Paul’s Testimony to Agrippa (Acts 9:1–19; Acts 22:1–21)
1 DBY And Agrippa said to Paul, It is permitted thee to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretching out his hand answered in his defence: BSB BSB: Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:
2 DBY I count myself happy, king Agrippa, in having to answer to-day before thee concerning all of which I am accused by the Jews, BSB BSB: “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews,
3 DBY especially because thou art acquainted with all the customs and questions which are among the Jews; wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. BSB BSB: especially since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me patiently.
4 DBY My manner of life then from my youth, which from its commencement was passed among my nation in Jerusalem, know all the Jews, BSB BSB: Surely all the Jews know how I have lived from my earliest childhood among my own people, and also in Jerusalem.
5 DBY who knew me before from the outset of my life , if they would bear witness, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. BSB BSB: They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the strictest sect of our religion.
6 DBY And now I stand to be judged because of the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, BSB BSB: And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made to our fathers,
7 DBY to which our whole twelve tribes serving incessantly day and night hope to arrive; about which hope, O king, I am accused of the Jews. BSB BSB: the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. It is because of this hope, O king, that I am accused by the Jews.
8 DBY Why should it be judged a thing incredible in your sight if God raises the dead? BSB BSB: Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
9 DBY I indeed myself thought that I ought to do much against the name of Jesus the Nazaraean. BSB BSB: So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 DBY Which also I did in Jerusalem, and myself shut up in prisons many of the saints, having received the authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death I gave my vote. BSB BSB: And that is what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them.
11 DBY And often punishing them in all the synagogues, I compelled them to blaspheme. And, being exceedingly furious against them, I persecuted them even to cities out of our own land . BSB BSB: I frequently had them punished in the synagogues, and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.
12 DBY And when, engaged in this, I was journeying to Damascus, with authority and power from the chief priests, BSB BSB: In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.
13 DBY at mid-day, on the way, I saw, O king, a light above the brightness of the sun, shining from heaven round about me and those who were journeying with me. BSB BSB: About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions.
14 DBY And, when we were all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against goads. BSB BSB: We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15 DBY And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: BSB BSB: ‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.
16 DBY but rise up and stand on thy feet; for, for this purpose have I appeared to thee, to appoint thee to be a servant and a witness both of what thou hast seen, and of what I shall appear to thee in, BSB BSB: ‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen from Me and what I will show you.
17 DBY taking thee out from among the people, and the nations, to whom I send thee, BSB BSB: I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them
18 DBY to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me. BSB BSB: to 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 an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’
19 DBY Whereupon, king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision; BSB BSB: So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.
20 DBY but have, first to those both in Damascus and Jerusalem, and to all the region of Judaea, and to the nations, announced that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance. BSB BSB: First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.
21 DBY On account of these things the Jews, having seized me in the temple, attempted to lay hands on and destroy me. BSB BSB: For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.
22 DBY Having therefore met with the help which is from God, I have stood firm unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing else than those things which both the prophets and Moses have said should happen, BSB BSB: But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen:
23 DBY namely, whether Christ should suffer; whether he first, through resurrection of the dead, should announce light both to the people and to the nations.BSB BSB: that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”
Festus Interrupts Paul’s Defense 26 DBY for the king is informed about these things, to whom also I speak with all freedom. For I am persuaded that of these things nothing is hidden from him; for this was not done in a corner. BSB BSB: For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.
27 DBY King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. BSB BSB: King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
28 DBY And Agrippa said to Paul, In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian. BSB BSB: Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?”
29 DBY And Paul said , I would to God, both in little and in much, that not only thou, but all who have heard me this day, should become such as I also am, except these bonds. BSB BSB: “Short time or long,” Paul replied, “I wish to God that not only you but all who hear me this day may become what I am, except for these chains.”
30 DBY And the king stood up, and the governor and Bernice, and those who sat with them, BSB BSB: Then the king and the governor rose, along with Bernice and those seated with them.
31 DBY and having gone apart, they spoke to one another saying, This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds. BSB BSB: On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”
32 DBY And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have been let go if he had not appealed to Caesar. BSB BSB: And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.