1 And Agrippas said to Sha’ul, “You are allowed to speak for yourself.” Then Sha’ul stretched out his hand and made his defence:
2 “I think myself baruḵ, Sovereign Agrippas, because today I shall make my defence before you concerning all of which I am accused by the Yahuḏim,
3 you being most of all an expert, knowing of all practices and questions which have to do with the Yahuḏim. So, please hear me patiently.
4 “Truly, then, all the Yahuḏim know my way of life from youth, which I led from the beginning among my own nation at Yerushalayim,
5 since they have known me from the first, if they want to witness, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our observance.
6 “And now I stand and am judged for the expectation of the promise made by Elohim to our fathers,
7 to which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving Elohim night and day, except to obtain. Concerning this expectation, O Sovereign Agrippas, I am accused by the Yahuḏim.
8 “Why is it considered ‘unbelievable’ among you if Elohim raises the dead?
9 “Therefore, indeed, I thought within myself that I ought to do much against the Name of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 of Natsareth,
10 which also I did in Yerushalayim, and I shut up many of the qodeshim in prison, having received authority from the chief kohenim. And when they were put to death, I gave my vote against them.
11 “And punishing them often in all the congregations, I compelled them to blaspheme. And being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12 “While thus engaged, as I was journeying to Dammeseq with authority and commission from the chief kohenim,
13 at midday, O sovereign, I saw a light from the shamayim, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.
14 “And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Iḇri language, ‘Sha’ul, Sha’ul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the prods.’
15 “And I said, ‘Who are You, Aḏonai?’ And He said, ‘I am 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏, whom you persecute.
16 ‘But rise up, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you a servant and a witness both of what you saw and of those which I shall reveal to you,
17 delivering you from the people, and the gentiles, to whom I now send you,
18 to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and the authority of Satan to Elohim, in order for them to receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are qadosh by belief in Me.’
19 “Therefore, Sovereign Agrippas, I was not disobedient to the vision of the shamayim,
20 but declared first to those in Dammeseq and in Yerushalayim, and in all the country of Yahuḏah, and to the gentiles, that they should repent, and turn to Elohim, and do works worthy of repentance.
21 “That is why the Yahuḏim seized me in the Miqdash and tried to kill me.
22 “Therefore, having obtained help from Elohim, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying nil else than what the Neḇi’im and Mosheh said would come –
23 that ha’Mashiaḥ would suffer, would be the first to rise from the dead, He would proclaim light to the people and to the gentiles.”
24 And while saying this in his defence, Phĕstos said with a loud voice, “Sha’ul, you are mad! Much learning is turning you to madness!”
25 But Sha’ul said, “I am not mad, most excellent Phĕstos, but I speak words of truth and sense.
26 “For the sovereign, before whom I also speak boldly, knows this. For l am persuaded that none of these are hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner.
27 “Sovereign Agrippas, do you believe the Neḇi’im? I know that you do believe.”
28 And Agrippas said to Sha’ul, “With a little you might persuade me to become a Mashiaḥiyim!”
29 And Sha’ul said, “Much or little, I pray to Elohim that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become such as I also am, except for these chains.”
30 And having said this, the sovereign stood up, as well as the governor and Bernikĕ and those sitting with them,
31 and having withdrawn, they spoke to each other, saying, “This man is doing naught deserving death or chains.”
32 And Agrippas said to Phĕstos, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Kaisar.”