Parallel Bible results for "acts 26"

Acts 26

Third Millennium Bible TMB

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

2 "I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee concerning all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews,

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

4 "My manner of life from my youth, which was from the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, is known to all the Jews.

5 They knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee.

6 And now I stand and am judged because of the hope of the promise made by God unto our fathers,

7 unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God day and night, hope to come. For this hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.

8 Why should it be thought an incredible thing by you that God should raise the dead?

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

10 which things 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 often in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly maddened against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.

12 "Thereupon, 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, brighter than the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and those who journeyed with me.

14 And when we had 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 goads.'

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 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 an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith that is in Me.'

19 "Thereupon, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision,

20 but showed first unto those at Damascus and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, 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 seized me in the temple and went about to kill me.

22 Having therefore obtained the help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing other than what the prophets and Moses said should come:

23 that Christ should suffer, and that He should be the first who should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people and to the Gentiles."

24 And as he thus spoke for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, thou art beside thyself! Much learning doth make thee mad!"

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

26 For the king himself 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, "Thou almost persuadest me to be a Christian."

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

30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and also the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them.

31 And when they had gone aside, they talked among 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."

GOD'S WORD Translation GW

1 Agrippa said to Paul, "You're free to speak for yourself." Paul acknowledged King Agrippa and then began his defense.

2 "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 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 "All the Jews know how I lived the earliest days of my youth with my own people and in Jerusalem.

5 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 "I'm on trial now because I expect God to keep the promise that he made to our ancestors.

7 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 do all of you refuse to believe that God can bring dead people back to life?

9 "I used to think that I had to do a lot of things to oppose the one named Jesus of Nazareth.

10 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 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 "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 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 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 "I asked, 'Who are you, sir?' "The Lord answered, 'I am Jesus, the one you're persecuting.

16 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 I will rescue you from the Jewish people and from the non-Jewish people to whom I am sending you.

18 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 "At that point I did not disobey the vision I saw from heaven, King Agrippa.

20 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 reason the Jews took me prisoner in the temple courtyard and tried to murder me.

22 "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 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 Paul was defending himself in this way, Festus shouted, "Paul, you're crazy! Too much education is driving you crazy!"

25 Paul replied, "I'm not crazy, Your Excellency Festus. What I'm saying is true and sane.

26 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 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe them!"

28 Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think you can quickly persuade me to become a Christian?"

29 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 The king, the governor, Bernice, and the people who were sitting with them got up.

31 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 Agrippa told Festus, "This man could have been set free if he hadn't appealed his case to the emperor."