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Acts 26:1-31 GW ...Agrippa said to Paul, "You're free to speak for yourself." Paul acknowledged King Agrippa and then began his defense. (2) "King Agrippa, I think I'm fortunate today to stand in front of you and defend myself against every charge that the Jews brought against me. (3) I say this since you are especially familiar with every custom and controversy in Judaism. So I ask you to listen patiently to me. (4) "All the Jews know how I lived the earliest days of my youth with my own people and in Jerusalem. (5) They've known me for a long time and can testify, if they're willing, that I followed the strictest party of our religion. They know that I lived my life as a Pharisee. (6) "I'm on trial now because I expect God to keep the promise that he made to our ancestors. (7) Our twelve tribes expect this promise to be kept as they worship with intense devotion day and night. Your Majesty, the Jews are making accusations against me because I expect God to keep his promise. (8) Why do all of you refuse to believe that God can bring dead people back to life? (9) "I used to think that I had to do a lot of things to oppose the one named Jesus of Nazareth. (10) That is what I did in Jerusalem. By the authority I received from the chief priests, I locked many Christians in prison. I voted to have them killed every time a vote was taken. (11) I even went to each synagogue, punished believers, and forced them to curse the name of Jesus. In my furious rage against them, I hunted them down in cities outside Jerusalem. (12) "I was carrying out these activities when I went to the city of Damascus. I had the power and authority of the chief priests. (13) Your Majesty, at noon, while I was traveling, I saw a light that was brighter than the sun. The light came from the sky and shined around me and those who were with me. (14) All of us fell to the ground, and I heard a voice asking me in Hebrew, 'Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me? It's hard for a mortal like you to resist God.' (15) "I asked, 'Who are you, sir?' "The Lord answered, 'I am Jesus, the one you're persecuting. (16) Stand up! I have appeared to you for a reason. I'm appointing you to be a servant and witness of what you have seen and of what I will show you. (17) I will rescue you from the Jewish people and from the non-Jewish people to whom I am sending you. (18) You will open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan's control to God's. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and a share among God's people who are made holy by believing in me.' (19) "At that point I did not disobey the vision I saw from heaven, King Agrippa. (20) Instead, I spread the message that I first told to the Jewish people in Damascus and Jerusalem and throughout the whole country of Judea. I spread the same message to non-Jewish people. Both groups were expected to change the way they thought and acted and to turn to God. I told them to do things that prove they had changed their lives. (21) For this reason the Jews took me prisoner in the temple courtyard and tried to murder me. (22) "God has been helping me to this day so that I can stand and testify to important and unimportant people. I tell them only what the prophets and Moses said would happen. (23) They said that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to come back to life and would spread light to Jewish and non-Jewish people." (24) As Paul was defending himself in this way, Festus shouted, "Paul, you're crazy! Too much education is driving you crazy!" (25) Paul replied, "I'm not crazy, Your Excellency Festus. What I'm saying is true and sane. (26) I can easily speak to a king who knows about these things. I'm sure that none of these things has escaped his attention. None of this was done secretly. (27) King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe them!" (28) Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think you can quickly persuade me to become a Christian?" (29) Paul replied, "I wish to God that you and everyone listening to me today would quickly and completely become as I am (except for being a prisoner)." (30) The king, the governor, Bernice, and the people who were sitting with them got up. (31) As they were leaving, they said to each other, "This man isn't doing anything for which he deserves to die or be put in prison."
