The Concordant Literal New Testament

Acts of the Apostles

The Concordant Version

The King James Version

Chapter 26 (CV)

¹ Now Agrippa averred to Paul, "It is permitted to you to speak concerning yourself." Then Paul, stretching out his hand, made his defense:
² "Concerning all that which I am being indicted by the Jews, king Agrippa, I have deemed myself happy to be about to make my defense before you today,
³ especially as you are an expert, versed in all, both the customs and questions of the Jews. Wherefore I beseech you to hear me patiently.
⁴ "My life, indeed, then, from youth, which came to be from the beginning among my nation, besides in Jerusalem, all the Jews are acquainted with,
⁵ knowing me before, from the very first, if they should be willing to testify, that, according to the strictest sect of this ritual of ours, I live a Pharisee.
⁶ And now, in expectation of the promise which came by God to our fathers,
⁷ I stand being judged, to which our twelve-tribed people, earnestly offering divine service night and day, is expecting to attain. Concerning which expectation I am being indicted by Jews, O King!
⁸ Why is it being judged unbelievable by you, if God is rousing the dead?
⁹ "I, indeed, then, suppose myself bound to commit much contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene, which I do also in Jerusalem.
¹⁰ And besides, many of the saints I lock up in jails, obtaining authority from the chief priests. Besides, I deposit a ballot to despatch them.
¹¹ And at all the synagogues, often punishing them, I compelled them to blaspheme. Besides, being exceedingly maddened against them, I persecuted them as far as the outside cities also.
¹² Among which persecutions, going to Damascus with the authority and permission of the chief priests,
¹³ at midday, on the road, I perceived, O king, a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining about me and those going together with me.
¹⁴ Besides, at all of us falling down to the earth, I hear a voice saying to me in the Hebrew vernacular, 'Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting Me? Hard is it for you to be kicking against the goads!'
¹⁵ Now I say, 'Who art Thou, Lord?' Now the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting.
¹⁶ But rise and stand on your feet, for I was seen by you for this, to fix upon you before for a deputy and a witness both of what you have perceived and that in which I will be seen by you,
¹⁷ extricating you from the people and from the nations, to whom I am commissioning you,
¹⁸ to open their eyes, to turn them about from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God, for them to get a pardon of sins and an allotment among those who have been hallowed by faith that is in Me.'
¹⁹ "Whence, king Agrippa, I did not become stubborn as to the heavenly apparition,
²⁰ but first to those in Damascus, besides in Jerusalem also, besides to the entire province of Judea, and to the nations, I reported that they are to be repenting and turning back to God, engaging acts worthy of repentance.
²¹ "On this account the Jews, apprehending me as I am in the sanctuary, tried to lay hands on me.
²² Happening, then, on assistance from God, until this day I stand attesting both to small and to great, saying nothing outside of what both the prophets and Moses speak of impending occurrences -- if it be the suffering Christ --
²³ if He, the first out of a resurrection of the dead, is about to be announcing light both to the people and to the nations."
²⁴ Now, as he is making this defense, Festus is averring with a loud voice, "You are mad, Paul! Much scripture is deranging you to madness!"
²⁵ Yet Paul is averring, "Not mad am I, most mighty Festus, but I am declaiming declarations of truth and sanity.
²⁶ For the king is adept concerning these things, to whom I am speaking boldly also, for, that any of these things is eluding him, I am not persuaded, for this is not a thing that has been committed in a corner.
²⁷ King Agrippa, are you believing the prophets? I am aware that you are believing!"
²⁸ Yet Agrippa to Paul: "Briefly are you persuading me, to make me a Christian!"
²⁹ Yet Paul, "May I ever wish to God, that briefly as well as greatly, not only you, but also all who are hearing me today, become such a kind as I am also, outside of these bonds!"
³⁰ Both the king and the governor rose, besides Bernice and those sitting together with them.
³¹ And retiring, they spoke with one another, saying that, "Nothing deserving of death or of bonds this man is committing."
³² Now Agrippa averred to Festus, "This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar."

Chapter 26 (KJV)

¹ Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
² I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
³ Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
⁴ My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
⁵ Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
⁶ And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God, unto our fathers:
⁷ Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
⁸ Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
⁹ I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
¹⁰ Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
¹¹ And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
¹² Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
¹³ At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
¹⁴ And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
¹⁵ And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
¹⁶ But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
¹⁷ Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
¹⁸ To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
¹⁹ Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
²⁰ But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
²¹ For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
²² Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
²³ That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
²⁴ And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
²⁵ But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
²⁶ For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
²⁷ King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
²⁸ Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
²⁹ And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
³⁰ And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
³¹ And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
³² Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

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