Chapter 26
Paul’s Testimony to Agrippa
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- Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself. Then Paul stretched out [his] hand [and] began his defense:
δὲ Ἀγρίππας ἔφη πρὸς τὸν Παῦλον σοι Ἐπιτρέπεταί λέγειν ὑπὲρ σεαυτοῦ Τότε ὁ Παῦλος ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα ἀπελογεῖτο de Agrippas ephē pros ton Paulon soi Epitrepetai legein hyper seautou Tote ho Paulos ekteinas tēn cheira apelogeito — NA/TR · 1
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“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all vvv the accusations of [the] Jews,
βασιλεῦ Ἀγρίππα ἥγημαι ἐμαυτὸν μακάριον μέλλων ἐπὶ σοῦ σήμερον ἀπολογεῖσθαι Περὶ πάντων ὧν ἐγκαλοῦμαι ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων basileu Agrippa hēgēmai emauton makarion mellōn epi sou sēmeron apologeisthai Peri pantōn hōn enkaloumai hypo Ioudaiōn — NA/TR · 2
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especially [since] you are acquainted with all the vvv Jewish customs and controversies. I beg [you], therefore, to listen to me patiently.
μάλιστα σε ὄντα γνώστην πάντων τῶν κατὰ Ἰουδαίους ἐθῶν τε καὶ ζητημάτων δέομαι διὸ ἀκοῦσαί μου μακροθύμως malista se onta gnōstēn pantōn tōn kata Ioudaious ethōn te kai zētēmatōn deomai dio akousai mou makrothymōs — NA/TR · 3
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Surely… all the Jews know vvv vvv how I have lived - from [my] earliest - childhood among my own… people, and also in Jerusalem.
οὖν μὲν πάντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἴσασι μου Τὴν βίωσίν γενομένην τὴν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς τὴν ἐκ νεότητος ἐν μου τῷ ἔθνει τε ἔν Ἱεροσολύμοις oun men pantes hoi Ioudaioi isasi mou Tēn biōsin genomenēn tēn ap’ archēs tēn ek neotētos en mou tō ethnei te en Hierosolymois — NA/TR · 4
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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.
προγινώσκοντές με ἄνωθεν μαρτυρεῖν ἐὰν θέλωσι ὅτι ἔζησα Φαρισαῖος κατὰ τὴν ἀκριβεστάτην αἵρεσιν ἡμετέρας τῆς θρησκείας proginōskontes me anōthen martyrein ean thelōsi hoti ezēsa Pharisaios kata tēn akribestatēn hairesin hēmeteras tēs thrēskeias — NA/TR · 5
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And now I stand on trial because of [my] hope in the promise [that] - God made to our fathers,
Καὶ νῦν ἕστηκα κρινόμενος ἐπ’ ἐλπίδι τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ γενομένης εἰς ἡμῶν τοὺς πατέρας Kai nyn hestēka krinomenos ep’ elpidi tēs epangelias hypo tou Theou genomenēs eis hēmōn tous pateras — NA/TR · 6
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[ 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.
εἰς ἣν ἡμῶν τὸ δωδεκάφυλον ἐλπίζει καταντῆσαι λατρεῦον ἐν ἐκτενείᾳ ἡμέραν καὶ νύκτα περὶ ἧς ἐλπίδος βασιλεῦ ἐγκαλοῦμαι ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων eis hēn hēmōn to dōdekaphylon elpizei katantēsai latreuon en ekteneia hēmeran kai nykta peri hēs elpidos basileu enkaloumai hypo Ioudaiōn — NA/TR · 7
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Why {would} any of you consider it incredible that God raises [the] dead?
τί παρ’ ὑμῖν κρίνεται ἄπιστον εἰ ὁ Θεὸς ἐγείρει νεκροὺς ti par’ hymin krinetai apiston ei ho Theos egeirei nekrous — NA/TR · 8
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So then…, I [too] was convinced that I ought to do all [I could] to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
οὖν μὲν Ἐγὼ ἐμαυτῷ ἔδοξα δεῖν πρᾶξαι πολλὰ ἐναντία πρὸς τὸ ὄνομα Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναζωραίου oun men Egō emautō edoxa dein praxai polla enantia pros to onoma Iēsou tou Nazōraiou — NA/TR · 9
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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]…
καὶ ὃ ἐποίησα ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις λαβών τὴν ἐξουσίαν παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων καὶ τε ἐγὼ κατέκλεισα πολλούς τῶν ἁγίων ἐν φυλακαῖς τε αὐτῶν ἀναιρουμένων κατήνεγκα ψῆφον kai ho epoiēsa en Hierosolymois labōn tēn exousian para tōn archiereōn kai te egō katekleisa pollous tōn hagiōn en phylakais te autōn anairoumenōn katēnenka psēphon — NA/TR · 10
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vvv vvv 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].
