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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Acts 26 Amplified Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; 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therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently. <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>“So then, all the Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation [the Jewish people], and in Jerusalem. <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>They have known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify to it, that according to the <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[a]</a></span>strictest sect of our religion, I have lived as a Pharisee. <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Which hope [of the Messiah and the resurrection] our twelve tribes [confidently] expect to realize as they serve <i>and</i> worship <i>God</i> in earnest night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews! <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Why is it thought incredible by [any of] you that God raises the dead? <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>“So then, I [once] thought to myself that it was my duty to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; I not only locked up many of the saints (God’s people) in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being condemned to death, I <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[b]</a></span>cast my vote against them. <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>And I often punished them [making them suffer] in all the synagogues and tried to force them to blaspheme; and in my extreme rage at them, I kept hunting them even to foreign cities [harassing and persecuting them]. <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>“While so engaged, as I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission <i>and</i> full power of the chief priests, <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven surpassing the brightness of the sun, shining all around me and those who were traveling with me. <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice in the Hebrew dialect (Jewish Aramaic) saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[c]</a></span>It is hard for you to kick [repeatedly] against the <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[d]</a></span>goads [offering pointless resistance].’ <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>Get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you [to serve] as a minister and as a witness [to testify, with authority,] not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you, <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>[choosing you for Myself and] rescuing you from the <i>Jewish</i> people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>to open their [spiritual] eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness <i>and</i> release from their sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified (set apart, made holy) by faith in Me.’ <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>“So, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>but I openly proclaimed first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout the region of Judea, and <i>even</i> to the Gentiles, that they should repent [change their inner self--their old way of thinking] and turn to God, doing deeds <i>and</i> living lives which are consistent with repentance. <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Because of this <i>some</i> Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>But I have had help from God to this day, and I stand [before people] testifying to small and great alike, stating nothing except what the Prophets and Moses said would come to pass-- <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>that the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) was to suffer, and that He by being the first to rise from the dead [with an incorruptible body] would proclaim light (salvation) both to the <i>Jewish</i> people and to the Gentiles.” <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>While Paul was making this defense, Festus said loudly, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great education is turning you toward madness.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>But Paul replied, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent <i>and</i> noble Festus, but [with a sound mind] I am uttering rational words of truth <i>and</i> reason. <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>For [your majesty] the king understands these things, and [therefore] I am also speaking to him with confidence <i>and</i> boldness, since I am convinced that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner [hidden from view, in secret]. <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>King Agrippa, do you believe the [writings of the] Prophets [their messages and words]? I know that you do.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Then Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time [and with so little effort] you [almost] persuade me to become a Christian.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>And Paul replied, “Whether in a short time or long, I wish to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these chains.” <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>Then the king stood up, and [with him] the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them; <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>and after they had gone out, they <i>began</i> saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything worthy of death or [even] of imprisonment.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/acts/26-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[e]</a></span>Caesar (Emperor Nero).”<A name="fn"></a></p><br /><br /><span class="footnotesbot">[a]</span> <span class="fnverse">5</span> Paul probably is referring to the school of Shammai, which flourished from 30 B.C. to A.D. 20. Gamaliel, Paul’s teacher in the school of Hillel (22:3), discussed and interpreted the teachings of both schools, and often agreed with the teachings of Shammai, so Paul was familiar with Shammai as well as Hillel.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[b]</span> <span class="fnverse">10</span> Lit <i>cast down my (black) pebble</i>. In ancient times a vote cast by throwing a white pebble meant acquittal, and a black one, condemnation.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[c]</span> <span class="fnverse">14</span> An ancient Greek proverb dating back to the time of Euripides.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[d]</span> <span class="fnverse">14</span> These were wooden shafts (like broomsticks) with a pointed piece of metal on one end, used by the farmer to keep an ox going in the right direction as it pulled a plow. Jesus was “prodding” Paul to take the proper direction in his life, and Paul had been resisting.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[e]</span> <span class="fnverse">32</span> Nero was the fifth and last of the Roman emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. He ruled after the death of Claudius and actively persecuted Christians. Both Paul and Peter were martyred during Nero’s reign (A.D. 54-68).<br></div><br /><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Amplified Bible Copyright © 2015<br>by The Lockman Foundation<br>All rights reserved <a href="http://www.lockman.org">www.lockman.org</a><br><br><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><br>                                                                                                                                <span class="p"><br /><br /></span></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../acts/25.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Acts 25"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Acts 25" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../acts/27.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Acts 27"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Acts 27" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div align="center"><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchapnoad.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>