NASB — Acts 26 — KJV

Paul’s Defense before Agrippa

1 aAgrippa° said° to Paul°, “You are permitted° to speak° for yourself°.” Then° Paul° stretched° out his hand° and [proceeded] to make° his defense°:

[1] aAc 9:15

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°; 3 Iespecially° because you are an expert° in all° acustoms° and IIquestions° among° [the] Jews°; therefore° I beg° you to listen° to me patiently°.

[3] IOr because you are especially expert IIOr controversial issues aAc 6:14; 25:19; 26:7

4 ¶ “So° then°, all° Jews° know° amy manner° of life° from my youth° up, which from the beginning° was spent° among° my [own] nation° and at Jerusalem°; 5 since they have known° about me for a long° time°, if° they are willing° to testify°, that I lived° [as] a aPharisee° baccording° to the strictest° csect° of our religion°. 6 And now° I am Istanding° trial° afor the hope° of bthe promise° made° by God° to our fathers°; 7 [the promise] ato which° our twelve° tribes° hope° to attain°, as they earnestly°° serve° [God] night° and day°. And for this° bhope°, O King°, I am being caccused° by Jews°. 8 Why° is it considered° incredible° among° you [people] aif° God° does raise° the dead°?

[4] aGa 1:13f; Php 3:5
[5] aAc 23:6; Php 3:5 bAc 22:3 cAc 15:5
[6] ILit being tried aAc 24:15; 28:20 bAc 13:32
[7] aJm 1:1 bAc 24:15; 28:20 cAc 26:2
[8] aAc 23:6

9 ¶ “So° then°, aI thought° to myself° that I had° to do° many° things° hostile° to bthe name° of Jesus° of Nazareth°. 10 And this° is Ijust° what° I adid° in Jerusalem°; not only°° did I lock° up many° of the IIsaints° in prisons°, having breceived° authority° from the chief° priests°, but also° when they were being put° to death° I ccast° my vote° against° them. 11 And aas I punished° them often° in all° the synagogues°, I tried to force° them to blaspheme°; and being bfuriously° enraged° at them, I kept pursuing° them ceven° to Iforeign° cities°.

[9] aJn 16:2; 1Ti 1:13 bJn 15:21
[10] ILit also IIOr holy ones aAc 8:3; 9:13 bAc 9:1f cAc 22:20
[11] IOr outlying aMt 10:17; Ac 22:19 bAc 9:1 cAc 22:5

12 ¶ “IWhile° so° engaged aas I was journeying° to Damascus° with the authority° and commission° of the chief° priests°, 13 at midday°°, O King°, I saw° on the way° a light° from heaven°, Ibrighter° than° the sun°, shining° all around° me and those° who were journeying° with me. 14 And when we had aall° fallen° to the ground°, I heard° a voice° saying° to me in the IbHebrew° dialect°, ‘Saul°, Saul°, why° are you persecuting° Me? IIIt is hard° for you to kick° against° the goads°.’ 15 And I said°, ‘Who° are You, Lord°?’ And the Lord° said°, ‘I am° Jesus° whom° you are persecuting°. 16 But get° up and astand° on your feet°; for this° purpose I have appeared° to you, to bappoint° you a cminister° and da witness° not only° to the things which° you have Iseen°, but also° to the things in which° I will appear° to you; 17 arescuing° you bfrom the [Jewish] people° and from the Gentiles°, to whom° I am sending° you, 18 to aopen° their eyes° so that they may turn° from bdarkness° to light° and from the dominion° of cSatan° to God°, that they may receive° dforgiveness° of sins° and an einheritance° among° those° who have been sanctified° by ffaith° in Me.’

[12] ILit In which things aAc 26:12-18: 9:3-8; 22:6-11
[13] ILit above the brightness of
[14] II.e. Jewish Aramaic IIAn idiom referring to an animal’s futile resistance to being prodded with goads aAc 9:7 bAc 21:40
[16] ITwo early mss read seen Me aEzk 2:1; Dn 10:11 bAc 22:14 cLk 1:2 dAc 22:15
[17] aJr 1:8, 19 b1Ch 16:35; Ac 9:15
[18] aIs 35:5; 42:7, 16; Ep 5:8; Col 1:13; 1P 2:9 bJn 1:5; Ep 5:8; Col 1:12f; 1Th 5:5; 1P 2:9 cMt 4:10 dLk 24:47; Ac 2:38 eAc 20:32 fAc 20:21

