| NET Bible | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul held out his hand and began his defense: | 1Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: |
| 2"Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, | 2"I consider myself fortunate, that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, |
| 3because you are especially familiar with all the customs and controversial issues of the Jews. Therefore I ask you to listen to me patiently. | 3especially since you are very knowledgeable about all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. |
| 4Now all the Jews know the way I lived from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. | 4"All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. |
| 5They know, because they have known me from time past, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. | 5They have known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. |
| 6And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, | 6And now I stand on trial because of the hope in what God promised to our ancestors, |
| 7a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God night and day. Concerning this hope the Jews are accusing me, Your Majesty! | 7the promise our twelve tribes hope to reach as they earnestly serve him night and day. King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews because of this hope. |
| 8Why do you people think it is unbelievable that God raises the dead? | 8Why do any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? |
| 9Of course, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. | 9In fact, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. |
| 10And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons by the authority I received from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote against them when they were sentenced to death. | 10I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I was in agreement against them. |
| 11I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to force them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged at them, I went to persecute them even in foreign cities. | 11In all the synagogues I often punished them and tried to make them blaspheme. Since I was terribly enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities. |
| 12"While doing this very thing, as I was going to Damascus with authority and complete power from the chief priests, | 12"I was traveling to Damascus under these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests. |
| 13about noon along the road, Your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around me and those traveling with me. | 13King Agrippa, while on the road at midday, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. |
| 14When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself by kicking against the goads.' | 14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' |
| 15So I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord replied, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. | 15"I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' "And the Lord replied: 'I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. |
| 16But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance as a servant and witness to the things you have seen and to the things in which I will appear to you. | 16But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. |
| 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you | 17I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them |
| 18to open their eyes so that they 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.' | 18to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' |
| 19"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, | 19"So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. |
| 20but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds consistent with repentance. | 20Instead, I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance. |
| 21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and were trying to kill me. | 21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and were trying to kill me. |
| 22I have experienced help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except what the prophets and Moses said was going to happen: | 22To this very day, I have had help from God, and I stand and testify to both small and great, saying nothing other than what the prophets and Moses said would take place-- |
| 23that the Christ was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles." | 23that the Messiah must suffer, and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles." |
| 24As Paul was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed loudly, "You have lost your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!" | 24As he was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, "You're out of your mind, Paul! Too much study is driving you mad." |
| 25But Paul replied, "I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, but am speaking true and rational words. | 25But Paul replied, "I'm not out of my mind, most excellent Festus. On the contrary, I'm speaking words of truth and good judgment. |
| 26For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely to him, because I cannot believe that any of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner. | 26For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak boldly to him. For I am convinced that none of these things has escaped his notice, since this was not done in a corner. |
| 27Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe." | 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe." |
| 28Agrippa said to Paul, "In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?" | 28Agrippa said to Paul, "Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?" |
| 29Paul replied, "I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains." | 29"I wish before God," replied Paul, "that whether easily or with difficulty, not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am--except for these chains." |
| 30So the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them, | 30The king, the governor, Bernice, and those sitting with them got up, |
| 31and as they were leaving they said to one another, "This man is not doing anything deserving death or imprisonment." | 31and when they had left they talked with each other and said, "This man is not doing anything to deserve death or imprisonment." |
| 32Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar." | 32Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar." |
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