Acts · Revised Version with Apocrypha
Acts 26 Revised Version with Apocrypha
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 And Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defence:
1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.
2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am to make my defence before thee this day touching all the things whereof 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 because thou art expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear 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 My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation, and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
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 having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify, how that after the straitest sect of our religion I lived 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 I stand [here ]to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers;
6 Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,
7 unto which [promise ]our twelve tribes, earnestly serving [God ]night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king!
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 is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?
8 Why is it judged incredible with you if God does raise the dead?
9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to 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.
10 And this I also did in Jerusalem: and 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 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 punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto 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 Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,
12 “Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,
13 at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that journeyed 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.
14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee 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 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
15 “I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
16 But arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee;
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 delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee,
17 delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,
18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith 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 Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20 but declared both to them of Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judaea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works 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 For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and assayed to kill me.
21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.
22 Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand unto this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come;
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 how that the Christ must suffer, [and ]how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.
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 And as he thus made his defence, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning doth turn thee to madness.
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 But Paul saith, I am not mad, most excellent Festus; but speak forth words of truth and soberness.
25 But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.
26 For the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hath not been 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 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”
28 And Agrippa [said ]unto Paul, With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a Christian.
28 Agrippa said to Paul, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?”
29 And Paul [said], I would to God, that whether with little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except these bonds.
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 they that sat 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 spake one to another, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
31 When they had withdrawn, they spoke to one another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.”
32 And Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto 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 …