19 ¶ “So°, King° Agrippa°, I did not prove° disobedient° to the heavenly° vision°, 20 but [kept] declaring° both° ato those° of Damascus° first°, and [also] bat Jerusalem° and [then] throughout all° the region° of Judea°, and [even] cto the Gentiles°, that they should drepent° and turn° to God°, performing° deeds° eappropriate° to repentance°. 21 For this° reason° [some] Jews° aseized° me in the temple° and tried° bto put° me to death°. 22 So°, having obtained° help° from God°, I stand° to this° day° atestifying° both° to small° and great°, stating° nothing° but what° bthe Prophets° and Moses° said° was going° to take° place°; 23 Iathat IIthe Christ° was IIIto suffer°, [and] Ithat bby reason° of [His] resurrection° from the dead° He would° be the first° to proclaim° clight° both° to the [Jewish] people° and to the Gentiles°.”

[20] aAc 9:19ff bAc 9:26-29; 22:17-20 cAc 9:15; 13:46 dAc 3:19 eMt 3:8; Lk 3:8
[21] aAc 21:27, 30 bAc 21:31
[22] aLk 16:28 bAc 10:43; 24:14
[23] ILit whether III.e. the Messiah IIILit subject to suffering aMt 26:24; Ac 3:18 b1Co 15:20, 23; Col 1:18; Rv 1:5 cIs 42:6; 49:6; Lk 2:32; 2Co 4:4

24 ¶ While [Paul] was saying° this° in his defense°, Festus° *said° in a loud° voice°, “Paul°, you are out of your mind°! I[Your] great° alearning° is IIdriving° you mad°.” 25 But Paul° *said°, “I am° not out of my mind°, amost° excellent° Festus°, but I utter° words° Iof sober° truth°. 26 For the king° Iaknows° 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 IIcorner°. 27 King° Agrippa°, do you believe° the Prophets°? I know° that you Ido°.” 28 Agrippa° [replied] to Paul°, “IIn a short° time° you IIwill persuade° me to IIIbecome° a aChristian°.” 29 And Paul° [said], “II would° wish° to God°, that whether° IIin 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° achains°.”

[24] ILit The many letters IILit turning you to madness aJn 7:15; 2Ti 3:15
[25] ILit of truth and rationality aAc 23:26; 24:3
[26] IOr understands III.e. a hidden or secret place aAc 26:3
[27] ILit believe
[28] IOr With a little IIOr are trying to convince IIILit make aAc 11:26
[29] IOr I would pray to IIOr with a little or with much aAc 21:33

30aThe king° stood° up and the governor° and Bernice°, and those° who were sitting° with them, 31 and when they had gone° aside°, they [began] talking° to one° another°, saying°, “aThis° man° is not doing° anything° worthy° of death° or° Iimprisonment°.” 32 And Agrippa° said° to Festus°, “This° man° might° have been° aset° free° if° he had not bappealed° to Caesar°.”

[30] aAc 25:23
[31] ILit bonds aAc 23:29
[32] aAc 28:18 bAc 25:11


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1 ¶ Thenº Agrippaº saidºª untoº Paul,º Thouº art permittedºª to speakºª forº thyself.º Thenº Paulº stretched forthºª the² hand,º and answered for himself:ºª

[1] Pv 1:24; 18:13, 17; Ezk 16:27; Jn 7:51; Ac 22:1; 25:16; 26:2; Ro 10:21.

Paul, in the presence of Agrippa, declareth his life from his childhood,

2 I thinkºª myselfº happy,º kingº Agrippa,º because I shallºª answer for myselfºª this dayº beforeº theeº touchingº all² the things¹ whereofº I am accusedºª ofº the Jews:º 3 Especiallyº [because I know]ºª theeº to beºª expertº¹ in allº customsº andº² questionsº which are amongº the Jews:º whereforeº I beseechºª theeº to hearºª meº patiently.º 4 Myº manner¹¹ of lifeº²² fromº my youth,º which¹ wasºª atº the firstº amongº mine¹ own² nationº atº Jerusalem,º knowºª allº the² Jews;º 5 Which knewºª meº from the beginning,º ifº they wouldºª testify,ºª thatº afterº the² most straitestº sectº of ourº religionº I livedºª a Pharisee.º 6 Andº nowº I standºª and am judgedºª forº the hopeº of the² promiseº madeºª ofº Godº untoº our fathers:º 7 Untoº whichº [promise] ourº twelve tribes,º instantlyºº servingºª [God] dayº andº night,º hopeºª to come.ºª Forº whichº hope's² sake,¹ kingº Agrippa,º I am accusedºª ofº the² Jews.º 8 Whyº should it be thought² a thing¹ª incredibleº withº you,º thatº Godº should raiseºª the dead?º 9 Iº verilyºº thoughtºª with myself,º that I oughtºª to doºª many thingsº contraryº toº the² nameº of Jesusº of Nazareth.º 10 Which thingº I¹ª alsoº didºª inº Jerusalem:º andº manyº of the² saintsº did¹ª Iº shut upºª in prison,º having receivedºª authorityº fromº the² chief priests;º andº when theyº were put to death,ºª I gave¹ª my voice¹ against²² [them]. 11 Andº I punishedºª themº oftº in¹ everyº² synagogue,º and compelledºª [them] to blaspheme;ºª andº being¹ª exceedingly¹ mad againstºª² them,º I persecutedºª [them] evenº² untoº¹ strangeº cities.º

