Parallel Bible results for "acts 26"

Acts 26

King James Version KJV

1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

3 Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue,Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said,I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.

22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

Lexham English Bible LEB

1 So Agrippa said to Paul, "It is permitted for you to speak for yourself." Then Paul extended [his] hand [and] began to defend himself:

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] you are especially acquainted with both all the customs and controversial questions with respect to the Jews. Therefore I beg [you] 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 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] night and day. Concerning this hope I am being accused by the Jews, O king!

8 Why is it thought incredible by you [people] 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] they were being executed, I cast [my] vote against [them].

11 And throughout all the synagogues I punished them often [and] tried to force [them] to blaspheme, and [because I] was enraged at them beyond measure, I was pursuing [them] even as far as to foreign cities.

12 In {this activity} 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] 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 the temple [courts] [and] were attempting to kill [me].

22 Therefore I have experienced help from God until this day, [and] 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 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] he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "You are out of your mind, Paul! [Your] great learning {is driving} you {insane}!"

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 his notice, because this {was} not {done} 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?"

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] 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."