Acts · Catholic Public Domain Version
Acts 26 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
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1 Yet truly, Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted for you to speak for yourself.” Then Paul, extending his hand, began to offer his defense.
1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made 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,
2 “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you today concerning all the things the Jews accuse me of,
3 especially since you know everything that pertains to the Jews, both customs and questions. Because of this, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
3 especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
4 And certainly, all the Jews know about my life from my youth, which had its beginning among my own people in Jerusalem.
4 “Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem;
5 They 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.
5 having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
6 And now, it is in the hope of the Promise which was made by God to our fathers that I stand subject to judgment.
6 Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,
7 It 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.
7 which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa!
8 Why should it be judged so unbelievable with you all that God might raise the dead?
8 Why is it judged incredible with you if God does raise the dead?
9 And certainly, I myself formerly considered that I ought to act in many ways which are contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.
9 “I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 This 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.
10 I also did this in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.
11 And 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.
11 Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12 Thereafter, as I was going to Damascus, with authority and permission from the high priest,
12 “Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,
13 at 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.
13 at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.
14 And 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.’
14 When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15 Then I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
15 “I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
16 But 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:
16 But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will reveal to you;
17 rescuing you from the people and the nations to which I am now sending you,
17 delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,
18 in 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.’
18 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 an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19 From then on, O king Agrippa, I was not unbelieving to the heavenly vision.
19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20 But 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.
20 but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
21 It was for this reason that the Jews, having apprehended me when I was in the temple, attempted to kill me.
21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.
22 But 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:
22 Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen,
23 that 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.”
23 how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles.”
24 While 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.”
24 As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”
25 And Paul said: “I am not insane, most excellent Festus, but rather I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.
25 But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.
26 For 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.
26 For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner.
27 Do you believe the Prophets, O king Agrippa? I know that you believe.”
27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “To some extent, you persuade me to become a Christian.”
28 Agrippa said to Paul, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?”
29 And 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.”
29 Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these bonds.”
30 And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them.
30 The king rose up with the governor and Bernice, and those who sat with them.
31 And when they had withdrawn, they were speaking among themselves, saying, “This man has done nothing worthy of death, nor of imprisonment.”
31 When they had withdrawn, they spoke to one another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.”
32 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released, if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
32 Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Agrippa
King Agrippa, who with Bernice visited Festus and heard Paul's defense, replying that Paul almost persuaded him to become a Christian.
Cited in the guide: Acts 25:13; Acts 26:1; Acts 26:28
Bernice
Arrived with King Agrippa at Caesarea to pay respects to Festus and sat with him to hear Paul.
Cited in the guide: Acts 25:13; Acts 25:23; Acts 26:30
Cross references (31)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Acts 9:15; John 7:51; Proverbs 1:24; Acts 26:2; Acts 22:1
- 3 Acts 6:14; Acts 26:26; Acts 24:4; Acts 28:17; 1 Corinthians 13:2
- 4 Galatians 1:13; 2 Timothy 3:10; Acts 22:3; Philippians 3:5
- 5 Acts 23:6; Acts 22:3; Acts 22:5; Acts 24:5; Philippians 3:5–6
- 6 Titus 2:13; Acts 28:20; Daniel 7:13–14; Acts 24:15; Romans 15:8
- 7 James 1:1; 1 Timothy 5:5; Philippians 3:11; Luke 22:30; Ezra 6:17
- 8 1 Corinthians 15:12–20; Acts 4:2; Acts 17:31–32; Philippians 3:21; Acts 10:40–42
- 9 1 Timothy 1:13; Acts 22:8; Galatians 1:13–14; Philippians 3:6; John 16:2–3
- 10 Acts 8:3; Acts 9:13–14; Acts 9:21; Acts 22:4–5; Acts 8:1
- 11 Acts 13:45; Acts 22:19; Matthew 10:17; Acts 9:1; Acts 22:5
- 12 Acts 26:10; Acts 9:1–8; Acts 22:5–11; Jeremiah 26:8; John 11:57
- 13 Revelation 1:16; Revelation 21:23; Matthew 17:2; Acts 22:6; Acts 9:3
- 14 Acts 21:40; Acts 22:2; Acts 9:7; Acts 22:7–9; Zechariah 2:8
- 15 John 15:20–21; Matthew 25:45; Matthew 25:40; Exodus 16:8
- 16 Acts 22:14–15; Ezekiel 2:1; Daniel 10:11; 1 Timothy 1:12; Galatians 1:12
- 17 Acts 9:15; 1 Timothy 2:7; Jeremiah 1:19; Romans 11:13; 2 Timothy 4:16–17
- 18 1 Peter 2:9; Ephesians 1:18; Acts 20:32; Ephesians 5:8; Isaiah 42:7
- 19 Isaiah 50:5; Ezekiel 2:7–8; Galatians 1:16; Jeremiah 20:9; Exodus 4:13–14
- 20 Acts 3:19; Matthew 3:8; 2 Timothy 2:25–26; Acts 2:38; Matthew 9:13
- 21 Acts 21:30–31; Acts 21:27; Acts 25:3; Acts 22:22; Acts 23:12–15
- 22 John 5:46; Acts 24:14; Luke 24:44; Acts 10:43; Romans 3:21
- 23 Isaiah 53:1–12; Luke 24:26; Colossians 1:18; Revelation 1:5; Hebrews 2:10
- 24 1 Corinthians 2:13–14; 1 Corinthians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:13; 1 Corinthians 4:10; Mark 3:21
- 25 Acts 23:26; Titus 1:9; Titus 2:7–8; John 8:49; Luke 1:3
- 26 Acts 26:2–3; Acts 2:1–12; Acts 5:18–42; Isaiah 30:20; Acts 4:16–21
- 27 Acts 26:22–23
- 28 Acts 11:26; Matthew 10:18; Acts 26:29; Mark 10:17–22; Acts 24:25
- 29 Ephesians 6:20; Colossians 1:28; Romans 10:1; Acts 21:33; John 5:34
- 30 Acts 28:22; Acts 18:15; Acts 25:23
- 31 Acts 23:29; Acts 23:9; Acts 28:18; Luke 23:4; Acts 25:25
- 32 Acts 28:18; Acts 25:11–12; Acts 25:25
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
See how again also they pass sentence in his favor, and after having said, "Thou art beside thyself," (v. 24) they acquit him, as undeserving not only of death, but also of bonds, and indeed would have released him entirely, if he had not appealed to Cæsar. But this was done providentially, that he should also depart with bonds.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
… or else, if they do receive all these, they must necessarily admit also that testimony concerning Paul, when he (Luke) tells us that the Lord spoke at first to him from heaven: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? I am Jesus Christ, whom thou persecutest;" and then to Ananias, saying regarding him: "Go thy way; for he is a chosen …