Acts 26 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
FBV Free Bible Version
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 Agrippa then said to Paul, “You are free to speak on your own behalf.” With a sweep of his arm, Paul began his defense.
1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.
1 Ἀγρίππας δὲ πρὸς τὸν Παῦλον ἔφη· ἐπιτρέπεταί σοι ὑπὲρ σεαυτοῦ λέγειν. τότε ὁ Παῦλος ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα ἀπελογεῖτο·
2 “I am delighted, King Agrippa, to make my defense before you today regarding everything I am accused of 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,
2 περὶ πάντων ὧν ἐγκαλοῦμαι ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων, βασιλεῦ Ἀγρίππα, ἥγημαι ἐμαυτὸν μακάριον ἐπὶ σοῦ μέλλων ἀπολογεῖσθαι σήμερον,
3 particularly because you are an expert in all Jewish issues and customs. I beg your patient indulgence as you listen to what I have to say.
3 especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
3 μάλιστα γνώστην ὄντα σε πάντων τῶν κατὰ Ἰουδαίους ἐθῶν τε καὶ ζητημάτων· διὸ δέομαί σου μακροθύμως ἀκοῦσαί μου.
4 All the Jews know my life story—from my earliest days beginning in my own country and then 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;
4 Τὴν μὲν οὖν βίωσίν μου τὴν ἐκ νεότητος τὴν ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς γενομένην ἐν τῷ ἔθνει μου ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἴσασι πάντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι,
5 They have known me for a long time and can verify, if they choose to, that I have followed the religious school that observes our faith in the strictest way—I lived 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.
5 προγινώσκοντές με ἄνωθεν, ἐὰν θέλωσι μαρτυρεῖν, ὅτι κατὰ τὴν ἀκριβεστάτην αἵρεσιν τῆς ἡμετέρας θρησκείας ἔζησα Φαρισαῖος.
6 Now I am standing here to be judged regarding the promised hope God gave to our fathers
6 Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,
6 καὶ νῦν ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι τῆς πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἐπαγγελίας γενομένης ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἕστηκα κρινόμενος,
7 that our twelve tribes hoped to receive as they continually dedicated themselves in God's service. Yes, it's because of this hope that I'm accused by the Jews, Your Majesty!
7 which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa!
7 εἰς ἣν τὸ δωδεκάφυλον ἡμῶν ἐν ἐκτενείᾳ νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν λατρεῦον ἐλπίζει καταντῆσαι· περὶ ἧς ἐλπίδος ἐγκαλοῦμαι, βασιλεῦ Ἀγρίππα, ὑπὸ [τῶν] Ἰουδαίων.
8 Why should any of you think it's unbelievable that God raises the dead?
8 Why is it judged incredible with you if God does raise the dead?
8 τί ἄπιστον κρίνεται παρ᾽ ὑμῖν εἰ ὁ Θεὸς νεκροὺς ἐγείρει;
9 Previously I was sincerely convinced I should do as much as I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
9 “I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
9 ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ἔδοξα ἐμαυτῷ πρὸς τὸ ὄνομα Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναζωραίου δεῖν πολλὰ ἐναντία πρᾶξαι·
10 This is what I did in Jerusalem. I threw many of the believers in prison, having been given authority to do this by the chief priests. When they were sentenced to death I cast my vote against them.
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.
10 ὃ καὶ ἐποίησα ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις, καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν ἁγίων ἐγὼ ἐν φυλακαῖς κατέκλεισα τὴν παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων ἐξουσίαν λαβών, ἀναιρουμένων τε αὐτῶν κατήνεγκα ψῆφον,
11 I had them punished in all the synagogues, trying to make them recant. I was so furiously opposed to them that I went to cities outside our country to persecute them.
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.
11 καὶ κατὰ πάσας τὰς συναγωγὰς πολλάκις τιμωρῶν αὐτοὺς ἠνάγκαζον βλασφημεῖν, περισσῶς τε ἐμμαινόμενος αὐτοῖς ἐδίωκον ἕως καὶ εἰς τὰς ἔξω πόλεις.
12 That's why one day I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and orders from the chief priests.
12 “Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,
12 Ἐν οἷς [καὶ] πορευόμενος εἰς τὴν Δαμασκὸν μετ᾽ ἐξουσίας καὶ ἐπιτροπῆς τῆς παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων,
13 At about noon as I was on my way, Your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven that blazed brighter than the sun. It shone around me and those who were traveling with me.
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.
13 ἡμέρας μέσης κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν εἶδον, βασιλεῦ, οὐρανόθεν ὑπὲρ τὴν λαμπρότητα τοῦ ἡλίου περιλάμψαν με φῶς καὶ τοὺς σὺν ἐμοὶ πορευομένους·
14 All of us fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It's hard for you to fight against me!’
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.’
14 πάντων δὲ καταπεσόντων ἡμῶν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἤκουσα φωνὴν λαλοῦσαν πρός με καὶ λέγουσαν τῇ Ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ· Σαοὺλ Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις; σκληρόν σοι πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν.
15 ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, the one you're persecuting,’ the Lord replied.
15 “I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
15 ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπον· τίς εἶ, Κύριε; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὃν σὺ διώκεις.
16 ‘But pick yourself up and get to your feet. The reason why I've appeared to you is to appoint you as my servant, to be a witness for me, telling others how you have seen me and everything I will reveal 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;
16 ἀλλὰ ἀνάστηθι καὶ στῆθι ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας σου· εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ὤφθην σοι, προχειρίσασθαί σε ὑπηρέτην καὶ μάρτυρα ὧν τε εἶδες ὧν τε ὀφθήσομαί σοι,
17 I will save you from your own people and from the foreigners. I am sending you to them
17 delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,
17 ἐξαιρούμενός σε ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν, εἰς οὓς ἐγώ σε ἀποστέλλω
18 to open their eyes so they can turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, and so they can receive forgiveness for their sins and a place with those who are set right as they trust 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.’