Acts 26:1-31 GNB ...Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak on your own behalf." Paul stretched out his hand and defended himself as follows: (2) "King Agrippa! I consider myself fortunate that today I am to defend myself before you from all the things these Jews accuse me of, (3) particularly since you know so well all the Jewish customs and disputes. I ask you, then, to listen to me with patience. (4) "All the Jews know how I have lived ever since I was young. They know how I have spent my whole life, at first in my own country and then in Jerusalem. (5) They have always known, if they are willing to testify, that from the very first I have lived as a member of the strictest party of our religion, the Pharisees. (6) And now I stand here to be tried because of the hope I have in the promise that God made to our ancestors--- (7) the very thing that the twelve tribes of our people hope to receive, as they worship God day and night. And it is because of this hope, Your Majesty, that I am being accused by these Jews! (8) Why do you who are here find it impossible to believe that God raises the dead? (9) "I myself thought that I should do everything I could against the cause of Jesus of Nazareth. (10) That is what I did in Jerusalem. I received authority from the chief priests and put many of God's people in prison; and when they were sentenced to death, I also voted against them. (11) Many times I had them punished in the synagogues and tried to make them deny their faith. I was so furious with them that I even went to foreign cities to persecute them. (12) "It was for this purpose that I went to Damascus with authority and orders from the chief priests. (13) It was on the road at midday, Your Majesty, that I saw a light much brighter than the sun, coming from the sky and shining around me and the men traveling with me. (14) All of us fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, 'Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself by hitting back, like an ox kicking against its owner's stick.' (15) 'Who are you, Lord?' I asked. And the Lord answered, 'I am Jesus, whom you persecute. (16) But get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant. You are to tell others what you have seen of me today and what I will show you in the future. (17) I will rescue you from the people of Israel and from the Gentiles to whom I will send you. (18) You are to open their eyes and turn them from the darkness to the light and from the power of Satan to God, so that through their faith in me they will have their sins forgiven and receive their place among God's chosen people.' (19) "And so, King Agrippa, I did not disobey the vision I had from heaven. (20) First in Damascus and in Jerusalem and then in the whole country of Israel and among the Gentiles, I preached that they must repent of their sins and turn to God and do the things that would show they had repented. (21) It was for this reason that these Jews seized me while I was in the Temple, and they tried to kill me. (22) But to this very day I have been helped by God, and so I stand here giving my witness to all, to small and great alike. What I say is the very same thing which the prophets and Moses said was going to happen: (23) that the Messiah must suffer and be the first one to rise from death, to announce the light of salvation to the Jews and to the Gentiles." (24) As Paul defended himself in this way, Festus shouted at him, "You are mad, Paul! Your great learning is driving you mad!" (25) Paul answered, "I am not mad, Your Excellency! I am speaking the sober truth. (26) King Agrippa! I can speak to you with all boldness, because you know about these things. I am sure that you have taken notice of every one of them, for this thing has not happened hidden away in a corner. (27) King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do!" (28) Agrippa said to Paul, "In this short time do you think you will make me a Christian?" (29) "Whether a short time or a long time," Paul answered, "my prayer to God is that you and all the rest of you who are listening to me today might become what I am---except, of course, for these chains!" (30) Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others got up, (31) and after leaving they said to each other, "This man has not done anything for which he should die or be put in prison."
Acts 26:1-31 ESV ...So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: (2) "I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, (3) especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. (4) "My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. (5) They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. (6) And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, (7) to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! (8) Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? (9) "I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. (10) And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. (11) And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities. (12) "In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. (13) At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. (14) And when we had all fallen to the ground, 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 are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. (16) But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, (17) delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles--to whom I am sending you (18) to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' (19) "Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, (20) but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. (21) For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. (22) To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: (23) that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles." (24) And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind." (25) But Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. (26) For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. (27) King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe." (28) And Agrippa said to Paul, "In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?" (29) And Paul said, "Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am--except for these chains." (30) Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. (31) And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, "This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment."
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You will note the reference windows often include more than one translation of the Bible. The reason is to strive to gain the best possible understanding of the original Hebrew and Greek. Since we don't speak those languages, we rely on those who have come before and made the effort to translate those texts into English for us. Considering several translations gives the benefit of the understanding of several translation committees or individuals.
The Translations we quote are:
ALT - Analytical Literal Translation
ASV - American Standard Version (by the American revision committee in 1897).
BBE - 1965 Bible in Basic English
Bishops - 1568 Bishop's Bible
Calvin - 1856 by Calvin Translation Society
CEV - Contemporary English Version
Coverdale - 1535 Miles Coverdale Bible
Darby - 1889 Darby Bible
DRB - 1899 Douay-Rheims Bible
ESV - English Standard Version
GNB - Good News Bible
GW - God's Word Bible
ISV - International Standard Version
KJV - 1769 King James Version
KJV-1611 - Old King James Version from 1611
LitNT - Literal New Testament
LITV - Literal Translation of the Holy Bible
MKJV - 1962 Modern King James Version
Murdock - 1851 James Murdock New Testament
MWT - Modern World Translation
NWT - New World Translation
RV - Revised Version
Webster - 1833 Webster Bible
WTNT - 1525-26 William Tyndale New Testament
Wycliffe - 1394 Wycliffe Bible
YLT - 1862/1898 Young's Literal Translation
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