πολλάκις αὐτοὺς τιμωρῶν καὶ κατὰ πάσας τὰς συναγωγὰς ἠνάγκαζον βλασφημεῖν τε ἐμμαινόμενος περισσῶς αὐτοῖς καὶ ἕως εἰς ἔξω τὰς πόλεις ἐδίωκον pollakis autous timōrōn kai kata pasas tas synagōgas ēnankazon blasphēmein te emmainomenos perissōs autois kai heōs eis exō tas poleis ediōkon — NA/TR · 11
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In this [pursuit] I was on my way to Damascus with [the] authority and commission of the chief priests.
Ἐν οἷς πορευόμενος εἰς τὴν Δαμασκὸν μετ’ ἐξουσίας καὶ ἐπιτροπῆς τῆς τῶν ἀρχιερέων En hois poreuomenos eis tēn Damaskon met’ exousias kai epitropēs tēs tōn archiereōn — NA/TR · 12
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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…
μέσης ἡμέρας βασιλεῦ κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν εἶδον φῶς οὐρανόθεν ὑπὲρ τὴν λαμπρότητα τοῦ ἡλίου περιλάμψαν με καὶ τοὺς πορευομένους σὺν ἐμοὶ mesēs hēmeras basileu kata tēn hodon eidon phōs ouranothen hyper tēn lamprotēta tou hēliou perilampsan me kai tous poreuomenous syn emoi — NA/TR · 13
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- 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.
τε ἡμῶν πάντων καταπεσόντων εἰς τὴν γῆν ἤκουσα φωνὴν λέγουσαν πρός με τῇ Ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ Σαοὺλ Σαούλ τί διώκεις με σκληρόν σοι λακτίζειν πρὸς κέντρα te hēmōn pantōn katapesontōn eis tēn gēn ēkousa phōnēn legousan pros me tē Hebraidi dialektō Saoul Saoul ti diōkeis me sklēron soi laktizein pros kentra — NA/TR · 14
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‘Who are You, Lord? I asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, the Lord replied.
Τίς εἶ Κύριε δὲ Ἐγὼ εἶπα Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὃν σὺ διώκεις δὲ Ὁ Κύριος εἶπεν Tis ei Kyrie de Egō eipa Egō eimi Iēsous hon sy diōkeis de Ho Kyrios eipen — NA/TR · 15
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‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you to vvv appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen from Me and what I will show you.
ἀλλὰ ἀνάστηθι καὶ στῆθι ἐπὶ σου τοὺς πόδας γὰρ ὤφθην σοι εἰς τοῦτο προχειρίσασθαί σε ὑπηρέτην καὶ μάρτυρα τε ὧν εἶδές με τε ὧν ὀφθήσομαί σοι alla anastēthi kai stēthi epi sou tous podas gar ōphthēn soi eis touto procheirisasthai se hypēretēn kai martyra te hōn eides me te hōn ophthēsomai soi — NA/TR · 16
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I will rescue you from [your own] people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to [them]
ἐξαιρούμενός σε ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω σε εἰς οὓς exairoumenos se ek tou laou kai ek tōn ethnōn egō apostellō se eis hous — NA/TR · 17
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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.
ἀνοῖξαι αὐτῶν ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι ἀπὸ σκότους εἰς φῶς καὶ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ Σατανᾶ ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν τοῦ αὐτοὺς λαβεῖν ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ κλῆρον ἐν τοῖς ἡγιασμένοις πίστει τῇ εἰς ἐμέ anoixai autōn ophthalmous tou epistrepsai apo skotous eis phōs kai tēs exousias tou Satana epi ton Theon tou autous labein aphesin hamartiōn kai klēron en tois hēgiasmenois pistei tē eis eme — NA/TR · 18
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So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.
Ὅθεν βασιλεῦ Ἀγρίππα ἐγενόμην οὐκ ἀπειθὴς τῇ οὐρανίῳ ὀπτασίᾳ Hothen basileu Agrippa egenomēn ouk apeithēs tē ouraniō optasia — NA/TR · 19
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- 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.
ἀλλὰ τε πρῶτόν τοῖς ἐν Δαμασκῷ καὶ Ἱεροσολύμοις τε πᾶσάν τὴν χώραν τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀπήγγελλον μετανοεῖν καὶ ἐπιστρέφειν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν πράσσοντας ἔργα ἄξια τῆς μετανοίας alla te prōton tois en Damaskō kai Hierosolymois te pasan tēn chōran tēs Ioudaias kai tois ethnesin apēngellon metanoein kai epistrephein epi ton Theon prassontas erga axia tēs metanoias — NA/TR · 20
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For this reason… the Jews seized me in the temple [courts] [and] tried to kill [me].
ἕνεκα τούτων Ἰουδαῖοι συλλαβόμενοι με ὄντα ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἐπειρῶντο διαχειρίσασθαι heneka toutōn Ioudaioi syllabomenoi me onta en tō hierō epeirōnto diacheirisasthai — NA/TR · 21
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[But] I have had vvv vvv 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:
οὖν τυχὼν ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐπικουρίας τῆς ἄχρι ταύτης τῆς ἡμέρας ἕστηκα μαρτυρόμενος μικρῷ καὶ μεγάλῳ τε λέγων οὐδὲν ἐκτὸς ὧν τε οἱ προφῆται καὶ Μωϋσῆς ἐλάλησαν μελλόντων γίνεσθαι oun tychōn apo tou Theou Epikourias tēs achri tautēs tēs hēmeras hestēka martyromenos mikrō kai megalō te legōn ouden ektos hōn te hoi prophētai kai Mōusēs elalēsan mellontōn ginesthai — NA/TR · 22
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that the Christ would suffer, [and as the] first to rise from [the] dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.
