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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=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Acts 26 New American 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" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/acts/26.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcc/acts/26-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com/catholic">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NABRE</a> > Acts 26</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../acts/25.htm" title="Acts 25">◄</a> Acts 26 <a href="../acts/27.htm" title="Acts 27">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New American Bible Revised Edition</td><td width="1%" valign="top"></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><section id="ch51026" class="chapter"> <h1 id="cn51026" class="cn"></h1> <p class="pf"><span class="hemb">King Agrippa Hears Paul.</span> <span id="v51026001" class="ver">1</span>Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You may now speak on your own behalf.” So Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense. <span id="v51026002" class="ver">2</span><a id="rfn51026002-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn51026002-1">*</a> “I count myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am to defend myself before you today against all the charges made against me by the Jews, <span id="v51026003" class="ver">3</span>especially since you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and controversies. And therefore I beg you to listen patiently. <span id="v51026004" class="ver">4</span>My manner of living from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my people<a id="rfn51026004-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn51026004-1">*</a> and in Jerusalem, all [the] Jews know. <span id="v51026005" class="ver">5</span><a id="ren51026005-a" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en51026005-a">a</a> They have known about me from the start, if they are willing to testify, that I have lived my life as a Pharisee, the strictest party of our religion. <span id="v51026006" class="ver">6</span><a id="ren51026006-b" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en51026006-b">b</a> But now I am standing trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors. <span id="v51026007" class="ver">7</span>Our twelve tribes hope to attain to that promise as they fervently worship God day and night; and on account of this hope I am accused by Jews, O king. <span id="v51026008" class="ver">8</span>Why is it thought unbelievable among you that God raises the dead? <span id="v51026009" class="ver">9</span><a id="ren51026009-c" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en51026009-c">c</a> I myself once thought that I had to do many things against the name of Jesus the Nazorean, <span id="v51026010" class="ver">10</span>and I did so in Jerusalem. I imprisoned many of the holy ones with the authorization I received from the chief priests, and when they were to be put to death I cast my vote against them.<a id="ren51026010-d" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en51026010-d">d</a> <span id="v51026011" class="ver">11</span>Many times, in synagogue after synagogue, I punished them in an attempt to force them to blaspheme; I was so enraged against them that I pursued them even to foreign cities.</p> <p><span id="v51026012" class="ver">12</span>“On one such occasion I was traveling to Damascus with the authorization and commission of the chief priests. <span id="v51026013" class="ver">13</span><a id="ren51026013-e" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en51026013-e">e</a> At midday, along the way, O king, I saw a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my traveling companions.<a id="ren51026013-f" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en51026013-f">f</a> <span id="v51026014" class="ver">14</span>We all fell to the ground and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?<a id="ren51026014-g" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en51026014-g">g</a> It is hard for you to kick against the goad.’<a id="rfn51026014-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn51026014-1">*</a> <span id="v51026015" class="ver">15</span>And I said, ‘Who are you, sir?’ And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.<a id="ren51026015-h" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en51026015-h">h</a> <span id="v51026016" class="ver">16</span>Get up now, and stand on your feet.<a id="ren51026016-i" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en51026016-i">i</a> I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness of what you have seen [of me] and what you will be shown.<a id="rfn51026016-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn51026016-1">*</a> <span id="v51026017" class="ver">17</span>I shall deliver you from this people and from the Gentiles to whom I send you,<a id="ren51026017-j" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en51026017-j">j</a> <span id="v51026018" class="ver">18</span>to open their eyes<a id="rfn51026018-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn51026018-1">*</a> that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may obtain forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been consecrated by faith in me.’<a id="ren51026018-k" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en51026018-k">k</a></p> <p><span id="v51026019" class="ver">19</span>“And so, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. <span id="v51026020" class="ver">20</span>On the contrary, first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem and throughout the whole country of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached the need to repent and turn to God, and to do works giving evidence of repentance. <span id="v51026021" class="ver">21</span><a id="ren51026021-l" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en51026021-l">l</a> That is why the Jews seized me [when I was] in the temple and tried to kill me. <span id="v51026022" class="ver">22</span><a id="ren51026022-m" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en51026022-m">m</a> But I have enjoyed God’s help to this very day, and so I stand here testifying to small and great alike, saying nothing different from what the prophets and Moses foretold,<a id="rfn51026022-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn51026022-1">*</a> <span id="v51026023" class="ver">23</span>that the Messiah must suffer<a id="rfn51026023-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn51026023-1">*</a> and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”<a id="ren51026023-n" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en51026023-n">n</a></p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">Reactions to Paul’s Speech.</span> <span id="v51026024" class="ver">24</span>While Paul was so speaking in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “You are mad, Paul; much learning is driving you mad.” <span id="v51026025" class="ver">25</span>But Paul replied, “I am not mad, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and reason. <span id="v51026026" class="ver">26</span>The king knows about these matters and to him I speak boldly, for I cannot believe that [any] of this has escaped his notice; this was not done in a corner.<a id="rfn51026026-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn51026026-1">*</a> <span id="v51026027" class="ver">27</span>King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets?<a id="rfn51026027-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn51026027-1">*</a> I know you believe.” <span id="v51026028" class="ver">28</span>Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You will soon persuade me to play the Christian.” <span id="v51026029" class="ver">29</span>Paul replied, “I would pray to God that sooner or later not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am except for these chains.”</p> <p><span id="v51026030" class="ver">30</span>Then the king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and the others who sat with them. <span id="v51026031" class="ver">31</span><a id="rfn51026031-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn51026031-1">*</a> And after they had withdrawn they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing [at all] that deserves death or imprisonment.” <span id="v51026032" class="ver">32</span>And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”<a id="ren51026032-o" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en51026032-o">o</a></p> </section> <br /><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="intro.htm"><span class="ac">Book Introduction</span></a></h1><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="footnotes.htm"><span class="ac">Footnotes</span></a></h1></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the <i>New American Bible, revised edition</i> © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. 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