| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: | 1Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: |
| 2“I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, | 2"King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, |
| 3especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. | 3and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently. |
| 4“My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. | 4"The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. |
| 5They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. | 5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. |
| 6And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, | 6And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. |
| 7to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! | 7This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. |
| 8Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? | 8Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? |
| 9“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. | 9"I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. |
| 10And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. | 10And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord's people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. |
| 11And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities. | 11Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities. |
| 12“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. | 12"On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. |
| 13At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. | 13About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. |
| 14And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ | 14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' |
| 15And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. | 15"Then I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' " 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied. |
| 16But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, | 16Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. |
| 17delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you | 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them |
| 18to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ | 18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' |
| 19“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, | 19"So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. |
| 20but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. | 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. |
| 21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. | 21That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. |
| 22To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: | 22But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen-- |
| 23that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.” | 23that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles." |
| 24And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” | 24At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane." |
| 25But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. | 25"I am not insane, most excellent Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is true and reasonable. |
| 26For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. | 26The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. |
| 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” | 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do." |
| 28And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” | 28Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?" |
| 29And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.” | 29Paul replied, "Short time or long--I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains." |
| 30Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. | 30The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. |
| 31And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” | 31After they left the room, they began saying to one another, "This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment." |
| 32And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.” | 32Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar." |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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