1Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”
So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: 2“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, 3and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4“The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. 6And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. 7This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. 8Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
9“I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.
12“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,26:14 Or Hebrew ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15“Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. 21That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”
24At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.”
25“I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
28Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”
29Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”
30The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. 31After they left the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”
32Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
1Agrippa sì wí fún Paulu pé, “A fún ọ láààyè láti sọ tí ẹnu rẹ.”
Nígbà náà ní Paulu ná ọwọ́, ó sì sọ ti ẹnu rẹ pé: 2“Agrippa ọba, inú èmi tìkára mi dùn nítorí tí èmi yóò wí ti ẹnu mi lónìí níwájú rẹ, ní ti gbogbo ẹ̀sùn tí àwọn Júù fi kan mi, 3pàápàá bí ìwọ tí mọ gbogbo àṣà àti ọ̀ràn tí ń bẹ́ láàrín àwọn Júù dájúdájú. Nítorí náà, èmi bẹ̀ ọ́ kí ìwọ fi sùúrù tẹ́tí gbọ́ tèmi.
4“Àwọn Júù mọ irú ìgbé ayé tí mo ń gbé láti ìgbà èwe mi, láti ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ ayé mi ní orílẹ̀-èdè mi àti ní Jerusalẹmu. 5Nítorí wọ́n mọ̀ mi láti ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀, bí wọ́n bá fẹ́ jẹ́rìí sí i, wí pé, gẹ́gẹ́ bí ẹ̀yà ìsìn wa tí ó lè jùlọ, Farisi ni èmi. 6Nísinsin yìí nítorí ìrètí ìlérí tí Ọlọ́run tí ṣe fún àwọn baba wa ni mo ṣe dúró níhìn-ín fún ìdájọ́. 7Ìlérí èyí tí àwọn ẹ̀yà wa méjèèjìlá tí ń fi ìtara sin Ọlọ́run lọ́sàn án àti lóru tí wọ́n ń retí àti rí i gbà. Ọba Agrippa, nítorí ìrètí yìí ni àwọn Júù ṣe ń fi mi sùn. 8Èéṣe tí ẹ̀yin fi rò o sí ohun tí a kò lè gbàgbọ́ bí Ọlọ́run bá jí òkú dìde?
926.9-18: Ap 9.1-8; 22.4-16.“Èmi tilẹ̀ rò nínú ará mi nítòótọ́ pé, ó yẹ ki èmi ṣe ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ohun lòdì sí orúkọ Jesu tí Nasareti. 10Èyí ni mo sì ṣe ni Jerusalẹmu. Pẹ̀lú àṣẹ tí mo tí gba lọ́dọ̀ àwọn olórí àlùfáà, mo sọ àwọn púpọ̀ nínú àwọn ènìyàn mímọ́ sí inú túbú, nígbà tí wọ́n sí ń pa wọ́n, mo ní ohùn sí i. 11Nígbà púpọ̀ ni mo ń fi ìyà jẹ wọ́n láti inú Sinagọgu dé inú Sinagọgu, mo ń fi tipá mú wọn láti sọ ọ̀rọ̀-òdì. Mo sọ̀rọ̀ lòdì sí wọn gidigidi, kódà mo wá wọn lọ sí ìlú àjèjì láti ṣe inúnibíni sí wọn.
12“Nínú irú ìrìnàjò yìí ní mo ń bá lọ sí Damasku pẹ̀lú ọlá àti àṣẹ ikọ̀ láti ọ̀dọ̀ àwọn olórí àlùfáà. 13Ni ọ̀sán gangan, ìwọ ọba Agrippa, bí mo ti wà ní ojú ọ̀nà, mo rí ìmọ́lẹ̀ kan láti ọ̀run wá, tí ó mọ́lẹ̀ ju oòrùn lọ, ó mọ́lẹ̀ yí mi ká, àti àwọn tí ń bá mi lọ sì àjò. 14Gbogbo wa sì ṣubú lulẹ̀, mo gbọ́ ohùn tí ń fọ sì mi ni èdè Heberu pé, ‘Saulu, Saulu! Èéṣe tí ìwọ fi ń ṣe inúnibíni sí mi? Ohun ìrora ní fún ọ láti tàpá sí ẹ̀gún!’
15“Èmi sì wí pé, ‘Ìwọ ta ni, Olúwa?’
