Acts 26

1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:

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

2 “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews,

2 «إِنِّي أَحْسِبُ نَفْسِي سَعِيدًا أَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلِكُ أَغْرِيبَاسُ، إِذْ أَنَا مُزْمِعٌ أَنْ أَحْتَجَّ ٱلْيَوْمَ لَدَيْكَ عَنْ كُلِّ مَا يُحَاكِمُنِي بِهِ ٱلْيَهُودُ.

3 especially since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me patiently.

3 لَا سِيَّمَا وَأَنْتَ عَالِمٌ بِجَمِيعِ ٱلْعَوَائِدِ وَٱلْمَسَائِلِ ٱلَّتِي بَيْنَ ٱلْيَهُودِ. لِذَلِكَ أَلْتَمِسُ مِنْكَ أَنْ تَسْمَعَنِي بِطُولِ ٱلْأَنَاةِ.

4 Surely all the Jews know how I have lived from my earliest childhood among my own people, and also in Jerusalem.

4 فَسِيرَتِي مُنْذُ حَدَاثَتِي ٱلَّتِي مِنَ ٱلْبُدَاءَةِ كَانَتْ بَيْنَ أُمَّتِي فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ يَعْرِفُهَا جَمِيعُ ٱلْيَهُودِ،

5 They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the strictest sect of our religion.

5 عَالِمِينَ بِي مِنَ ٱلْأَوَّلِ، إِنْ أَرَادُوا أَنْ يَشْهَدُوا، أَنِّي حَسَبَ مَذْهَبِ عِبَادَتِنَا ٱلْأَضْيَقِ عِشْتُ فَرِّيسِيًّا.

6 And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made to our fathers,

6 وَٱلْآنَ أَنَا وَاقِفٌ أُحَاكَمُ عَلَى رَجَاءِ ٱلْوَعْدِ ٱلَّذِي صَارَ مِنَ ٱللهِ لِآبَائِنَا،

7 the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. It is because of this hope, O king, that I am accused by the Jews.

7 ٱلَّذِي أَسْبَاطُنَا ٱلِٱثْنَا عَشَرَ يَرْجُونَ نَوَالَهُ، عَابِدِينَ بِٱلْجَهْدِ لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا. فَمِنْ أَجْلِ هَذَا ٱلرَّجَاءِ أَنَا أُحَاكَمُ مِنَ ٱلْيَهُودِ أَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلِكُ أَغْرِيبَاسُ.

8 Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

8 لِمَاذَا يُعَدُّ عِنْدَكُمْ أَمْرًا لَا يُصَدَّقُ إِنْ أَقَامَ ٱللهُ أَمْوَاتًا؟

9 So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

9 فَأَنَا ٱرْتَأَيْتُ فِي نَفْسِي أَنَّهُ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ أَصْنَعَ أُمُورًا كَثِيرَةً مُضَادَّةً لِٱسْمِ يَسُوعَ ٱلنَّاصِرِيِّ.

10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them.

10 وَفَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ أَيْضًا فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ، فَحَبَسْتُ فِي سُجُونٍ كَثِيرِينَ مِنَ ٱلْقِدِّيسِينَ، آخِذًا ٱلسُّلْطَانَ مِنْ قِبَلِ رُؤَسَاءِ ٱلْكَهَنَةِ. وَلَمَّا كَانُوا يُقْتَلُونَ أَلْقَيْتُ قُرْعَةً بِذَلِكَ.

11 I frequently had them punished in the synagogues, and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.

11 وَفِي كُلِّ ٱلْمَجَامِعِ كُنْتُ أُعَاقِبُهُمْ مِرَارًا كَثِيرَةً، وَأَضْطَرُّهُمْ إِلَى ٱلتَّجْدِيفِ. وَإِذْ أَفْرَطَ حَنَقِي عَلَيْهِمْ كُنْتُ أَطْرُدُهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمُدُنِ ٱلَّتِي فِي ٱلْخَارِجِ.

12 In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

12 «وَلَمَّا كُنْتُ ذَاهِبًا فِي ذَلِكَ إِلَى دِمَشْقَ، بِسُلْطَانٍ وَوَصِيَّةٍ مِنْ رُؤَسَاءِ ٱلْكَهَنَةِ،

13 About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions.

13 رَأَيْتُ فِي نِصْفِ ٱلنَّهَارِ فِي ٱلطَّرِيقِ، أَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلِكُ، نُورًا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَاءِ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ لَمَعَانِ ٱلشَّمْسِ، قَدْ أَبْرَقَ حَوْلِي وَحَوْلَ ٱلذَّاهِبِينَ مَعِي.

14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

14 فَلَمَّا سَقَطْنَا جَمِيعُنَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ، سَمِعْتُ صَوْتًا يُكَلِّمُنِي وَيَقُولُ بِٱللُّغَةِ ٱلْعِبْرَانِيَّةِ: شَاوُلُ، شَاوُلُ! لِمَاذَا تَضْطَهِدُنِي؟ صَعْبٌ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَرْفُسَ مَنَاخِسَ.

15 ‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.

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

16 ‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen from Me and what I will show you.

