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.
26–BOB
Pavlus shoh Agrippa oldida oʻzini oqlaydi
1 Agrippa Pavlusga:
— Oʻzingni himoya qilib gapirishing mumkin, — dedi. Shundan keyin Pavlus qoʻlini choʻzib, oʻzini himoya qilib gapira boshladi: 2 “Shoh Agrippa janobi oliylari! Bugun mana bu yahudiylar menga qoʻyayotgan ayblardan oʻzimni sizning huzuringizda himoya qilayotganim uchun baxtiyorman. 3 Axir, yahudiylarning odatlari va bahslarini siz juda yaxshi bilasiz. Sizdan iltimos, marhamat qilib mening gapimni eshitsangiz.
4 Yoshligimdan bosib oʻtgan hayot yoʻlimni — Quddusda, oʻz xalqim orasida kechirgan hayotimni hamma yahudiylar biladilar. 5 Agar ular guvohlik berishni istasalar, dinimizning eng ashaddiy mazhabi farziylarga mansub boʻlganimni ular azaldan biladilar. 6 Endi esa, Xudoning ota–bobolarimizga bergan vaʼdasiga umid qilganim uchun hukm qilinyapman. 7 Vaholanki, xalqimizning oʻn ikki qabilasi kechayu kunduz Xudoga chin dildan sajda qilib, shu vaʼda bajo boʻlishiga umid qilyaptilar. Janobi oliylari, men ham aynan shunday umid qilganim uchun yahudiylar meni ayblayaptilar. 8 Ey shu yerda turganlar! Nima uchun Xudo oʻliklarni tiriltirishiga ishonib boʻlmaydi, deb oʻylaysizlar?
9 Men oʻzimcha, Nosiralik Isoning nomiga qarshi har narsani qilishim kerak, deb oʻylagandim. 10 Men buni Quddusda qildim ham. Bosh ruhoniylardan vakolat olib, Xudoning azizlaridan koʻpchiligini qamoqqa tashladim. Ular oʻlimga hukm qilinganlarida, men buni maʼqullab turardim. 11 Men tez–tez bir sinagogadan ikkinchisiga borib, ularni jazolardim, imonlaridan qaytarishga harakat qilardim. Men ularga nisbatan shunchalik shafqatsiz edimki, hatto begona shaharlarda ham ularni quvgʻin qilgani borardim.
12 Bir kuni shu maqsadda bosh ruhoniylardan vakolat olib, Damashqqa bir topshiriq bilan ketayotgan edim. 13 Janobi oliylari! Men kuppa–kunduzi yoʻlda ketayotganimda, birdan osmonda quyoshdan ham yorugʻ nurni koʻrdim. Nur sheriklarim bilan mening yon–atrofimni yoritib yubordi. 14 Hammamiz yerga yiqildik. Shunda oramiy tilida menga gapirayotgan bir ovozni eshitdim:
— Shoul! Shoul! Nimaga Meni quvgʻin qilyapsan? Hoʻkiz oʻz egasining tayogʻini tepib, oʻziga zarar keltirganday, sen ham Menga qarshi chiqib, oʻzingga zarar keltiryapsan.
15 — Hazratim! Siz kimsiz? — deb soʻradim men.
— Sen quvgʻin qilayotgan Isoman, — deb javob berdi Rabbiy. 16 — Endi oʻrningdan tur, Shoul. Seni Oʻz xizmatkorim qilib tayinlash maqsadida senga zohir boʻldim. Sen Meni koʻrganingni boshqalarga aytasan, senga koʻrsatadiganlarim toʻgʻrisida guvohlik berasan. 17 Men seni oʻz xalqing qoʻlidan qutqaraman. Seni gʻayriyahudiylar orasiga yuborib, ularning qoʻlidan ham xalos etaman. 18 Sen gʻayriyahudiylarning koʻzlarini ochasan, ularni zulmatdan yorugʻlikka, shaytonning hukmronligidan Xudoning hukmronligiga qaytarasan. Menga imon keltirish orqali ularning gunohlari kechirilib, ular Xudoning tanlangan xalqi orasidan joy oladilar.
19 Shunday qilib, shoh Agrippa janoblari, samodan menga kelgan vahiyga itoatsizlik qilmadim. 20 Avvalo, Damashqda va Quddusda, keyin butun Yahudiyada, shuningdek, gʻayriyahudiylar orasida: «Gunohlaringiz uchun tavba qilinglar, Xudoga yuz buringlar, tavba qilganingizni koʻrsatadigan ishlar qilinglar», deb vaʼz qildim. 21 Shu sababdan yahudiylar meni Maʼbadda tutib olib, oʻldirmoqchi boʻldilar. 22 Ammo shu kungacha Xudo menga madad berdi. Men hammaga — kattayu kichikka birday guvohlik berib keldim. Men ularga faqat paygʻambarlarning va Musoning aytganlarini gapirgan edim. 23 Masih Oʻz xalqiga va gʻayriyahudiylarga nur olib kelish uchun azob chekishi va birinchi boʻlib oʻlikdan tirilishi kerak, deb aytdim, xolos.”
24 Pavlus shu tariqa oʻzini himoya qilar ekan, Festus unga baqirib dedi:
— Sen telba boʻlib qolibsan, Pavlus! Koʻp bilganing seni aqldan ozdiryapti!
25 Pavlus esa shunday dedi:
— Men aqldan ozganim yoʻq, Festus janobi oliylari! Men jiddiy haqiqatni gapiryapman. 26 Shoh bu narsalar toʻgʻrisida bilgani uchun, men unga bemalol gapirmoqdaman. Bu narsalarning har biri uning eʼtiboridan chetda qolmaganiga imonim komil. Chunki bular yashirin qilingan emas. 27 Shoh Agrippa janoblari! Siz paygʻambarlarning bashoratlariga ishonasizmi? Bilaman, ishonasiz.
28 Agrippa Pavlusga:
— Sen darrov meni masihiy boʻlishga koʻndirmoqchisan–a, — dedi. 29 Pavlus shunday javob berdi:
— Darrov boʻladimi yoki uzoq vaqtdan keyin boʻladimi, nafaqat siz, balki mening gaplarimni eshitayotganlarning hammasi men singari boʻlsin deb, Xudoga ibodat qilaman. Ammo mana bu kishanlarni sizlarga ravo koʻrmayman.
30 Shundan keyin shoh Agrippa, hokim Festus, Vernika va boshqalar oʻrinlaridan turdilar. 31 Ular ketayotib, bir–birlariga: “Bu odam oʻlimga yoki zindonga tashlanishga loyiq biron ish qilmagan”, deb aytdilar. 32 Agrippa Festusga:
— Agar bu odam Qaysarning hukmini talab qilmaganda edi, uni ozod qilish mumkin edi, — dedi .
