1Then Agrippa said to Pavlos, “You have permission to speak on your own behalf.” Whereupon Pavlos stretched forth his hand and answered, saying, 2“In view of all the things whereof I am accused by the Y’hudim, I consider myself blessed, O King Agrippa, to defend myself today before you. 3Especially because I know you are familiar with all the customs and questions and laws of the Yehudim; therefore, I beg you to hear me patiently. 4Even the Y’hudim themselves, if they would be willing to testify, know well my manner of life from my childhood, which started first among my own people at Yerushalayim. 5For they have been acquainted with me a long time, and know that I was brought up with the excellent doctrine of the P’rushim. 6And now I stand and am on trial for the hope of the promise made by Elohim to our fathers. 7It is to the fulfillment of this hope that our twelve tribes expect to arrive by means of earnest prayers day and night. And for this very hope’s sake, I am accused by the Y’hudim, O King Agrippa. 8How can you judge? Is it improper to believe that Elohim can raise the dead? 9For at the very beginning I was determined that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Yeshua HaNatzri. 10Which I also did at Yerushalayim: I cast many of the k’doshim into prison, having received authority from the chief Kohanim, and when some were put to death, I took part with those who condemned them. 11And I tortured them in every Beit K’nesset, thus compelling them to blaspheme the Name of Yeshua; and being exceedingly mad against them, I also went to other cities to persecute them.”
12“I was on the way to Damesek for this purpose, with authority and commission from the chief Kohanim, when, 13at midday on the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven more powerful than that of the sun, shining round about me and upon those who journeyed with me. 14When we all fell to the ground, then I heard a voice speaking to me, in Hebrew, ‘Sha’ul, Sha’ul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15And I said, ‘My Adon, who are you?’ And Adoneinu said to me, ‘I am Yeshua HaNatzri, whom you persecute.’ 16Then He said to me, ‘Rise and stand upon your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you a minister and a witness both of those things in which you have seen me and of those things in which you will also see me again. 17And I will deliver you from the Y’hudim, and from the other peoples to whom I send you, 18to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of HaSatan to Elohim, and receive forgiveness of sins, and a portion with the k’doshim through absolute trust in me.’ 19Whereupon, O King Agrippa, I did not disobey the heavenly vision; 20but I declared first to them of Damesek, and at Yerushalayim, and throughout all the villages of Y’hudah, and then to the Goyim, that they might repent and turn to Elohim and do works worthy of repentance. 21For these causes the Y’hudim seized me in the Heikhal and wanted to kill me. 22But Elohim has helped me to this very day, and behold, I stand and testify to the humble and to the great, saying nothing contrary to Moshe and the Nevi’im, but the very things which they said were to take place, 23that Mashi’akh should suffer and that he should be the first to rise from the dead, and that he should declare light to the people and to the Goyim.”
24And while Pavlos was pleading in this manner, Festus cried with a loud voice, “Pavlos, you are overwrought. Much study has made you mad.” 25But Pavlos said to him, “I am not mad, O most excellent Festus; but I speak the words of truth and soberness. 26And King Agrippa is also familiar with these things, and this is why I am speaking openly before him, because I think not one of these words has been hidden from him; for they were not done in secret. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the Nevi’im? I know that you believe.” 28Then King Agrippa said to him, “With little effort you almost persuade me to become a ‘Kristiana’.” 29And Pavlos said, “I pray Elohim that not only you, but also all of those who hear me today were as I am, except for these bonds.” 30Then the king arose, and the governor and Bernice, and they convened together; 31and when they had departed, they talked between themselves, saying, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or of imprisonment.” 32Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released had he not appealed to Caesar.”
Coming Soon! We are working daily on translating the remainder of the Brit Khadashah from Aramaic to Hebrew. Check back soon for this chapter’s Hebrew version!
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 