[3] Dt 17:18; Ac 6:14; 21:21; 24:4, 10; 25:19, 26; 26:26; 28:17; 1Co 13:2.
[4] Ac 22:3; 2Ti 3:10.
[5] Ac 22:5; 23:6; 24:5, 14; Php 3:5.
[6] Gn 3:15; 12:3; 22:18; 26:4; 49:10; Dt 18:15; 2S 7:12; Jb 19:25; Ps 2:6; 40:6; 98:2; 110:1; 132:11, 17; Is 4:2; 7:14; 9:6; 11:1; 40:9; 42:1; 53:10; 61:1; Jr 23:5; 33:14; Ezk 17:22; 21:27; 34:23; 37:24; Dn 2:34, 44; 7:13; 9:24; Ho 3:5; Jol 2:32; Am 9:11; Ob 1:21; Mi 5:2; 7:20; Zp 3:14; Zc 2:10; 6:12; 9:9; 13:1, 7; Mal 3:1; 4:2; Lk 1:69; Ac 3:24; 13:32; 23:6; 24:15, 21; 26:8; 28:20; Ro 15:8; Ga 3:17; 4:4; Tit 2:13; 1P 1:11.
[7] Ezr 6:17; 8:35; Ps 134:1; 135:2; Mt 19:28; Lk 2:25, 36, 38; 7:19; 22:30; Ac 20:31; 26:6; Php 3:11; 1Th 3:10; 1Ti 5:5; Jm 1:1; Rv 7:4.
[8] Gn 18:14; Mt 22:29; Lk 1:37; 18:27; Jn 5:28; Ac 4:2; 10:40; 13:30; 17:31; 25:19; 1Co 15:12; Php 3:21.
[9] Jn 16:2; Ac 3:6; 9:16; 21:13; 22:8; 24:5; Ro 10:2; Ga 1:13; Php 3:6; 1Ti 1:13.
[10] Ps 16:3; Ac 7:58; 8:1, 3; 9:13, 14, 21, 26, 32, 41; 22:4, 5, 19; Ro 15:25; 1Co 15:9; Ga 1:13; Ep 1:1; Rv 17:6.
[11] Ec 9:3; Mt 10:17; Mk 3:28; 13:9; Lk 6:11; 15:17; 21:12; Ac 13:45; 18:6; 22:19; 26:24; He 10:28; Jm 2:7; 2P 2:16.

and how miraculously he was converted, and called to his apostleship.

