Acts 26

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

فَقَالَ أَغْرِيبَاسُ لِبُولُسَ:«مَأْذُونٌ لَكَ أَنْ تَتَكَلَّمَ لأَجْلِ نَفْسِكَ». حِينَئِذٍ بَسَطَ بُولُسُ يَدَهُ وَجَعَلَ يَحْتَجُّ:

I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

«إِنِّي أَحْسِبُ نَفْسِي سَعِيدًا أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ أَغْرِيبَاسُ، إِذْ أَنَا مُزْمِعٌ أَنْ أَحْتَجَّ الْيَوْمَ لَدَيْكَ عَنْ كُلِّ مَا يُحَاكِمُنِي بِهِ الْيَهُودُ.

Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

لاَ سِيَّمَا وَأَنْتَ عَالِمٌ بِجَمِيعِ الْعَوَائِدِ وَالْمَسَائِلِ الَّتِي بَيْنَ الْيَهُودِ. لِذلِكَ أَلْتَمِسُ مِنْكَ أَنْ تَسْمَعَنِي بِطُولِ الأَنَاةِ.

My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

فَسِيرَتِي مُنْذُ حَدَاثَتِي الَّتِي مِنَ الْبُدَاءَةِ كَانَتْ بَيْنَ أُمَّتِي فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ يَعْرِفُهَا جَمِيعُ الْيَهُودِ،

Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

عَالِمِينَ بِي مِنَ الأَوَّلِ، إِنْ أَرَادُوا أَنْ يَشْهَدُوا، أَنِّي حَسَبَ مَذْهَبِ عِبَادَتِنَا الأَضْيَقِ عِشْتُ فَرِّيسِيًّا.

And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

وَالآنَ أَنَا وَاقِفٌ أُحَاكَمُ عَلَى رَجَاءِ الْوَعْدِ الَّذِي صَارَ مِنَ اللهِ لآبَائِنَا،

Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

الَّذِي أَسْبَاطُنَا الاثْنَا عَشَرَ يَرْجُونَ نَوَالَهُ، عَابِدِينَ بِالْجَهْدِ لَيْلاً وَنَهَارًا. فَمِنْ أَجْلِ هذَا الرَّجَاءِ أَنَا أُحَاكَمُ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ أَغْرِيبَاسُ.

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

لِمَاذَا يُعَدُّ عِنْدَكُمْ أَمْرًا لاَ يُصَدَّقُ إِنْ أَقَامَ اللهُ أَمْوَاتًا؟

I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

فَأَنَا ارْتَأَيْتُ فِي نَفْسِي أَنَّهُ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ أَصْنَعَ أُمُورًا كَثِيرَةً مُضَادَّةً لاسْمِ يَسُوعَ النَّاصِرِيِّ.

Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

وَفَعَلْتُ ذلِكَ أَيْضًا فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ، فَحَبَسْتُ فِي سُجُونٍ كَثِيرِينَ مِنَ الْقِدِّيسِينَ، آخِذًا السُّلْطَانَ مِنْ قِبَلِ رُؤَسَاءِ الْكَهَنَةِ. وَلَمَّا كَانُوا يُقْتَلُونَ أَلْقَيْتُ قُرْعَةً بِذلِكَ.

And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

وَفِي كُلِّ الْمَجَامِعِ كُنْتُ أُعَاقِبُهُمْ مِرَارًا كَثِيرَةً، وَأَضْطَرُّهُمْ إِلَى التَّجْدِيفِ. وَإِذْ أَفْرَطَ حَنَقِي عَلَيْهِمْ كُنْتُ أَطْرُدُهُمْ إِلَى الْمُدُنِ الَّتِي فِي الْخَارِجِ.

Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

«وَلَمَّا كُنْتُ ذَاهِبًا فِي ذلِكَ إِلَى دِمَشْقَ، بِسُلْطَانٍ وَوَصِيَّةٍ مِنْ رُؤَسَاءِ الْكَهَنَةِ،

At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

رَأَيْتُ فِي نِصْفِ النَّهَارِ فِي الطَّرِيقِ، أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ، نُورًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ لَمَعَانِ الشَّمْسِ، قَدْ أَبْرَقَ حَوْلِي وَحَوْلَ الذَّاهِبِينَ مَعِي.

And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

فَلَمَّا سَقَطْنَا جَمِيعُنَا عَلَى الأَرْضِ، سَمِعْتُ صَوْتًا يُكَلِّمُنِي وَيَقُولُ بِاللُّغَةِ الْعِبْرَانِيَّةِ: شَاوُلُ، شَاوُلُ! لِمَاذَا تَضْطَهِدُنِي؟ صَعْبٌ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَرْفُسَ مَنَاخِسَ .

And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

فَقُلْتُ أَنَا: مَنْ أَنْتَ يَا سَيِّدُ؟ فَقَالَ: أَنَا يَسُوعُ الَّذِي أَنْتَ تَضْطَهِدُهُ.

