Veritable King James Version
1Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” So Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:
2“I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews,
3especially 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.
5They have known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee.
6And 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, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And for this hope, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.
8Why 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.
10And 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.
11And 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.
13At 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.
14And 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.
16But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness of the things in which you have seen Me and of those in which I will appear to you,
17delivering 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,
20but 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.
22To 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:
23that 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.”
24And 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 insane.”
25But 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.
27King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you believe.”
28And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”
29And Paul said, “Whether in a short time or a long time, 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.”
30Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them.
31And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This person is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.”
32And Agrippa said to Festus, “This person could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
Translation notes
The NA28 Greek text uses “ἀπολογεῖσθαι” in verse 1, translated as “made his defense,” echoing the KJV’s “answered for himself.” “Jews” renders “Ἰουδαίων,” gender-neutral, per the NA28. “Customs and controversies” translates “ἔθη καὶ ζητήματα,” preserving the KJV’s reference to Jewish practices. “Stretched out his hand” renders “ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα,” echoing the KJV’s rhetorical gesture, per Acts 21:40.
“Jews” and “they” translate “Ἰουδαῖοι” and “οἱ” gender-neutrally. Capitalized “God” follows instructions. “Strictest sect” renders “ἀκριβεστάτην αἵρεσιν,” per the NA28, echoing the KJV’s “straitest sect.” “Pharisee” translates “Φαρισαῖος,” consistent with Acts 23:6. “Hope in the promise” renders “ἐλπίδι τῆς ἐπαγγελίας,” echoing the KJV’s messianic expectation, per Acts 24:15.
“Twelve tribes” and “Jews” translate “δωδεκάφυλον” and “Ἰουδαίων,” gender-neutral, per the NA28. Capitalized “God” follows instructions. “Earnestly serving” renders “ἐν ἔκτειν λαντρεῦον,” echoing the KJV’s devotion imagery. “God raises the dead” translates “ὁ Θεὸς νεκροὺς ἐγείρει,” preserving the KJV’s resurrection focus, central to Paul’s defense (cf. Acts 23:6, 24:15).
Capitalized “Jesus” follows instructions. “Saints” translates “ἁγίων,” gender-neutral for believers, per the NA28. “Chief priests” renders “ἀρχιερέων,” consistent with Acts 25:15. “Cast my vote” translates “ψῆφον,” echoing the KJV’s judicial imagery, per Acts 22:20. “Raging fury” renders “ἐμμαινόμενος,” preserving the KJV’s intense emotion. The account aligns with Acts 8:3, 9:1–2.
“Those” and “we” translate “τοὺς σὺν ἐμοί” and “ἡμῶν,” gender-neutral for Paul’s companions. Capitalized “Me” (Jesus) follows instructions. “Hebrew language” renders “Ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ,” likely Aramaic, per Acts 21:40, 22:2. “Light from heaven” and “kick against the goads” translate “φῶς οὐρανόθεν” and “πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν,” echoing the KJV’s vivid imagery, per the NA28. This retells Acts 9:3–6, 22:6–8.
Capitalized “You,” “Lord,” “I,” and “Me” (Jesus) follow instructions. “People” and “Gentiles” translate “λαοῦ” and “ἐθνῶν,” gender-neutral, per the NA28. “Servant and witness” renders “ὑπηρέτην καὶ μάρτυρα,” echoing the KJV’s mission language (cf. Acts 9:15, 22:15). “Delivering you” translates “ἐξαιρούμενός σε,” preserving the KJV’s divine protection theme. The commission aligns with Acts 22:14–15.
“Their” and “those” translate “αὐτῶν” and “τοῖς,” gender-neutral, referring to Gentiles and believers. Capitalized “God” and “Me” (Jesus) follow instructions. “Turn from darkness to light” renders “ἐπιστρέψαι ἀπὸ σκότους εἰς φῶς,” echoing the KJV’s spiritual imagery, per the NA28. “Sanctified by faith in Me” translates “ἡγιασμένοις πίστει τῇ εἰς ἐμέ,” preserving the KJV’s theological emphasis.
“Those” and “Gentiles” translate “τοῖς” and “ἔθνεσιν,” gender-neutral, per the NA28. Capitalized “God” follows instructions. “Heavenly vision” renders “οὐρανίῳ ὀπτασίᾳ,” echoing the KJV’s supernatural encounter (cf. Acts 9:3–6). “Repent and turn to God” translates “μετανοεῖν καὶ ἐπιστρέφειν,” preserving the KJV’s call to conversion. “Deeds in keeping with repentance” reflects the KJV’s practical faith.
“Jews,” “people,” and “Gentiles” translate “Ἰουδαῖοι,” “λαῷ,” and “ἔθνεσιν,” gender-neutral. Capitalized “God,” “Christ,” and “He” follow instructions. “Prophets and Moses” renders “προφῆται καὶ Μωϋσῆς,” echoing the KJV’s scriptural authority. “First to rise from the dead” translates “πρῶτος ἐξ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν,” per the NA28, preserving the KJV’s resurrection focus (cf. Acts 24:15). “Seized in the temple” recalls Acts 21:27–30.
“Most excellent Festus” renders “κράτιστε Φῆστε,” echoing the KJV’s formal address (cf. Acts 24:2). “Out of your mind” translates “μαίνῃ,” per the NA28, preserving the KJV’s “mad.” “True and rational words” renders “ἀληθείας καὶ σωφροσύνης ῥήματα,” echoing the KJV’s defense of sanity. The exchange highlights the cultural clash over resurrection, per the NA28.
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