Apostelgeschichte 26

1Then Agrippa said to Paul: Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretching forth his hand, began to make his answer.

2I think myself happy, O king Agrippa, that I am to answer for myself this day before thee, touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews.

3Especially as thou knowest all, both customs and questions that are among the Jews: Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

4And my life indeed from my youth, which was from the beginning among my own nation in Jerusalem, all the Jews do know:

5Having known me from the beginning (if they will give testimony) that according to the most sure sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

6And now for the hope of the promise that was made by God to the fathers, do I stand subject to judgment:

7Unto which, our twelve tribes, serving night and day, hope to come. For which hope, O king, I am accused by the Jews.

8Why should it be thought a thing incredible, that God should raise the dead?

9And I indeed did formerly think, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10Which also I did at Jerusalem, and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority of the chief priests: and when they were put to death, I brought the sentence.

11And oftentimes punishing them, in every synagogue, I compelled them to blaspheme: and being yet more mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.

12Whereupon when I was going to Damascus with authority and permission of the chief priest,

13At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me, and them that were in company with me.

14And when we were all fallen down on the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew tongue: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goad.

15And I said: Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord answered: I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

16But rise up, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared to thee, that I may make thee a minister, and a witness of those things which thou hast seen, and of those things wherein I will appear to thee,

17Delivering thee from the people, and from the nations, unto which now I send thee:

18To open their eyes, that they may be converted from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and a lot among the saints, by the faith that is in me.

19Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not incredulous to the heavenly vision:

20But to them first that are at Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and unto all the country of Judea, and to the Gentiles did I preach, that they should do penance, and turn to God, doing works worthy of penance.

21For this cause the Jews, when I was in the temple, having apprehended me, went about to kill me.

22But being aided by the help of God, I stand unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other thing than those which the prophets, and Moses did say should come to pass:

23That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light to the people, and to the Gentiles.

24As he spoke these things, and made his answer, Festus said with a loud voice: Paul, thou art beside thyself: much learning doth make thee mad.

25And Paul said: I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but I speak words of truth and soberness.

26For the king knoweth of these things, to whom also I speak with confidence. For I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him. For neither was any of these things done in a corner.

27Believest thou the prophets, O king Agrippa? I know that thou believest.

28And Agrippa said to Paul: In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian.

29And Paul said: I would to God, that both in a little and in much, not only thou, but also all that hear me, this day, should become such as I also am, except these bands.

30And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them.

31And when they were gone aside, they spoke among themselves, saying: This man hath done nothing worthy of death or of bands.

32And Agrippa said to Festus: This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.

1Agrippa vero ad Paulum ait: Permittitur tibi loqui pro temetipso. Tunc Paulus extenta manu cœpit rationem reddere:

2De omnibus quibus accusor a Judæis, rex Agrippa, æstimo me beatum apud te cum sim defensurus me hodie,

3maxime te sciente omnia, et quæ apud Judæos sunt consuetudines et quæstiones: propter quod obsecro patienter me audias.

4Et quidem vitam meam a juventute, quæ ab initio fuit in gente mea in Jerosolymis, noverunt omnes Judæi:

5præscientes me ab initio (si velint testimonium perhibere) quoniam secundum certissimam sectam nostræ religionis vixi pharisæus.

6Et nunc, in spe quæ ad patres nostros repromissionis facta est a Deo, sto judicio subjectus:

7in quam duodecim tribus nostræ nocte ac die deservientes, sperant devenire. De qua spe accusor a Judæis, rex.

8Quid incredibile judicatur apud vos, si Deus mortuos suscitat?

9Et ego quidem existimaveram me adversus nomen Jesu Nazareni debere multa contraria agere,

10quod et feci Jerosolymis, et multos sanctorum ego in carceribus inclusi, a principibus sacerdotum potestate accepta: et cum occiderentur, detuli sententiam.

11Et per omnes synagogas frequenter puniens eos, compellebam blasphemare: et amplius insaniens in eos, persequebar usque in exteras civitates.

12In quibus dum irem Damascum cum potestate et permissu principum sacerdotum,

13die media in via vidi, rex, de cælo supra splendorem solis circumfulsisse me lumen, et eos qui mecum simul erant.

14Omnesque nos cum decidissemus in terram, audivi vocem loquentem mihi hebraica lingua: Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris? durum est tibi contra stimulum calcitrare.

15Ego autem dixi: Quis es, domine? Dominus autem dixit: Ego sum Jesus, quem tu persequeris.

16Sed exsurge, et sta super pedes tuos: ad hoc enim apparui tibi, ut constituam te ministrum, et testem eorum quæ vidisti, et eorum quibus apparebo tibi,

17eripiens te de populo et gentibus, in quas nunc ego mitto te,

18aperire oculos eorum, ut convertantur a tenebris ad lucem, et de potestate Satanæ ad Deum, ut accipiant remissionem peccatorum, et sortem inter sanctos, per fidem quæ est in me.

