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Acts 26 :: New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB95)

Paul's Defense before Agrippa

Act 26:1

Act 26:1Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense:

Act 26:2

Act 26:2“In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today;

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

Act 26:4“So then, all Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem;

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 [fn]standing trial 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 incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?

Act 26:9

Act 26:9“So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

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.

Act 26:12

Act 26:12“[fn]While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

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 dialect, ‘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 get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister 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 dominion 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

Act 26:19“So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision,

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, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.

Act 26:21

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

Act 26:22

Act 26:22“So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying 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 [fn]the Christ was [fn]to suffer, and [fn]that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

Act 26:24

Act 26:24While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus *said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! [fn]Your great learning is [fn]driving you mad.”

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 that you [fn]do.”

Act 26:28

Act 26:28Agrippa replied to Paul, “[fn]In a short time you [fn]will persuade me to [fn]become a Christian.”

Act 26:29

Act 26:29And Paul said, “[fn]I would wish 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

Act 26:30The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting 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

Act 26:32And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
See the NASB95 Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).
NASB95 Footnotes
Or, because you are especially expert
Or, controversial issues
Literally: being tried
Literally: also
Or, holy ones
Or, outlying
Literally: In which things
Literally: above the brightness of
I.e. Jewish Aramaic
An idiom referring to an animal's futile resistance to being prodded with goads
Two early mss read seen Me
Literally: whether
I.e. the Messiah
Literally: subject to suffering
Literally: The many letters
Literally: turning you to madness
Literally: of truth and rationality
Or, understands
I.e. a hidden or secret place
Literally: believe
Or, With a little
Or, are trying to convince
Literally: make
Or, I would pray to
Or, with a little or with much
Literally: bonds
*
See the NASB95 Preface for an explanation on the use of the asterisk.
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