American Standard Version ASV
English Standard Version ESV
1 And Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defence:
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So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to 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 thee this day touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews:
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“I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews,
3 especially because thou art expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
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especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
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“My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews.
5 having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify, that after the straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
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They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee.
6 And now I stand [here] to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers;
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And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers,
7 unto which [promise] our twelve tribes, earnestly serving [God] night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king!
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to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!
8 Why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?
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Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
9 I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
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“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 And this I also did in Jerusalem: and 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.
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And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.
11 And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.
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And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12 Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,
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“In this connection I journeyed 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, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that journeyed with me.
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At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me.
14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the goad.
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And when we had all fallen to the ground, 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 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
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And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord? ’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
16 But arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee;
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But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you,
17 elivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee,
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delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles— to whom I am sending you
18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.
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to 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 place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. ’
19 Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
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“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20 but declared both to them of Damascus first and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judaea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
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but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.
21 For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and assayed to kill me.
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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 unto this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come;
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To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass:
23 how that the Christ must suffer, [and] how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.
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that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles. ”
24 And as he thus made his defense, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning is turning thee mad.
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And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind. ”
25 But Paul saith, I am not mad, most excellent Festus; but speak forth words of truth and soberness.
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But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.
26 For the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hath not been done in a corner.
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For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
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King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe. ”
28 And Agrippa [said] unto Paul, With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a Christian.
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And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian? ”
29 And Paul [said], I would to God, that whether with little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except these bonds.
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And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains. ”
30 And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
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Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them.
31 and when they had withdrawn, they spake one to another, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
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And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment. ”
32 And Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.
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And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar. ”
The American Standard Version is in the public domain.
The Holy Bible, English Standard VersionĀ® (ESVĀ®) Ā© 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025