12 ¹ Whereuponºº as² I wentºª toº Damascusº withº authorityº andº commissionº fromº the² chief priests,º 13 At midday,ºº O king,º I² saw¹ª inº the² wayº a lightº from heaven,º aboveº the² brightnessº of the² sun,º shining round aboutºª meº andº them which journeyedºª withº me.º 14 Andº when weº were¹ª allº fallenºª toº the² earth,º I heardºª a voiceº speakingºª untoº me,º andº sayingºª in the² Hebrewº tongue,º Saul,º Saul,º whyº persecutest² thou¹ª me?º [it is] hardº for theeº to kickºª againstº the pricks.º 15 Andº Iº said,ºª Whoº art² thou,¹ª Lord?º Andº he² said,ºª Iº amºª Jesusº whomº thouº persecutest.ºª 16 Butº rise,ºª andº standºª uponº thyº feet:º forº I have appearedºª unto theeº forº this² purpose,¹ to makeºª theeº a ministerº andº a witnessº bothº of these things whichº thou hast seen,ºª andº of those things in the whichº I will appearºª unto thee;º 17 Deliveringºª theeº fromº the² people,º andº [from] the² Gentiles,º untoº whomº nowº I sendºª thee,º 18 To openºª theirº eyes,º [and] to turnºª [them] fromº darknessº toº light,º andº [from] the² powerº of Satanº untoº God,º that² theyº may receiveºª forgivenessº of sins,º andº inheritanceº amongº them² which are sanctifiedºª by faithº that² is inº me.º 19 Whereupon,º O kingº Agrippa,º I wasºª notº disobedientº unto the² heavenlyº vision:º 20 Butº shewedºªªª firstº unto them² ofº Damascus,º andº at Jerusalem,º andº throughoutº allº the² coastsº of Judaea,º andº [then] to the² Gentiles,º that they should repentºª andº turnºª toº God,º and doºª worksº meetº for repentance.º 21 For¹ these causesº² the² Jewsº caughtºª meº inº the² temple,º and went aboutºª to killºª [me]. 22 Having¹ª thereforeº obtainedºª helpº ofº God,º I continueºª untoº thisº day,º witnessingºª bothº to smallº andº great,º sayingºª none² other things¹² than¹ those whichºº the² prophetsº andº Mosesº did sayºª shouldºª come:ºª 23 Thatº Christº should suffer,º [and] thatº he should be the firstº that should riseº² from¹ the dead,º and shouldºª shewºª lightº unto the² people,º andº to the² Gentiles.º

[12] 1K 21:8; Ps 94:20; Is 10:1; Jr 26:8; 29:26; Jn 7:45; 11:57; Ac 9:1; 22:5; 26:10.
[13] Is 24:23; 30:26; Mt 17:2; Ac 9:3; 22:6; Rv 1:16; 21:23.
[14] Pv 13:15; Zc 2:8; 12:2; Ac 9:4; 21:40; 22:2, 7; 1Co 10:22.
[15] Ex 16:8; Mt 25:40, 45; Jn 15:20.
[16] Ac 1:17, 25; 6:4; 9:6, 15; 13:1; 18:9; 20:24; 21:19; 22:10, 14, 17; 23:11; 27:23; Ro 1:5; 15:16; 2Co 4:1; 5:18; 12:1; Ga 1:12; 2:2; Ep 3:7; Col 1:7, 23, 25; 1Th 3:2; 1Ti 1:12; 4:6; 2Ti 4:5.
[17] Ps 34:19; 37:32; Ac 9:15, 23, 29; 13:50; 14:5, 19; 16:39; 17:10, 14; 18:10, 12; 19:28; 21:28; 22:21; 23:10; 25:3, 9; 27:42; 28:28; Ro 11:13; 15:16; 2Co 1:8; 4:8; 11:23; Ga 2:9; Ep 3:7; 1Ti 2:7; 2Ti 1:11; 3:11; 4:16, 17.
[18] Ps 32:1; 119:18; 146:8; Is 9:2; 29:18; 32:3; 35:5; 42:7; 43:8; 49:6, 24; 53:8; 60:1; Mal 4:2; Mt 4:16; 6:22; Lk 1:77, 79; 2:32; 4:18; 11:21; 24:45, 47; Jn 1:4; 3:19; 4:10, 14; 7:38; 8:12; 9:5, 39; 12:35; 17:17; Ac 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 9:17; 10:43; 13:38, 47; 15:9; 20:32; 26:23; Ro 4:6; 5:1; 8:17; 1Co 1:2, 30; 6:10, 11; 2Co 4:4, 6; 6:14; Ga 2:20; 3:2, 14; Ep 1:7, 11, 14, 18; 2:8; 4:18; 5:8, 14; Col 1:12, 13, 14; 1Th 5:4; 2Ti 2:26; Tit 3:5; He 2:14; 9:15; 10:10, 14; 11:6; Jm 2:5; 1P 1:4; 2:9, 25; 1Jn 1:9; 2:8, 12; 3:8; 5:19; Jde 1:1; Rv 20:2; 21:27.
[19] Ex 4:13; Is 50:5; Jr 20:9; Ezk 2:7; 3:14; Jna 1:3; Ac 26:2, 26; Ga 1:16.
[20] Ps 22:27; Is 55:7; Jr 31:19; Lm 3:40; Ezk 18:30; Ho 12:6; 14:2; Mt 3:2, 8; 4:17; 9:13; 21:30; Mk 6:12; Lk 1:16; 3:8; 13:3, 5; 15:7, 10; 19:8; 24:46; Ac 2:38; 3:19; 9:19, 28, 35; 11:18, 26; 13:46; 14:15, 16; 15:19; 17:30; 20:21; 22:17, 21; 26:17; Ro 2:4; 11:18; 2Co 3:16; 7:10; Ep 4:17; 5:1; 6:1; 1Th 1:9; 2Ti 2:25; Tit 2:2; 1P 1:14; 2:9; 4:2; 2P 1:5; Rv 2:5, 21; 3:3; 16:11.
[21] Ac 21:30; 22:22; 23:12; 25:3.
[22] 1S 7:12; Ezr 8:31; Ps 18:47; 66:12; 118:10; 124:1, 8; Mt 17:4; Lk 16:29; 24:27, 44, 46; Jn 1:17, 45; 3:14; 5:39, 46; Ac 3:21; 14:19; 16:25; 18:9; 20:20; 21:31; 23:10, 16; 24:14; 26:6, 17; 28:23; Ro 3:21; 2Co 1:8; 2Ti 3:11; 4:17; Rv 11:18; 15:3; 20:12.
[23] Gn 3:15; Ps 16:8; 22:1; Is 53:1, 10; Dn 9:24; Zc 12:10; 13:7; Mt 27:53; Lk 2:32; 18:31; 24:26, 46; Jn 10:18; 11:25; Ac 2:23; 13:34; 26:8, 18; 1Co 15:3, 20; Col 1:18; Rv 1:5.

