| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul held out his hand and began his defense: | 1Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak in your defense.” So Paul, gesturing with his hand, started 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 am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders, |
| 3because you are especially familiar with all the customs and controversial issues of the Jews. Therefore I ask you to listen to me patiently. | 3for I know you are an expert on all Jewish customs and controversies. Now please 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“As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood 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. | 5If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion. |
| 6And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, | 6Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God’s promise made 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! | 7In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope! |
| 8Why do you people think it is unbelievable that God raises the dead? | 8Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead? |
| 9Of course, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. | 9“I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene. |
| 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. | 10Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. |
| 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. | 11Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities. |
| 12"While doing this very thing, as I was going to Damascus with authority and complete power from the chief priests, | 12“One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading 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. | 13About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. |
| 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 down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will. ’ |
| 15So I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord replied, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. | 15“‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “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. | 16 Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. |
| 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you | 17 And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles |
| 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.' | 18 to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’ |
| 19"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, | 19“And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven. |
| 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. | 20I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do. |
| 21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and were trying to kill me. | 21Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried 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: | 22But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen— |
| 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 would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God’s light to Jews and Gentiles alike.” |
| 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!" | 24Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!” |
| 25But Paul replied, "I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, but am speaking true and rational words. | 25But Paul replied, “I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth. |
| 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. | 26And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were 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 do—” |
| 28Agrippa said to Paul, "In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?" | 28Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?” |
| 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." | 29Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.” |
| 30So the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them, | 30Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others stood and left. |
| 31and as they were leaving they said to one another, "This man is not doing anything deserving death or imprisonment." | 31As they went out, they talked it over and agreed, “This man hasn’t done anything to deserve death or imprisonment.” |
| 32Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar." | 32And Agrippa said to Festus, “He could have been set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.” |
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