Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 Then Agrippa said to Paul: Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul, stretching forth his hand, began to make his answer.
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Agrippa said to Paul, "You're free to speak for yourself." Paul acknowledged King Agrippa and then began his defense.
2 I think myself happy, O king Agrippa, that I am to answer for myself this day before thee, touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews.
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"King Agrippa, I think I'm fortunate today to stand in front of you and defend myself against every charge that the Jews brought against me.
3 Especially as thou knowest all, both customs and questions, that are among the Jews. Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
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I say this since you are especially familiar with every custom and controversy in Judaism. So I ask you to listen patiently to me.
4 And my life indeed from my youth, which was from the beginning among my own nation in Jerusalem, all the Jews do know:
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"All the Jews know how I lived the earliest days of my youth with my own people and in Jerusalem.
5 Having known me from the beginning (if they will give testimony) that according to the most sure sect of our religion I lived, a Pharisee.
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They've known me for a long time and can testify, if they're willing, that I followed the strictest party of our religion. They know that I lived my life as a Pharisee.
6 And now for the hope of the promise that was made by God to the fathers, do I stand subject to judgment:
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"I'm on trial now because I expect God to keep the promise that he made to our ancestors.
7 Unto which, our twelve tribes, serving night and day, hope to come. For which hope, O king, I am accused by the Jews.
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Our twelve tribes expect this promise to be kept as they worship with intense devotion day and night. Your Majesty, the Jews are making accusations against me because I expect God to keep his promise.
8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible that God should raise the dead?
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Why do all of you refuse to believe that God can bring dead people back to life?
9 And I indeed did formerly think that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
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"I used to think that I had to do a lot of things to oppose the one named Jesus of Nazareth.
10 Which also I did at Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority of the chief priests. And when they were put to death, I brought the sentence.
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That is what I did in Jerusalem. By the authority I received from the chief priests, I locked many Christians in prison. I voted to have them killed every time a vote was taken.
11 And oftentimes punishing them, in every synagogue, I compelled them to blaspheme: and being yet more mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.
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I even went to each synagogue, punished believers, and forced them to curse [the name of Jesus]. In my furious rage against them, I hunted them down in cities outside [Jerusalem].
12 Whereupon, when I was going to Damascus with authority and permission of the chief priest,
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"I was carrying out these activities when I went to the city of Damascus. I had the power and authority of 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 that were in company with me.
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Your Majesty, at noon, while I was traveling, I saw a light that was brighter than the sun. The light came from the sky and shined around me and those who were with me.
14 And when we were all fallen down on the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew tongue: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the good.
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All of us fell to the ground, and I heard a voice asking me in Hebrew, 'Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me? It's hard for [a mortal like] you to resist God.'
15 And I said: Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord answered: I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
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"I asked, 'Who are you, sir?' "The Lord answered, 'I am Jesus, the one you're persecuting.
16 But rise up and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared to thee, that I may make thee a minister and a witness of those things which thou hast seen and of those things wherein I will appear to thee,
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Stand up! I have appeared to you for a reason. I'm appointing you to be a servant and witness of what you have seen and of what I will show you.
17 Delivering thee from the people and from the nations unto which now I send thee:
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I will rescue you from the Jewish people and from the non-Jewish people to whom I am sending you.
18 To open their eyes, that they may be converted from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a lot among the saints, by the faith that is in me.
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You will open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan's control to God's. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and a share among God's people who are made holy by believing in me.'
19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not incredulous to the heavenly vision.
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"At that point I did not disobey the vision I saw from heaven, King Agrippa.
20 But to them first that are at Damascus and at Jerusalem, and unto all the country of Judea, and to the Gentiles did I preach, that they should do penance and turn to God, doing works worthy of penance.
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Instead, I spread the message that I first told to the [Jewish] people in Damascus and Jerusalem and throughout the whole country of Judea. I spread the same message to non-Jewish people. Both groups were expected to change the way they thought and acted and to turn to God. I told them to do things that prove they had changed their lives.
21 For this cause, the Jews, when I was in the temple, having apprehended me, went about to kill me.
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For this reason the Jews took me prisoner in the temple courtyard and tried to murder me.
22 But being aided by the help of God, I stand unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other thing than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come to pass:
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"God has been helping me to this day so that I can stand and testify to important and unimportant people. I tell them only what the prophets and Moses said would happen.
23 That Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead and should shew light to the people and to the Gentiles.
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They said that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to come back to life and would spread light to Jewish and non-Jewish people."
24 As he spoke these things and made his answer, Festus said with a loud voice: Paul, thou art beside thyself: much learning doth make thee mad.
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As Paul was defending himself in this way, Festus shouted, "Paul, you're crazy! Too much education is driving you crazy!"
25 And Paul said: I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but I speak words of truth and soberness.
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Paul replied, "I'm not crazy, Your Excellency Festus. What I'm saying is true and sane.
26 For the king knoweth of these things, to whom also I speak with confidence. For I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him. For neither was any of these things done in a corner.
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I can easily speak to a king who knows about these things. I'm sure that none of these things has escaped his attention. None of this was done secretly.
27 Believest thou the prophets, O king Agrippa? I know that thou believest.
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King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe them!"
28 And Agrippa said to Paul: In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian.
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Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think you can quickly persuade me to become a Christian?"
29 And Paul said: I would to God that both in a little and in much, not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, should become such as I also am, except these bands.
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Paul replied, "I wish to God that you and everyone listening to me today would quickly and completely become as I am (except for being a prisoner)."
30 And the king rose up, and the governor and Bernice and they that sat with them.
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The king, the governor, Bernice, and the people who were sitting with them got up.
31 And when they were gone aside, they spoke among themselves, saying: This man hath done nothing worthy of death or of bands.
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As they were leaving, they said to each other, "This man isn't doing anything for which he deserves to die or be put in prison."
32 And Agrippa said to Festus: This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.
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Agrippa told Festus, "This man could have been set free if he hadn't appealed his case to the emperor."