18 ἀνοῖξαι ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν, τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι ἀπὸ σκότους εἰς φῶς καὶ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ σατανᾶ ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν, τοῦ λαβεῖν αὐτοὺς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ κλῆρον ἐν τοῖς ἡγιασμένοις πίστει τῇ εἰς ἐμέ.
19 Clearly, King Agrippa, I could not disobey this vision from heaven.
19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
19 Ὅθεν, βασιλεῦ Ἀγρίππα, οὐκ ἐγενόμην ἀπειθὴς τῇ οὐρανίῳ ὀπτασίᾳ,
20 First in Damascus, then in Jerusalem, and then all over Judea and also to the foreigners I shared the message of repentance: how they should turn to God, demonstrating their repentance through their actions.
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.
20 ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐν Δαμασκῷ πρῶτον καὶ Ἱεροσολύμοις, εἰς πᾶσάν τε τὴν χώραν τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀπαγγέλλω μετανοεῖν καὶ ἐπιστρέφειν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν, ἄξια τῆς μετανοίας ἔργα πράσσοντας.
21 That's why the Jews seized me in the Temple and tried to kill me.
21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.
21 ἕνεκα τούτων με οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι συλλαβόμενοι ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἐπειρῶντο διαχειρίσασθαι.
22 God has looked after me so I can stand here today as a witness to everyone, both to ordinary people and to those who are important. I am only repeating what Moses and the prophets said would happen—
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,
22 ἐπικουρίας οὖν τυχὼν τῆς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄχρι τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης ἕστηκα μαρτυρόμενος μικρῷ τε καὶ μεγάλῳ, οὐδὲν ἐκτὸς λέγων ὧν τε οἱ προφῆται ἐλάλησαν μελλόντων γενέσθαι καὶ Μωϋσῆς,
23 how the Messiah had to suffer, and that by being the first to rise from the dead he would announce the light of God's salvation to both Jews and foreigners.”
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.”
23 εἰ παθητὸς ὁ Χριστός, εἰ πρῶτος ἐξ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν φῶς μέλλει καταγγέλλειν τῷ λαῷ καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσι.
24 Festus interrupted Paul as he made his defense, shouting out, “Paul, you've gone mad! All your knowledge is driving you insane!”
24 As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”
24 Ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀπολογουμένου ὁ Φῆστος μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ ἔφη· μαίνῃ, Παῦλε· τὰ πολλά σε γράμματα εἰς μανίαν περιτρέπει.
25 “I'm not mad, Festus your Excellency,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and makes sense.
25 But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.
25 ὁ δέ, οὐ μαίνομαι, φησί, κράτιστε Φῆστε, ἀλλὰ ἀληθείας καὶ σωφροσύνης ῥήματα ἀποφθέγγομαι.
26 The king recognizes this, and I'm explaining it very clearly. I am sure that he is aware of what's been happening, because none of this took place as if it were hidden 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.
26 ἐπίσταται γὰρ περὶ τούτων ὁ βασιλεύς, πρὸς ὃν καὶ παρρησιαζόμενος λαλῶ· λανθάνειν γὰρ αὐτόν τι τούτων οὐ πείθομαι οὐδέν· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἐν γωνίᾳ πεπραγμένον τοῦτο.
27 King Agrippa, do you believe what the prophets said? I'm sure you do!”
27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”
27 πιστεύεις, βασιλεῦ Ἀγρίππα, τοῖς προφήταις; οἶδα ὅτι πιστεύεις.
28 “Do you think you can convince me to become a Christian so quickly?” Agrippa asked Paul.
28 Agrippa said to Paul, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?”
28 ὁ δὲ Ἀγρίππας πρὸς τὸν Παῦλον ἔφη· ἐν ὀλίγῳ με πείθεις Χριστιανὸν γενέσθαι.
29 “Whether it takes a short time or a long time doesn't matter,” Paul answered. “But my prayer to God is that not just you, but everybody listening to me today would become like me—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.”
29 ὁ δὲ Παῦλος εἶπεν· εὐξαίμην ἂν τῷ Θεῷ καὶ ἐν ὀλίγῳ καὶ ἐν πολλῷ οὐ μόνον σέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀκούοντάς μου σήμερον γενέσθαι τοιούτους ὁποῖος κἀγώ εἰμι, παρεκτὸς τῶν δεσμῶν τούτων.
30 The king stood up, along with the governor and Bernice, and everyone who had been sitting with them.
30 The king rose up with the governor and Bernice, and those who sat with them.
30 Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπόντος αὐτοῦ ἀνέστη ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ὁ ἡγεμὼν ἥ τε Βερνίκη καὶ οἱ συγκαθήμενοι αὐτοῖς,
31 They conferred together after they had left. “This man hasn't done anything that deserves death or imprisonment,” they concluded.
31 When they had withdrawn, they spoke to one another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.”
31 καὶ ἀναχωρήσαντες ἐλάλουν πρὸς ἀλλήλους λέγοντες ὅτι οὐδὲν θανάτου ἄξιον ἢ δεσμῶν πράσσει ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος.
32 Agrippa told Festus, “He could have been freed if he hadn't appealed to Caesar.”
32 Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
32 Ἀγρίππας δὲ τῷ Φήστῳ ἔφη· ἀπολελύσθαι ἐδύνατο ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος, εἰ μὴ ἐπεκέκλητο Καίσαρα.
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 …