Acts 26 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Act 26:1

Now Agrippa^G67 said^G5346 to Paul^G3972, “You are permitted^G2010 to speak^G3004 for yourself^G4572.” Then^G5119 Paul^G3972, stretching^G1614 out^G1614 his hand^G5495, began to make^G626 his defense^G626:

Act 26:2

“Concerning^G4012 all^G3956 the things^G3956 of which^G3739 I am accused^G1458 by the Jews^G2453, I regard^G2233 myself^G1683 blessed^G3107, King^G935 Agrippa^G67, that I am^G3195 about^G3195 to^G3195 make^G626 my defense^G626 before^G1909 you today^G4594;

Act 26:3

Act 26:3 [fn]especially because you are an expert in all customs and [fn]questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

Act 26:4

“So^G3767 then^G3767, all^G3956 Jews^G2453 know^G6063 my manner^G981 of^G981 life^G981 from my youth^G3503, which from the beginning^G746 was spent^G1096 among^G1722 my own nation^G1484 and at Jerusalem^G2414;

Act 26:5

Act 26:5since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion.

Act 26:6

Act 26:6“And now I am standing here being tried for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers;

Act 26:7

Act 26:7the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews.

Act 26:8

Act 26:8“Why is it considered unbelievable among all of you if God does raise the dead?

Act 26:9

“So^G3767 then^G3767, I thought^G1380 to myself^G1683 that I had^G1163 to do^G4238 many^G4183 things^G4183 hostile^G1727 to the name^G3686 of Jesus^G2424 the Nazarene^G3480.

Act 26:10

Act 26:10“And this is [fn]just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the [fn]saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them.

Act 26:11

Act 26:11“And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to [fn]foreign cities.

Paul Tells of His Conversion

(Act 9:1–19; 22:6–16 )

Act 26:12

“[fn]While^G1722 so^G3739 engaged as I was journeying^G4198 to Damascus^G1154 with the authority^G1849 and commission^G2011 of the chief^G749 priests^G749,

Act 26:13

Act 26:13at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, [fn]brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me.

Act 26:14

Act 26:14“And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the [fn]Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? [fn]It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

Act 26:15

Act 26:15“And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

Act 26:16

Act 26:16‘But rise up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a servant and a witness not only to the things which you have [fn]seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you;

Act 26:17

Act 26:17rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you,

Act 26:18

Act 26:18to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’

Act 26:19

“So^G3606, King^G935 Agrippa^G67, I did not prove^G1096 disobedient^G545 to the heavenly^G3770 vision^G3701,

Act 26:20

Act 26:20but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, practicing deeds appropriate to repentance.

Act 26:21

Act 26:21“For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and were trying to put me to death.

Act 26:22

Act 26:22“Therefore, having obtained help from God to this day, I stand here bearing witness both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place;

Act 26:23

Act 26:23 [fn]that the [fn]Christ was [fn]to suffer, and [fn]that as first of the resurrection from the dead, He was going to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

Act 26:24

Now while [fn]Paul was saying^G626 this^G3778 in^G626 his defense^G626, Festus^G5347 *said^G5346 in a loud^G3173 voice^G5456, “Paul^G3972, you are^G3105 out^G3105 of^G3105 your mind^G3105! [fn]Great^G4183 learning^G1121 is driving^G4062 you out of your mind^G3130.”

Act 26:25

Act 26:25But Paul *said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words [fn]of sober truth.

Act 26:26

Act 26:26“For the king [fn]knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a [fn]corner.

Act 26:27

Act 26:27“King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know you believe.”

Act 26:28

Act 26:28But Agrippa replied to Paul, “[fn]In such short time [fn]are you persuading me to become a Christian?”

Act 26:29

Act 26:29And Paul said, “I would pray to God, that whether [fn]in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.”

Act 26:30

And the king^G935 stood^G450 up^G450 and the governor^G2232 and Bernice^G959, and those^G3588 who were sitting^G4775 with them,

Act 26:31

Act 26:31and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, “This man is not doing anything worthy of death or [fn]imprisonment.”

Act 26:32