1 Agripa sacīja Pāvilam: Tev ir atļauts aizstāvēties. Tad Pāvils izstiepa roku un teica aizstāvēšanās runu:
2 „Ķēniņ Agripa, es sevi turu par laimīgu, ka varu šodien tavā priekšā aizstāvēties pret visu, par ko jūdi mani apsūdz,
3 Jo vairāk tādēļ, ka tu pārzini visas jūdu parašas un jautājumus; tāpēc es tevi lūdzu mani pacietīgi uzklausīt.
4 Visi jūdi pazīst manu dzīvi no mazām dienām, kā tā no paša sākuma risinājusies manas tautas vidū un Jeruzālēme,
5 Pazīdami mani jau sen, tā ka tie varētu liecināt, ka esmu dzīvojis pēc mūsu reliģijas visstingrākās sektas noteikumiem, būdams farizējs.
6 Un tagad mani tiesā par cerību, ka Dievs piepildīs apsolījumu, ko viņš mūsu tēviem devis,
7 Ko mūsu divpadsmit ciltis cer iemantot, bez mitēšanās Dievam kalpodanas nakti un dienu. Par šo cerību, ķēniņ, jūdi mani apsūdz.
8 Vai jums šķiet neticami, ka Dievs uzmodina mirušos?
9 Man pašam gan šķita, ka man vajaga Nacarieša Jēzus vārdam noteikti pretoties.
10 To es arī darīju Jeruzālemē. Saņēmis pilnvaras no augstajiem pries-teriem, es esmu daudz svēto ieslēdzis cietumā, un kad viņus nomaitāja, man tas bija pa prātam.
11 Pa visām sinagogām es tos daudzkārt ar sodiem esmu spiedis zaimot, pārlieku pret tiem trakojis, vajādams tos pat svešās pilsētās.
12 Iedams ar tādu nolūku uz Damasku ar augsto priesteru atļauju un pilnvarām,
13 Es, ķēniņ, dienas vidū uz ceļa redzēju gaismu no debesīm, spožāku par saules gaismu, apspīdam mani un manus ceļa biedrus.
14 Mēs visi nokritām pie zemes, un es dzirdēju balsi ebrēju valodā uz mani sakām: Saul, Saul, ko tu mani vajā? Tev grūti nāksies pret dzenuli spārdīt.
15 Es sacīju: Kas tu esi, Kungs? Tas Kungs atbildēja: Es esmu Jēzus, ko tu vajā.
16 Bet celies kājās! Jo tāpēc, es tev esmu parādījies, lai tu man kalpotu un apliecinātu, kā tu mani esi redzējis un kā es tev parādīšos,
17 Lai tevi izglābtu no šīs tautas un pagāniem, pie kufiem es tevi sūtu
18 Atvērt viņu acis, lai tie atgriežas no tumsas gaismā, no sātāna varas pie Dieva, un ticībā uz mani dabū grēku piedošanu un mantojumu svēto pulkā.
19 Tāpēc, ķēniņ Agripa, es šai debesu parādībai neesmu bijis nepaklausīgs,
20 Bet esmu sludinājis vispirms tiem, kas dzīvo Damaskā, Jeruzālemē un visā jūdu zemē, kā arī pagāniem, lai tie nožēlo savus grēkus un atgriežas pie Dieva un dara darbus, kas grēku nožēlas cienīgi.
21 Tādēļ jūdi svētnīcā mani sagrāba un mēģināja nonāvēt.
22 Bet Dievs man palīdzējis līdz šai dienai, un es še stāvu kā liecinieks maziem un lieliem, neko citu nesludinā-dams, kā vien to, ko pravieši un Mozus par nākošām lietām runājuši,
23 Ka Kristum bija jācieš, ka viņš pirmais no mirušajiem auģšāmcēlies Sludināt gaismu savai tautai un pagā-niem.“
24 Viņam tā aizstāvoties, Fēsts sacīja skalā balsi: „Pāvil, tu esi traks, lielās rakstu zināšanas tevi padara traku!“
25 Bet Pāvils sacīja: „Es neesmu vis traks, loti cienījamais Fēst, bet es runāju patiesus un prātīgus vārdus,
26 Jo par šīm lietām zina ari ķēniņš, uz ko es droši runāju. Es neticu, ka kaut kas no tā viņam palicis apslēpts, jo tas nav noticis svešā stūrī.
27 Vai tu, ķēniņ Agripa, tici praviešiem? Es zinu, ka tu tici.“
28 Bet Agripa sacīja Pāvilam: „Tu gandrīz mani pārliecini kļūt par kristieti.“
29 Pāvils atbildēja: „Lai Dievs dod, ka agri vai vēlu nevien tu, bet arī visi, kas mani šodien dzird, kļūtu tādi, kāds es esmu, tikai bez šīm važām.“
30 Tad ķēniņš, zemes pārvaldnieks, Bernīke, un visi, kas pie viņiem sēdēja, piecēlās
31 Un aizgāja, runādami savā starpā: „Šis cilvēks neko nedara, ar ko viņš būtu pelnījis nāvi vai važas.“
32 Bet Agripa Fēstam sacīja: „Šo cilvēku varētu atbrīvot, ja viņš nebūtu piesaucis ķeizaru.“
1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: 2 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: 3 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. 4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; 5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: 7 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. 8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? 9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 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 . 11 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. 12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 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. 14 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. 15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16 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; 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18 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. 19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 20 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. 21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me . 22 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: 23 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.
24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. 25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. 26 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. 27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. 28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. 29 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. 30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them: 31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. 32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cæsar.