19Unde, rex Agrippa, non fui incredulus cælesti visioni:

20sed his qui sunt Damasci primum, et Jerosolymis, et in omnem regionem Judææ, et gentibus, annuntiabam, ut pœnitentiam agerent, et converterentur ad Deum, digna pœnitentiæ opera facientes.

21Hac ex causa me Judæi, cum essem in templo, comprehensum tentabant interficere.

22Auxilio autem adjutus Dei usque in hodiernum diem, sto, testificans minori atque majori, nihil extra dicens quam ea quæ prophetæ locuti sunt futura esse, et Moyses,

23si passibilis Christus, si primus ex resurrectione mortuorum, lumen annuntiaturus est populo et gentibus.

24Hæc loquente eo, et rationem reddente, Festus magna voce dixit: Insanis, Paule: multæ te litteræ ad insaniam convertunt.

25Et Paulus: Non insanio, inquit, optime Feste, sed veritatis et sobrietatis verba loquor.

26Scit enim de his rex, ad quem et constanter loquor: latere enim eum nihil horum arbitror. Neque enim in angulo quidquam horum gestum est.

27Credis, rex Agrippa, prophetis? Scio quia credis.

28Agrippa autem ad Paulum: In modico suades me christianum fieri.

29Et Paulus: Opto apud Deum, et in modico et in magno, non tantum te, sed etiam omnes qui audiunt hodie fieri tales, qualis et ego sum, exceptis vinculis his.

30Et exsurrexit rex, et præses, et Bernice, et qui assidebant eis.

31Et cum secessissent, loquebantur ad invicem, dicentes: Quia nihil morte aut vinculis dignum quid fecit homo iste.

32Agrippa autem Festo dixit: Dimitti poterat homo hic, si non appellasset Cæsarem.

1Yet truly, Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted for you to speak for yourself.” Then Paul, extending his hand, began to offer his defense.

2“I consider myself blessed, O king Agrippa, that I am to give my defense today before you, about everything of which I am accused by the Jews,

3especially since you know everything that pertains to the Jews, both customs and questions. Because of this, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

4And certainly, all the Jews know about my life from my youth, which had its beginning among my own people in Jerusalem.

5They knew me well from the beginning, (if they would be willing to offer testimony) for I lived according to the most determined sect of our religion: as a Pharisee.

6And now, it is in the hope of the Promise which was made by God to our fathers that I stand subject to judgment.

7It is the Promise that our twelve tribes, worshiping night and day, hope to see. About this hope, O king, I am accused by the Jews.

8Why should it be judged so unbelievable with you all that God might raise the dead?

9And certainly, I myself formerly considered that I ought to act in many ways which are contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.

10This is also how I acted at Jerusalem. And so, I enclosed many holy persons in prison, having received authority from the leaders of the priests. And when they were to be killed, I brought the sentence.

11And in every synagogue, frequently while punishing them, I compelled them to blaspheme. And being all the more maddened against them, I persecuted them, even to foreign cities.

12Thereafter, as I was going to Damascus, with authority and permission from the high priest,

13at midday, O king, I and those who were also with me, saw along the way a light from heaven shining around me with a splendor greater than that of the sun.

14And when we had all fallen down to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goad.’

15Then I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

16But rise up and stand on your feet. For I appeared to you for this reason: so that I may establish you as a minister and a witness concerning the things that you have seen, and concerning the things that I will show to you:

17rescuing you from the people and the nations to which I am now sending you,

18in order to open their eyes, so that they may be converted from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive the remission of sins and a place among the saints, through the faith that is in me.’

19From then on, O king Agrippa, I was not unbelieving to the heavenly vision.

20But I preached, first to those who are at Damascus and at Jerusalem, and then to the entire region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, so that they would repent and convert to God, doing the works that are worthy of repentance.

21It was for this reason that the Jews, having apprehended me when I was in the temple, attempted to kill me.

22But having been aided by the help of God, even to this day, I stand witnessing to the small and the great, saying nothing beyond what the Prophets and Moses have said would be in the future:

23that the Christ would suffer, and that he would be the first from the resurrection of the dead, and that he would bring light to the people and to the nations.”

24While he was speaking these things and presenting his defense, Festus said with a loud voice: “Paul, you are insane! Too much studying has turned you to insanity.”

25And Paul said: “I am not insane, most excellent Festus, but rather I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.

26For the king knows about these things. To him also, I am speaking with constancy. For I think that none of these things are unknown to him. And neither were these things done in a corner.

27Do you believe the Prophets, O king Agrippa? I know that you believe.”

28Then Agrippa said to Paul, “To some extent, you persuade me to become a Christian.”

29And Paul said, “I hope to God that, both to a small extent and to a great extent, not only you, but also all those who hear me this day will become just as I also am, except for these chains.”

30And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them.

31And when they had withdrawn, they were speaking among themselves, saying, “This man has done nothing worthy of death, nor of imprisonment.”

32Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released, if he had not appealed to Caesar.”