And Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defence:
I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am to make my defence before thee this day touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews:
{Or, because thou art especially expert }especially because thou art expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify, that after the straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
And now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers;
unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king!
Why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?
I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
And this I also did in Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.
And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.
{Or, On which errand}Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,
at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that journeyed with me.
And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against {Greek: goads.}the goad.
And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
But arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things {Many ancient authorities read which thou hast seen.}wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee;
delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee,
to open their eyes, {Or, to turn them}that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.
Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
but declared both to them of Damascus first and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judæa, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of {Or, their repentance}repentance.
For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and assayed to kill me.
Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand unto this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come;
{Or, if Or, whether}how that the Christ {Or, is subject to suffering}must suffer, and {Or, if Or, whether}how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.
And as he thus made his defence, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning {Greek: turneth thee to madness.}is turning thee mad.
But Paul saith, I am not mad, most excellent Festus; but speak forth words of truth and soberness.
For the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hath not been done in a corner.
King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
And Agrippa said unto Paul, {Or, In a little time thou &c.}With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a Christian.
And Paul said, I would to God, that whether with little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except these bonds.
And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
and when they had withdrawn, they spake one to another, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
And Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cæsar.
Querverweise zu Apostelgeschichte 26,26 Apg 26,26
I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am to make my defence before thee this day touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews:
And when the day of Pentecost {Greek: was being fulfill.}was now come, they were all together in one place.
And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them tongues {Or, parting among them Or, distributing themselves}parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speaking in his own language.
And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galilæans?
And how hear we, every man in our own language wherein we were born?
Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judæa and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia,
in Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty works of God.
And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
{Or, because thou art especially expert }especially because thou art expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable {Greek: sign.}miracle hath been wrought through them, is manifest to all that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
But that it spread no further among the people, let us threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
And they called them, and charged them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God, judge ye:
for we cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard.
And they, when they had further threatened them, let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people; for all men glorified God for that which was done.
And Agrippa said unto Festus, I also {Or, was wishing}could wish to hear the man myself. To-morrow, saith he, thou shalt hear him.
and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public ward.
But an angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them out, and said,
Go ye, and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this Life.
And when they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison-house to have them brought.
But the officers that came found them not in the prison; and they returned, and told,
saying, The prison-house we found shut in all safety, and the keepers standing at the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed concerning them whereunto this would grow.
And there came one and told them, Behold, the men whom ye put in the prison are in the temple standing and teaching the people.
Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them, but without violence; for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned.
And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them,
saying, We strictly charged you not to teach in this name: and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men.
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree.
Him did God exalt {Or, at}with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.
And we are witnesses {Some ancient authorities add in him.} of these {Greek: sayings.}things; {Some ancient authorities read and God hath given the Holy Spirit to them that obey him.}and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and minded to slay them.
But there stood up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in honor of all the people, and commanded to put the men forth a little while.
And he said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves as touching these men, what ye are about to do.
For before these days rose up Theudas, giving himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nought.
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the enrolment, and drew away some of the people after him: he also perished; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.
And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will be overthrown:
but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest haply ye be found even to be fighting against God.
And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.
And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to {Greek: bring good tidings of. See chapter 13:32; 14:15}preach Jesus as the Christ.
{Or, And then will the Lord give you bread in adversity and water in affliction: and thy teachers shall not &c.}And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy {Or, teacher}teachers {Or, hide themselves}be hidden anymore, but thine eyes shall see thy {Or, teacher}teachers;
But they said, Not during the feast, lest a tumult arise among the people.
And they platted a crown of thorns and put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
And they spat upon him, and took the reed and smote him on the head.
And when they had mocked him, they took off from him the robe, and put on him his garments, and led him away to crucify him.
And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they {Greek: impressed.}compelled to go with them, that he might bear his cross.
And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, The place of a skull,
they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted it, he would not drink.
And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots;
and they sat and watched him there.
And they set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Then are there crucified with him two robbers, one on the right hand and one on the left.
And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads,
and saying, Thou that destroyest the {Or, sanctuary}temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross.
In like manner also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
He saved others; {Or, can he not save himself?}himself he cannot save. He is the King of Israel; let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe on him.
He trusteth on God; let him deliver him now, if he desireth him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
And the robbers also that were crucified with him cast upon him the same reproach.
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the {Or, earth}land until the ninth hour.
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, {Psalm 22:1}Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, {Or, why didst thou forsake me?}why hast thou forsaken me?
And some of them that stood there, when they heard it, said, This man calleth Elijah.
And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
And the rest said, Let be; let us see whether Elijah cometh to save him. {Many ancient authorities add And another took a spear and pierced his side, and there came out water and blood. See John 19:34.}
And Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.
And behold, the veil of the {Or, sanctuary}temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake; and the rocks were rent;
and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints that had fallen asleep were raised;
and coming forth out of the tombs after his resurrection they entered into the holy city and appeared unto many.
Now the centurion, and they that were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, Truly this was {Or, a son of God.}the Son of God.