“Olúwa sì wí pé, ‘Èmi ni Jesu tí ìwọ ń ṣe inúnibíni sí. 1626.16-17: El 2.1,3.Ṣùgbọ́n dìde, kí o sí fi ẹsẹ̀ rẹ tẹlẹ̀: nítorí èyí ni mo ṣe farahàn ọ́ láti yàn ọ́ ní ìránṣẹ́ àti ẹlẹ́rìí, fún ohun wọ̀nyí tí ìwọ tí rí nípa mi, àti àwọn ohun tí èmi yóò fi ara hàn fún ọ: 17Èmi yóò gbà ọ lọ́wọ́ àwọn ènìyàn rẹ àti lọ́wọ́ àwọn aláìgbàgbọ́. Èmi rán ọ sí wọn nísinsin yìí 1826.18: Isa 42.7,16.láti là wọ́n lójú, kí wọn lè yípadà kúrò nínú òkùnkùn sí ìmọ́lẹ̀, àti kúrò lọ́wọ́ agbára Satani sí Ọlọ́run, kí wọn lè gba ìdáríjì ẹ̀ṣẹ̀, àti ogún pẹ̀lú àwọn tí a sọ di mímọ́ nípa ìgbàgbọ́ nínú mi.’
19“Nítorí náà, Agrippa ọba, èmi kò ṣe àìgbọ́ràn sì ìran ọ̀run náà. 20Ṣùgbọ́n mo kọ́kọ́ sọ fún àwọn tí ó wà ní Damasku, àti ní Jerusalẹmu, àti já gbogbo ilẹ̀ Judea, àti fún àwọn kèfèrí, kí wọn ronúpìwàdà, kí wọ́n sì yípadà sí Ọlọ́run, kí wọn máa ṣe iṣẹ́ tí ó yẹ sì ìrònúpìwàdà. 21Nítorí nǹkan wọ̀nyí ni àwọn Júù ṣe gbá mi mú nínú tẹmpili, tí wọ́n sì ń fẹ́ pa mí. 22Ṣùgbọ́n bí mo sì tí ri ìrànlọ́wọ́ gbà láti ọ́dọ̀ Ọlọ́run, mo dúró títí ó fi di òní, mo ń jẹ́rìí fún èwe àti àgbà, èmi kò sọ ohun mìíràn bí kò ṣe ohun tí àwọn wòlíì àti Mose tí wí pé, yóò ṣẹ: 23Pé, Kristi yóò jìyà, àti pé òun ni yóò jẹ́ ẹni àkọ́kọ́ láti jíǹde kúrò nínú òkú, òun ni yóò sí kéde ìmọ́lẹ̀ fún àwọn ènìyàn àti fún àwọn aláìgbàgbọ́.”
24Bí ó sì ti ń sọ tẹnu rẹ̀, Festu wí ní ohùn rara pé, “Paulu! Orí rẹ dàrú; ẹ̀kọ́ àkọ́jù rẹ ti dà ọ́ ní orí rú!”
25Paulu dalóhùn wí pé, “Orí mi kò dàrú, Festu ọlọ́lá jùlọ; ṣùgbọ́n ọ̀rọ̀ òtítọ́ àti ọ̀rọ̀ òye ni èmi ń sọ jáde. 26Nítorí ọba mọ̀ gbogbo nǹkan wọ̀nyí, níwájú ẹni tí èmi ń sọ̀rọ̀ ni àìbẹ̀rù: nítorí mo gbàgbọ́ pé ọ̀kan nínú nǹkan wọ̀nyí kò pamọ́ fún un, nítorí tí a kò ṣe nǹkan yìí ní ìkọ̀kọ̀. 27Agrippa ọba, ìwọ gba àwọn wòlíì gbọ́ bí? Èmi mọ̀ pé ìwọ gbàgbọ́.”
28Agrippa sì wí fún Paulu pé, “Ǹjẹ́ ìwọ lérò pé ìwọ le fi àkókò díẹ̀ yìí sọ mí di Kristiani?”
29Paulu sì dáhùn wí pé, “Ní àkókò kúkúrú tàbí gígùn, mo gbàdúrà sí Ọlọ́run pé kí ó má ṣe ìwọ nìkan, ṣùgbọ́n kí gbogbo àwọn tí ó gbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ mi lónìí pẹ̀lú lè di irú ènìyàn tí èmi jẹ́ láìsí ẹ̀wọ̀n wọ̀nyí.”
30Nígbà tí ó sì sọ nǹkan wọ̀nyí tan, ọba dìde, àti baálẹ̀, àti Bernike, àti àwọn tí o bá wọn jókòó; 31Nígbà tí wọn wọ ìyẹ̀wù lọ, wọn bá ara wọn jíròrò, wọ́n sọ pé, “Ọkùnrin yìí kò ṣe nǹkan kan tí ó yẹ sí ikú tàbí sì ẹ̀wọ̀n.”
32Agrippa sì wí fún Festu pé, “A bà dá ọkùnrin yìí sílẹ̀ bí ó bá ṣe pe kò ì tí ì fi ọ̀ràn rẹ̀ lọ Kesari.”
