26:1 Agrippa vero ad Paulum ait : Permittitur tibi loqui pro temetipso. Tunc Paulus extenta manu cœpit rationem reddere :

26:1 Then Agrippa said to Paul: Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul, stretching forth his hand, began to make his answer.

26:2 De omnibus quibus accusor a Judæis, rex Agrippa, æstimo me beatum apud te cum sim defensurus me hodie,

26:2 I think myself happy, O king Agrippa, that I am to answer for myself this day before thee, touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews.

26:3 maxime te sciente omnia, et quæ apud Judæos sunt consuetudines et quæstiones : propter quod obsecro patienter me audias.

26:3 Especially as thou knowest all, both customs and questions, that are among the Jews. Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

26:4 Et quidem vitam meam a juventute, quæ ab initio fuit in gente mea in Jerosolymis, noverunt omnes Judæi :

26:4 And my life indeed from my youth, which was from the beginning among my own nation in Jerusalem, all the Jews do know:

26:5 præscientes me ab initio (si velint testimonium perhibere) quoniam secundum certissimam sectam nostræ religionis vixi pharisæus.

26:5 Having known me from the beginning (if they will give testimony) that according to the most sure sect of our religion I lived, a Pharisee.

26:6 Et nunc, in spe quæ ad patres nostros repromissionis facta est a Deo, sto judicio subjectus :

26:6 And now for the hope of the promise that was made by God to the fathers, do I stand subject to judgment:

26:7 in quam duodecim tribus nostræ nocte ac die deservientes, sperant devenire. De qua spe accusor a Judæis, rex.

26:7 Unto which, our twelve tribes, serving night and day, hope to come. For which hope, O king, I am accused by the Jews.

26:8 Quid incredibile judicatur apud vos, si Deus mortuos suscitat ?

26:8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible that God should raise the dead?

26:9 Et ego quidem existimaveram me adversus nomen Jesu Nazareni debere multa contraria agere,

26:9 And I indeed did formerly think that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

26:10 quod et feci Jerosolymis, et multos sanctorum ego in carceribus inclusi, a principibus sacerdotum potestate accepta : et cum occiderentur, detuli sententiam.

26:10 Which also I did at Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority of the chief priests. And when they were put to death, I brought the sentence.

26:11 Et per omnes synagogas frequenter puniens eos, compellebam blasphemare : et amplius insaniens in eos, persequebar usque in exteras civitates.

26:11 And oftentimes punishing them, in every synagogue, I compelled them to blaspheme: and being yet more mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.

26:12 In quibus dum irem Damascum cum potestate et permissu principum sacerdotum,

26:12 Whereupon, when I was going to Damascus with authority and permission of the chief priest,

26:13 die media in via vidi, rex, de cælo supra splendorem solis circumfulsisse me lumen, et eos qui mecum simul erant.

26:13 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 that were in company with me.

26:14 Omnesque nos cum decidissemus in terram, audivi vocem loquentem mihi hebraica lingua : Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris ? durum est tibi contra stimulum calcitrare.

26:14 And when we were all fallen down on the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew tongue: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the good.

26:15 Ego autem dixi : Quis es, domine ? Dominus autem dixit : Ego sum Jesus, quem tu persequeris.

26:15 And I said: Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord answered: I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

26:16 Sed exsurge, et sta super pedes tuos : ad hoc enim apparui tibi, ut constituam te ministrum, et testem eorum quæ vidisti, et eorum quibus apparebo tibi,

26:16 But rise up and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared to thee, that I may make thee a minister and a witness of those things which thou hast seen and of those things wherein I will appear to thee,

26:17 eripiens te de populo et gentibus, in quas nunc ego mitto te,

26:17 Delivering thee from the people and from the nations unto which now I send thee:

26:18 aperire oculos eorum, ut convertantur a tenebris ad lucem, et de potestate Satanæ ad Deum, ut accipiant remissionem peccatorum, et sortem inter sanctos, per fidem quæ est in me.

26:18 To open their eyes, that they may be converted from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a lot among the saints, by the faith that is in me.

26:19 Unde, rex Agrippa, non fui incredulus cælesti visioni :

26:19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not incredulous to the heavenly vision.

26:20 sed his qui sunt Damasci primum, et Jerosolymis, et in omnem regionem Judææ, et gentibus, annuntiabam, ut pœnitentiam agerent, et converterentur ad Deum, digna pœnitentiæ opera facientes.

26:20 But to them first that are at Damascus and at Jerusalem, and unto all the country of Judea, and to the Gentiles did I preach, that they should do penance and turn to God, doing works worthy of penance.

26:21 Hac ex causa me Judæi, cum essem in templo, comprehensum tentabant interficere.

26:21 For this cause, the Jews, when I was in the temple, having apprehended me, went about to kill me.

26:22 Auxilio autem adjutus Dei usque in hodiernum diem, sto, testificans minori atque majori, nihil extra dicens quam ea quæ prophetæ locuti sunt futura esse, et Moyses,

26:22 But being aided by the help of God, I stand unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other thing than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come to pass:

26:23 si passibilis Christus, si primus ex resurrectione mortuorum, lumen annuntiaturus est populo et gentibus.

26:23 That Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead and should shew light to the people and to the Gentiles.

26:24 Hæc loquente eo, et rationem reddente, Festus magna voce dixit : Insanis, Paule : multæ te litteræ ad insaniam convertunt.

26:24 As he spoke these things and made his answer, Festus said with a loud voice: Paul, thou art beside thyself: much learning doth make thee mad.

26:25 Et Paulus : Non insanio, inquit, optime Feste, sed veritatis et sobrietatis verba loquor.

26:25 And Paul said: I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but I speak words of truth and soberness.

26:26 Scit enim de his rex, ad quem et constanter loquor : latere enim eum nihil horum arbitror. Neque enim in angulo quidquam horum gestum est.

26:26 For the king knoweth of these things, to whom also I speak with confidence. For I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him. For neither was any of these things done in a corner.

26:27 Credis, rex Agrippa, prophetis ? Scio quia credis.

26:27 Believest thou the prophets, O king Agrippa? I know that thou believest.

26:28 Agrippa autem ad Paulum : In modico suades me christianum fieri.

26:28 And Agrippa said to Paul: In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian.

26:29 Et Paulus : Opto apud Deum, et in modico et in magno, non tantum te, sed etiam omnes qui audiunt hodie fieri tales, qualis et ego sum, exceptis vinculis his.

26:29 And Paul said: I would to God that both in a little and in much, not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, should become such as I also am, except these bands.

26:30 Et exsurrexit rex, et præses, et Bernice, et qui assidebant eis.

26:30 And the king rose up, and the governor and Bernice and they that sat with them.

26:31 Et cum secessissent, loquebantur ad invicem, dicentes : Quia nihil morte aut vinculis dignum quid fecit homo iste.

26:31 And when they were gone aside, they spoke among themselves, saying: This man hath done nothing worthy of death or of bands.

26:32 Agrippa autem Festo dixit : Dimitti poterat homo hic, si non appellasset Cæsarem.

26:32 And Agrippa said to Festus: This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.