But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

وَلكِنْ قُمْ وَقِفْ عَلَى رِجْلَيْكَ لأَنِّي لِهذَا ظَهَرْتُ لَكَ، لأَنْتَخِبَكَ خَادِمًا وَشَاهِدًا بِمَا رَأَيْتَ وَبِمَا سَأَظْهَرُ لَكَ بِهِ،

Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

مُنْقِذًا إِيَّاكَ مِنَ الشَّعْبِ وَمِنَ الأُمَمِ الَّذِينَ أَنَا الآنَ أُرْسِلُكَ إِلَيْهِمْ،

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

لِتَفْتَحَ عُيُونَهُمْ كَيْ يَرْجِعُوا مِنْ ظُلُمَاتٍ إِلَى نُورٍ، وَمِنْ سُلْطَانِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِلَى اللهِ، حَتَّى يَنَالُوا بِالإِيمَانِ بِي غُفْرَانَ الْخَطَايَا وَنَصِيبًا مَعَ الْمُقَدَّسِينَ.

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

«مِنْ ثَمَّ أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ أَغْرِيبَاسُ لَمْ أَكُنْ مُعَانِدًا لِلرُّؤْيَا السَّمَاوِيَّةِ،

But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judæa, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

بَلْ أَخْبَرْتُ أَوَّلاً الَّذِينَ فِي دِمَشْقَ، وَفِي أُورُشَلِيمَ حَتَّى جَمِيعِ كُورَةِ الْيَهُودِيَّةِ، ثُمَّ الأُمَمَ، أَنْ يَتُوبُوا وَيَرْجِعُوا إِلَى اللهِ عَامِلِينَ أَعْمَالاً تَلِيقُ بِالتَّوْبَةِ.

For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.

مِنْ أَجْلِ ذلِكَ أَمْسَكَنِي الْيَهُودُ فِي الْهَيْكَلِ وَشَرَعُوا فِي قَتْلِي.

Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

فَإِذْ حَصَلْتُ عَلَى مَعُونَةٍ مِنَ اللهِ، بَقِيتُ إِلَى هذَا الْيَوْمِ، شَاهِدًا لِلصَّغِيرِ وَالْكَبِيرِ. وَأَنَا لاَ أَقُولُ شَيْئًا غَيْرَ مَا تَكَلَّمَ الأَنْبِيَاءُ وَمُوسَى أَنَّهُ عَتِيدٌ أَنْ يَكُونَ:

That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

إِنْ يُؤَلَّمِ الْمَسِيحُ، يَكُنْ هُوَ أَوَّلَ قِيَامَةِ الأَمْوَاتِ، مُزْمِعًا أَنْ يُنَادِيَ بِنُورٍ لِلشَّعْبِ وَلِلأُمَمِ».

And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

وَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ يَحْتَجُّ بِهذَا، قَالَ فَسْتُوسُ بِصَوْتٍ عَظِيمٍ:«أَنْتَ تَهْذِي يَا بُولُسُ! الْكُتُبُ الْكَثِيرَةُ تُحَوِّلُكَ إِلَى الْهَذَيَانِ!».

But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

فَقَالَ:«لَسْتُ أَهْذِي أَيُّهَا الْعَزِيزُ فَسْتُوسُ، بَلْ أَنْطِقُ بِكَلِمَاتِ الصِّدْقِ وَالصَّحْوِ.

For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

لأَنَّهُ مِنْ جِهَةِ هذِهِ الأُمُورِ، عَالِمٌ الْمَلِكُ الَّذِي أُكَلِّمُهُ جِهَارًا، إِذْ أَنَا لَسْتُ أُصَدِّقُ أَنْ يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ مِنْ ذلِكَ، لأَنَّ هذَا لَمْ يُفْعَلْ فِي زَاوِيَةٍ.

King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

أَتُؤْمِنُ أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ أَغْرِيبَاسُ بِالأَنْبِيَاءِ؟ أَنَا أَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تُؤْمِنُ».

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

فَقَالَ أَغْرِيبَاسُ لِبُولُسَ:«بِقَلِيل تُقْنِعُنِي أَنْ أَصِيرَ مَسِيحِيًّا».

And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

فَقَالَ بُولُسُ:«كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي إِلَى اللهِ أَنَّهُ بِقَلِيل وَبِكَثِيرٍ، لَيْسَ أَنْتَ فَقَطْ، بَلْ أَيْضًا جَمِيعُ الَّذِينَ يَسْمَعُونَنِي الْيَوْمَ، يَصِيرُونَ هكَذَا كَمَا أَنَا، مَا خَلاَ هذِهِ الْقُيُودَ».

And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

فَلَمَّا قَالَ هذَا قَامَ الْمَلِكُ وَالْوَالِي وَبَرْنِيكِي وَالْجَالِسُونَ مَعَهُمْ،

And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

وَانْصَرَفُوا وَهُمْ يُكَلِّمُونَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا قَائِلِينَ:«إِنَّ هذَا الإِنْسَانَ لَيْسَ يَفْعَلُ شَيْئًا يَسْتَحِقُّ الْمَوْتَ أَوِ الْقُيُودَ».

Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cæsar.

وَقَالَ أَغْرِيبَاسُ لِفَسْتُوسَ:«كَانَ يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يُطْلَقَ هذَا الإِنْسَانُ لَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ قَدْ رَفَعَ دَعْوَاهُ إِلَى قَيْصَرَ».