εἰ ὁ Χριστός παθητὸς εἰ πρῶτος ἀναστάσεως ἐξ νεκρῶν μέλλει καταγγέλλειν φῶς τε τῷ λαῷ καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ei ho Christos pathētos ei prōtos anastaseōs ex nekrōn mellei katangellein phōs te tō laō kai tois ethnesin — NA/TR · 23
Festus Interrupts Paul’s Defense
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At this stage of [Paul’s] defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! [Your] great learning is driving you to madness!
Ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀπολογουμένου ὁ Φῆστος φησιν τῇ μεγάλῃ φωνῇ Μαίνῃ Παῦλε τὰ πολλά γράμματα περιτρέπει σε εἰς μανίαν Tauta de autou apologoumenou ho Phēstos phēsin tē megalē phōnē Mainē Paule ta polla grammata peritrepei se eis manian — NA/TR · 24
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But Paul answered vvv, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.
δὲ Ὁ Παῦλος φησίν Οὐ μαίνομαι Κράτιστε Φῆστε ἀλλὰ ἀποφθέγγομαι ῥήματα ἀληθείας καὶ σωφροσύνης de Ho Paulos phēsin Ou mainomai Kratiste Phēste alla apophthengomai rhēmata alētheias kai sōphrosynēs — NA/TR · 25
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For the king knows about these [matters], and I can speak freely to [him]. vvv vvv I am confident that none… of this has escaped his [notice], because [it] was not done in a corner.
γὰρ ὁ βασιλεύς ἐπίσταται περὶ τούτων καὶ λαλῶ παρρησιαζόμενος πρὸς ὃν γὰρ οὐ πείθομαι οὐθέν τι τούτων λανθάνειν αὐτὸν γάρ τοῦτο ἐστιν οὐ πεπραγμένον ἐν γωνίᾳ gar ho basileus epistatai peri toutōn kai lalō parrēsiazomenos pros hon gar ou peithomai outhen ti toutōn lanthanein auton gar touto estin ou pepragmenon en gōnia — NA/TR · 26
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King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you [do].
βασιλεῦ Ἀγρίππα πιστεύεις τοῖς προφήταις οἶδα ὅτι πιστεύεις basileu Agrippa pisteueis tois prophētais oida hoti pisteueis — NA/TR · 27
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Then Agrippa [said] to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short [time] to become a Christian?
δὲ Ὁ Ἀγρίππας πρὸς τὸν Παῦλον πείθεις με Ἐν ὀλίγῳ ποιῆσαι Χριστιανὸν de Ho Agrippas pros ton Paulon peitheis me En oligō poiēsai Christianon — NA/TR · 28
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vvv vvv “Short [time] [or] vvv 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.
καὶ ἐν ὀλίγῳ καὶ ἐν μεγάλῳ δὲ Ὁ Παῦλος Εὐξαίμην τῷ Θεῷ ἂν οὐ μόνον σὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀκούοντάς μου σήμερον γενέσθαι τοιούτους ὁποῖος ἐγώ καὶ εἰμι παρεκτὸς τούτων τῶν δεσμῶν kai en oligō kai en megalō de Ho Paulos Euxaimēn tō Theō an ou monon se alla kai pantas tous akouontas mou sēmeron genesthai toioutous hopoios egō kai eimi parektos toutōn tōn desmōn — NA/TR · 29
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Then the king and the governor rose, along with Bernice and those seated with them.
τε ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ὁ ἡγεμὼν Ἀνέστη τε ἥ Βερνίκη καὶ οἱ συνκαθήμενοι αὐτοῖς te ho basileus kai ho hēgemōn Anestē te hē Bernikē kai hoi synkathēmenoi autois — NA/TR · 30
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- On their way out, they said to one another -, “This man has done nothing… worthy of death or imprisonment.
καὶ ἀναχωρήσαντες ἐλάλουν πρὸς ἀλλήλους λέγοντες ὅτι οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος πράσσει Οὐδὲν τι ἄξιον θανάτου ἢ δεσμῶν kai anachōrēsantes elaloun pros allēlous legontes hoti houtos ho anthrōpos prassei Ouden ti axion thanatou ē desmōn — NA/TR · 31
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And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if vvv he had not appealed to Caesar.
δὲ Ἀγρίππας ἔφη τῷ Φήστῳ οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐδύνατο Ἀπολελύσθαι εἰ μὴ ἐπεκέκλητο Καίσαρα de Agrippas ephē tō Phēstō houtos ho anthrōpos edynato Apolelysthai ei mē epekeklēto Kaisara — NA/TR · 32