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Acts 26:4-18
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Acts 26:4-18
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
4 My manner of living from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my people[a] and in Jerusalem, all [the] Jews know. 5 (A)They have known about me from the start, if they are willing to testify, that I have lived my life as a Pharisee, the strictest party of our religion. 6 (B)But now I am standing trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors. 7 Our twelve tribes hope to attain to that promise as they fervently worship God day and night; and on account of this hope I am accused by Jews, O king. 8 Why is it thought unbelievable among you that God raises the dead? 9 (C)I myself once thought that I had to do many things against the name of Jesus the Nazorean, 10 and I did so in Jerusalem. I imprisoned many of the holy ones with the authorization I received from the chief priests, and when they were to be put to death I cast my vote against them.(D) 11 Many times, in synagogue after synagogue, I punished them in an attempt to force them to blaspheme; I was so enraged against them that I pursued them even to foreign cities.
12 “On one such occasion I was traveling to Damascus with the authorization and commission of the chief priests. 13 (E)At midday, along the way, O king, I saw a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my traveling companions.(F) 14 We all fell to the ground and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?(G) It is hard for you to kick against the goad.’[b] 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, sir?’ And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.(H) 16 Get up now, and stand on your feet.(I) I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness of what you have seen [of me] and what you will be shown.[c] 17 I shall deliver you from this people and from the Gentiles to whom I send you,(J) 18 to open their eyes[d] that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may obtain forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been consecrated by faith in me.’(K)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 26:4 Among my people: that is, among the Jews.
- 26:14 In Hebrew: see note on Acts 21:40. It is hard for you to kick against the goad: this proverb is commonly found in Greek literature and in this context signifies the senselessness and ineffectiveness of any opposition to the divine influence in his life.
- 26:16 The words of Jesus directed to Paul here reflect the dialogues between Christ and Ananias (Acts 9:15) and between Ananias and Paul (Acts 22:14–15) in the two previous accounts of Paul’s conversion.
- 26:18 To open their eyes: though no mention is made of Paul’s blindness in this account (cf. Acts 9:8–9, 12, 18; 22:11–13), the task he is commissioned to perform is the removal of other people’s spiritual blindness.
Acts 26:4-18
New International Version
Acts 26:4-18
New International Version
4 “The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child,(A) from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time(B) and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect(C) of our religion, living as a Pharisee.(D) 6 And now it is because of my hope(E) in what God has promised our ancestors(F) that I am on trial today. 7 This is the promise our twelve tribes(G) are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night.(H) King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me.(I) 8 Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?(J)
9 “I too was convinced(K) that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose(L) the name of Jesus of Nazareth.(M) 10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people(N) in prison,(O) and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.(P) 11 Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished,(Q) and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.
12 “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice(R) saying to me in Aramaic,[a](S) ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet.(T) I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.(U) 17 I will rescue you(V) from your own people and from the Gentiles.(W) I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes(X) and turn them from darkness to light,(Y) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins(Z) and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’(AA)
Footnotes
- Acts 26:14 Or Hebrew
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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