Paul’s Testimony to Agrippa (Acts 9:1–19; Acts 22:1–21)
1 UEB So Agrippa said to Paul, "You may speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense. BSB BSB: Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:
2 UEB "I regard myself as happy, King Agrippa, to make my case before you today against all the accusations of 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 UEB especially, because you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and questions. So I ask you 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 UEB Truly, all the Jews know how I lived from my youth in my own nation and at Jerusalem. BSB BSB: Surely all the Jews know how I have lived from my earliest childhood among my own people, and also in Jerusalem.
5 UEB They knew me from the beginning and they should admit that I lived as a Pharisee, the strictest party of our religion. 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 UEB Now I stand here to be judged because of my certain hope in 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 UEB For this is the promise that our twelve tribes sought to receive as they earnestly worshiped God night and day. It is for this certain hope, King Agrippa, that the Jews accuse me. 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 UEB Why should any of you think it is unbelievable that God raises the dead? BSB BSB: Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
9 UEB Now indeed, I myself thought that I should do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 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 UEB I did these in Jerusalem. I locked up many of the saints in prison by the authority I received from the chief priests, and when they were killed, I cast my vote against them. 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 UEB I punished them many times in all the synagogues and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was furiously enraged against them and I persecuted them even to foreign cities. 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 UEB While I was doing this, I went to Damascus with authority and orders 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 UEB and on the way there, at midday, King, I saw a light from heaven that was brighter than the sun and it shone around both me and the men who were traveling 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 UEB When we all fell to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me that said in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick a goad.' 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 UEB Then I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' The Lord replied, 'I am Jesus whom you persecute. BSB BSB: ‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.
16 UEB Now get up and stand on your feet; because for this purpose I appeared to you, to appoint you to be a servant and a witness concerning the things that you know about me now and the things that I will show to you later; 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 UEB and I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you, BSB BSB: I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them
18 UEB to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive from God the forgiveness of sins and the inheritance that I give to them who 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 UEB Therefore, King Agrippa, I did not disobey the heavenly vision; BSB BSB: So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.
20 UEB but, to those in Damascus first, and then at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, I gave them the message that that they should repent and turn to God, doing deeds 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 UEB For this cause the Jews arrested me in the temple and tried to kill me. BSB BSB: For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.
22 UEB God has helped me until now, so I stand and testify to the common people and to the great ones about nothing more than what the prophets and Moses said would 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 UEB that Christ must suffer and that by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light to our own people and to the Gentiles." 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 UEB For the king knows about these things; and so, I speak freely to him, for I am persuaded that none of this is hidden from him; for this has not been 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 UEB Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe." BSB BSB: King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
28 UEB Agrippa said to Paul, "In a short time would you persuade me and make me a Christian?" BSB BSB: Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?”
29 UEB Paul said, "I pray to God, that whether in a short or long time, not you only, but also all that hear me today, would be like me, but without these prison chains." 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 UEB Then the king stood up, and the governor, and Bernice also, and those who were sitting with them; BSB BSB: Then the king and the governor rose, along with Bernice and those seated with them.
31 UEB when they left the hall, they talked to one another and said, "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 UEB Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been freed 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.