablo:
―Tienes permiso para defenderte.
Pablo hizo un ademán con la mano y comenzó así su defensa:
2 ―Rey Agripa, para mí es un privilegio presentarme hoy ante ti para defenderme de las acusaciones de los judíos, 3 sobre todo porque tú estás bien informado de todas las tradiciones y controversias de los judíos. Por eso te ruego que me escuches con paciencia.
4 »Todos los judíos saben cómo he vivido desde que era niño, desde mi edad temprana entre mi gente y también en Jerusalén. 5 Ellos me conocen desde hace mucho tiempo y pueden atestiguar, si quieren, que viví como fariseo, de acuerdo con la secta más estricta de nuestra religión. 6 Y ahora me juzgan por la esperanza que tengo en la promesa que Dios hizo a nuestros antepasados. 7 Esta es la promesa que nuestras doce tribus esperan alcanzar rindiendo culto a Dios con diligencia día y noche. Es por esta esperanza, oh rey, por lo que me acusan los judíos. 8 ¿Por qué os parece a vosotros increíble que Dios resucite a los muertos?
9 »Pues bien, yo mismo estaba convencido de que debía hacer todo lo posible por combatir el nombre de Jesús de Nazaret. 10 Eso es precisamente lo que hice en Jerusalén. Con la autoridad de los jefes de los sacerdotes metí en la cárcel a muchos de los santos y, cuando los mataban, yo manifestaba mi aprobación. 11 Muchas veces anduve de sinagoga en sinagoga castigándolos para obligarlos a blasfemar. Mi obsesión contra ellos me llevaba al extremo de perseguirlos incluso en ciudades del extranjero.
12 »En uno de esos viajes iba yo hacia Damasco con la autoridad y la comisión de los jefes de los sacerdotes. 13 A eso del mediodía, oh rey, mientras iba por el camino, vi una luz del cielo, más refulgente que el sol, que con su resplandor nos envolvió a mí y a mis acompañantes. 14 Todos caímos al suelo, y yo oí una voz que me decía en arameo:[a] “Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues? ¿Qué sacas con darte cabezazos contra la pared?”[b] 15 Entonces pregunté: “¿Quién eres, Señor?” “Yo soy Jesús, a quien tú persigues —me contestó el Señor—. 16 Ahora, ponte en pie y escúchame. Me he aparecido a ti con el fin de designarte siervo y testigo de lo que has visto de mí y de lo que te voy a revelar. 17 Te libraré de tu propio pueblo y de los gentiles. Te envío a estos 18 para que les abras los ojos y se conviertan de las tinieblas a la luz, y del poder de Satanás a Dios, a fin de que, por la fe en mí, reciban el perdón de los pecados y la herencia entre los santificados”.
19 »Así que, rey Agripa, no fui desobediente a esa visión celestial. 20 Al contrario, comenzando con los que estaban en Damasco, siguiendo con los que estaban en Jerusalén y en toda Judea, y luego con los gentiles, a todos les prediqué que se arrepintieran y se convirtieran a Dios, y que demostraran su arrepentimiento con sus buenas obras. 21 Solo por eso los judíos me prendieron en el templo y trataron de matarme. 22 Pero Dios me ha ayudado hasta hoy, y así me mantengo firme, testificando a grandes y pequeños. No he dicho sino lo que los profetas y Moisés ya dijeron que sucedería: 23 que el Cristo padecería y que, siendo el primero en resucitar, proclamaría la luz a su propio pueblo y a los gentiles».
24 Al llegar Pablo a este punto de su defensa, Festo interrumpió.
―¡Estás loco, Pablo! —le gritó—. El mucho estudio te ha hecho perder la cabeza.
25 ―No estoy loco, excelentísimo Festo —contestó Pablo—. Lo que digo es cierto y sensato. 26 El rey está familiarizado con estas cosas, y por eso hablo ante él con tanto atrevimiento. Estoy convencido de que nada de esto ignora, porque no sucedió en un rincón. 27 Rey Agripa, ¿crees en los profetas? ¡A mí me consta que sí!
28 ―Un poco más y me convences de hacerme cristiano[c] —le dijo Agripa.
29 ―Sea por poco o por mucho —le replicó Pablo—, le pido a Dios que no solo tú, sino también todos los que me están escuchando hoy lleguen a ser como yo, aunque sin estas cadenas.
30 Se levantó el rey, y también el gobernador, Berenice y los que estaban sentados con ellos. 31 Al retirarse, decían entre sí:
―Este hombre no ha hecho nada que merezca la muerte ni la cárcel.
32 Y Agripa le dijo a Festo:
―Se podría poner en libertad a este hombre si no hubiera apelado al emperador.
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