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Acts 26:1–18
Paul Makes His Defense Before King Agrippa
26 So Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted for you to speak for yourself.” Then Paul extended his* hand and* began to defend himself:*
2 “Concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that before you I am about to defend myself today, 3 because* you are especially acquainted with both all the customs and controversial questions with respect to the Jews. Therefore I beg you* to listen to me with patience.
4 “Now all the Jews know my manner of life from my youth, that had taken place from the beginning among my own peoplea and in Jerusalem, 5 having known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that in accordance with the strictest party of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand here on trial on the basis of hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 to which our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve him* night and day. Concerning this hope I am being accused by the Jews, O king! 8 Why is it thought incredible by you people* that God raises the dead? 9 Indeed, I myself thought it was necessary to do many things opposed to the name of Jesus the Nazarene, 10 which I also did in Jerusalem, and not only did I lock up many of the saints in prison, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when* they were being executed, I cast my voteb against them.* 11 And throughout all the synagogues I punished them often and* tried to force* them* to blaspheme, and because I* was enraged at them beyond measure, I was pursuing them* even as far as to foreign cities. 12 In ⌊this activity⌋c I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and full power of the chief priests. 13 In the middle of the day along the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven, more than the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those who were traveling with me. 14 And when* we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Aramaic language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads!’ 15 So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet, because for this reason I have appeared to you, to appoint you a servant and witness both to the things in which you saw me and to the things in which I will appear to you, 17 rescuing you from the people and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you, 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
* | Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun |
* | Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“extended”) has been translated as a finite verb |
* | The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to defend himself”) |
* | Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are”) which is understood as causal |
* | Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation |
a | Or “nation” |
* | Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation |
* | Here “people” is supplied in the translation to indicate that the pronoun (“you”) is plural |
* | Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“were being executed”) |
b | Literally “voting pebble,” but here “vote” rather than “voting pebble” is used in the translation to avoid the idea that this small stone was actually thrown at the accused (it was used as a method of voting) |
* | Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation |
* | Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“punished”) has been translated as a finite verb |
* | The imperfect tense has been translated as conative here (“tried to force”) |
* | Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation |
* | Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was enraged”) which is understood as causal |
* | Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation |
c | Literally “which” |
* | Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“had … fallen”) |
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