Festus chargeth him to be mad, whereunto he answereth modestly.

24 Andº as heº thusº spake for himself,ºª Festusº saidºª with a loudº voice,º Paul,º thou art beside thyself;ºª muchº learningº doth makeºª theeº mad.º¹ 25 Butº he² said,ºª I am¹ª not¹ mad,ºª² most nobleº Festus;º butº speak forthºª the wordsº of truthº andº soberness.º 26 Forº the² kingº knowethºª ofº these¹ things,² beforeº whomº alsoº I speakºª freely:ºª forº I am persuadedºª that¹ noneº¹² of these thingsº are hiddenºª from him;º forº this thingº wasºª notº doneºª inº a corner.º 27 Kingº Agrippa,º believest² thou¹ª the² prophets?º I knowºª thatº thou believest.ºª

[24] 2K 9:11; Jr 29:26; Ho 9:7; Mk 3:21; Jn 8:48, 52; 10:20; Ac 17:32; 22:1; 24:25; 25:19; 26:11; 1Co 1:23; 2:13; 4:10; 2Co 5:13.
[25] Lk 1:3; Jn 8:49; Ac 23:26; 24:3; Tit 1:9; 2:7; 1P 2:21; 3:9, 15.
[26] Is 30:20; Mt 26:5; 27:29; Ac 2:1; 4:16; 5:18; 25:22; 26:2.
[27] Ac 26:22.

Agrippa is almost persuaded to be a Christian.

28 Thenº Agrippaº saidºª untoº Paul,º Almostºº thou persuadestºª meº to beºª a Christian.º 29 Andº Paulº said,ºª I wouldººª to God,º that notº onlyº thou,º butº alsoº allº that hearºª meº this day,º wereºª bothº almost,ºº andº altogetherºº suchº asº¹ I² am,ºª exceptº theseº bonds.º 30 Andº when heº had¹ª thusº spoken,ºª the² kingº rose up,ºª andº the² governor,º andº Bernice,º andº they that sat withºª them:º

[28] Ezk 33:31; Mt 10:18; Mk 6:20; 10:17; Ac 24:25; 26:29; 2Co 4:2; Jm 1:23.
[29] Ex 16:3; Nu 11:29; 2S 18:33; 2K 5:3; Jr 13:17; Lk 19:41; Jn 5:34; Ac 12:6; 25:14; Ro 9:1; 10:1; 1Co 4:8; 7:7; 2Co 11:1; Ep 6:20; Col 1:28.
[30] Ac 18:15; 28:22.

The whole company pronounce him innocent.

31 Andº when they were gone aside,ºª they talkedºª between¹ themselves,º² saying,ºª¹ Thisº manº doethºª nothingº worthyº of deathº orº of bonds.º 32 Thenº saidºª Agrippaº unto Festus,º Thisº manº mightºª have been set at liberty,ºª if¹ª² he had¹ª not¹² appealed² unto¹ª Caesar.º

[31] 2S 24:17; Lk 23:4, 14; Ac 23:9, 29; 25:25; 28:18; 1P 3:16; 4:14.
[32] Ac 25:11, 25; 28:18.


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