16 وَلَكِنْ قُمْ وَقِفْ عَلَى رِجْلَيْكَ لِأَنِّي لِهَذَا ظَهَرْتُ لَكَ، لِأَنْتَخِبَكَ خَادِمًا وَشَاهِدًا بِمَا رَأَيْتَ وَبِمَا سَأَظْهَرُ لَكَ بِهِ،

17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them

17 مُنْقِذًا إِيَّاكَ مِنَ ٱلشَّعْبِ وَمِنَ ٱلْأُمَمِ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنَا ٱلْآنَ أُرْسِلُكَ إِلَيْهِمْ،

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 an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’

18 لِتَفْتَحَ عُيُونَهُمْ كَيْ يَرْجِعُوا مِنْ ظُلُمَاتٍ إِلَى نُورٍ، وَمِنْ سُلْطَانِ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ إِلَى ٱللهِ، حَتَّى يَنَالُوا بِٱلْإِيمَانِ بِي غُفْرَانَ ٱلْخَطَايَا وَنَصِيبًا مَعَ ٱلْمُقَدَّسِينَ.

19 So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

19 «مِنْ ثَمَّ أَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلِكُ أَغْرِيبَاسُ لَمْ أَكُنْ مُعَانِدًا لِلرُّؤْيَا ٱلسَّمَاوِيَّةِ،

20 First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.

20 بَلْ أَخْبَرْتُ أَوَّلًا ٱلَّذِينَ فِي دِمَشْقَ، وَفِي أُورُشَلِيمَ حَتَّى جَمِيعِ كُورَةِ ٱلْيَهُودِيَّةِ، ثُمَّ ٱلْأُمَمَ، أَنْ يَتُوبُوا وَيَرْجِعُوا إِلَى ٱللهِ عَامِلِينَ أَعْمَالًا تَلِيقُ بِٱلتَّوْبَةِ.

21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.

21 مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ أَمْسَكَنِي ٱلْيَهُودُ فِي ٱلْهَيْكَلِ وَشَرَعُوا فِي قَتْلِي.

22 But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen:

22 فَإِذْ حَصَلْتُ عَلَى مَعُونَةٍ مِنَ ٱللهِ، بَقِيتُ إِلَى هَذَا ٱلْيَوْمِ، شَاهِدًا لِلصَّغِيرِ وَٱلْكَبِيرِ. وَأَنَا لَا أَقُولُ شَيْئًا غَيْرَ مَا تَكَلَّمَ ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءُ وَمُوسَى أَنَّهُ عَتِيدٌ أَنْ يَكُونَ:

23 that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”

23 إِنْ يُؤَلَّمِ ٱلْمَسِيحُ، يَكُنْ هُوَ أَوَّلَ قِيَامَةِ ٱلْأَمْوَاتِ، مُزْمِعًا أَنْ يُنَادِيَ بِنُورٍ لِلشَّعْبِ وَلِلْأُمَمِ».

24 At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!”

24 وَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ يَحْتَجُّ بِهَذَا، قَالَ فَسْتُوسُ بِصَوْتٍ عَظِيمٍ: «أَنْتَ تَهْذِي يَا بُولُسُ! ٱلْكُتُبُ ٱلْكَثِيرَةُ تُحَوِّلُكَ إِلَى ٱلْهَذَيَانِ!».

25 But Paul answered, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.

25 فَقَالَ: «لَسْتُ أَهْذِي أَيُّهَا ٱلْعَزِيزُ فَسْتُوسُ، بَلْ أَنْطِقُ بِكَلِمَاتِ ٱلصِّدْقِ وَٱلصَّحْوِ.

26 For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.

26 لِأَنَّهُ مِنْ جِهَةِ هَذِهِ ٱلْأُمُورِ، عَالِمٌ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱلَّذِي أُكَلِّمُهُ جِهَارًا، إِذْ أَنَا لَسْتُ أُصَدِّقُ أَنْ يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، لِأَنَّ هَذَا لَمْ يُفْعَلْ فِي زَاوِيَةٍ.

27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

27 أَتُؤْمِنُ أَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلِكُ أَغْرِيبَاسُ بِٱلْأَنْبِيَاءِ؟ أَنَا أَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تُؤْمِنُ».

28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?”

28 فَقَالَ أَغْرِيبَاسُ لِبُولُسَ: «بِقَلِيلٍ تُقْنِعُنِي أَنْ أَصِيرَ مَسِيحِيًّا!».

29 “Short time or long,” Paul replied, “I wish to God that not only you but all who hear me this day may become what I am, except for these chains.”

29 فَقَالَ بُولُسُ: «كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي إِلَى ٱللهِ أَنَّهُ بِقَلِيلٍ وَبِكَثِيرٍ، لَيْسَ أَنْتَ فَقَطْ، بَلْ أَيْضًا جَمِيعُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْمَعُونَنِي ٱلْيَوْمَ، يَصِيرُونَ هَكَذَا كَمَا أَنَا، مَا خَلَا هَذِهِ ٱلْقُيُودَ».

30 Then the king and the governor rose, along with Bernice and those seated with them.

30 فَلَمَّا قَالَ هَذَا قَامَ ٱلْمَلِكُ وَٱلْوَالِي وَبَرْنِيكِي وَٱلْجَالِسُونَ مَعَهُمْ،

31 On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”

31 وَٱنْصَرَفُوا وَهُمْ يُكَلِّمُونَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا قَائِلِينَ: «إِنَّ هَذَا ٱلْإِنْسَانَ لَيْسَ يَفْعَلُ شَيْئًا يَسْتَحِقُّ ٱلْمَوْتَ أَوِ ٱلْقُيُودَ».

32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

32 وَقَالَ أَغْرِيبَاسُ لِفَسْتُوسَ: «كَانَ يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يُطْلَقَ هَذَا ٱلْإِنْسَانُ لَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ قَدْ رَفَعَ دَعْوَاهُ إِلَى قَيْصَرَ».