Timothy
Joins Paul And Silas
He
came to Derbe and then to Lystra,
Where
a Disciple name Timothy lived,
Whose
mother was a Jewess and a Believer,
But
whose father was a Greek.
2
The Brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.
3
Paul wanted to take him along on the Journey,
So
he circumcised him
Because
of the Jews who lived in that area,
For
they all knew that his father was a Greek.
4
As they traveled from town to town,
They
delivered the Decisions
Reached
by the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem
For
the people to Obey.
5
SO THE CHURCHES WERE STREGTHENED IN THE FAITH
AND
GREW DAILY IN NUMBERS.
Paul's
Vision Of The Man Of Macedonia
6
Paul and his Companions
Traveled
throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia,
HAVING
BEEN KEPT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
FROM
PREACHING THE WORD IN THE PROVINCE OF ASIA.
7
When they came to the border of Mysia,
They
tried to enter Bithynia,
BUT
THE SPIRIT OF JESUS WOULD NOT ALLOW THEM TO.
8
So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.
9
DURING THE NIGHT PAUL HAD A VISION
OF
A MAN OF MACEDONIA STANDING AND BEGGING HIM,
'COME
OVER TO MACEDONIA AND HELP US.'
10
After Paul had seen the Vision,
We
got ready at once to leave for Macedonia,
CONCLUDING
THAT GOD HAD CALLED US
TO
PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THEM.
Lydia's
Conversion In Philippi
11
From Troas we put out to sea
And
sailed straight for Samothrace,
And
the next day on to Neapolis.
12
From there we traveled to Philippi,
A
Roman Colony
And
the leading City of that District of Macedonia.
And
we stayed there several days.
13
On the Sabbath we wen outside the City Gate
To
the river,
Where
we expected to find a place of Prayer.
We
sat down and began to speak
To
the women who had gathered there.
14
One of those listening was a woman named Lydia,
A
dealer in purple cloth
From
they City of Thyatira,
WHO
WAS A WORSHIPER OF GOD.
THE
LORD OPENED HER HEART
TO
RESPOND TO PAUL'S MESSAGE.
15
When she and the members of her household
Were
baptized,
She
invited us to her home.
'IF
YOU CONSIDER ME A BELIEVER IN THE LORD,'
She
said,
'COME
AND STAY AT MY HOUSE.'
And
she persuaded us.
Paul
And Silas In Prison
16
Once when we were going to the place of Prayer,
We
were met by a Slave girl
WHO
HAD A SPIRIT
BY
WHICH SHE PREIDCTED THE FUTURE.
She
earned a great deal of money for her owners
By
Fortune-telling.
17
This girl followed Paul and the rest of us shouting,
'THESE
ARE SERVANTS OF THE MOST HIGH GOD,
WHO
ARE TELLING YOU THE WAY TO BE SAVED.'
18
She kept this up for many days.
Finally
Paul became so Troubled
that
he turned around and said to the spirit,
'IN
THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST
I
COMMAND YOU TO COME OUT OF HER!'
At
that moment the spirit left her.
19
When the owners of the Slave girl realized
That
their hope of making money was gone,
They
seized Paul and Silas
And
dragged them into the marketplace
To
face the Authorities.
20
They brought them before the Magistrates and said,
THESE
MEN ARE JEWS,
AND
ARE THROWING OUR CITY INTO AN UPROAR
21
BY ADVOCATING CUSTOMS UNLAWFUL
FOR
US ROMANS TO ACCEPT OR PRACTICE.'
27
The Crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas,
And
the Magistrates ordered them
To
be Stripped and Beaten.
23
AFTER THEY HAD BEEN SEVERELY FLOGGED,
THEY
WERE THROWN INTO PRISON,
And
the Jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.
24
Upon receiving such orders,
He
put them in the Inner Cell
And
Fastened their feet in the Stocks.
25
ABOUT MIDNIGHT PAUL AND SILAS WERE PRAYING
AND
SINGING HYMNS TO GOD,
AND
THE OTHER PRISONERS WERE LISTENING TO THEM.
26
SUDDENLY THERE WAS SUCH A VIOLENT EARTHQUAKE
THAT
THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE PRISON WERE SHAKEN.
AT
ONCE ALL THE PRISON DOORS FLEW OPEN,
AND
EVERYBODY'S CHAINS CAME LOOSE.
27
The Jailer woke up,
And
when he saw the Prison doors open,
He
drew his sword and was about to Kill himself
Because
he thought the prisoners had escaped.
28
But Paul shouted,
'DON'T
HARM YOURSELF! WE ARE ALL HERE!'
29
The Jailer called for lights,
Rushed
in and fell Trembling before Paul and Silas.
30
He then brought them out and asked,
'SIRS,
WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?'
31
They replied,
'BELIEVE
IN THE LORD JESUS,
AND
YOU WILL BE SAVED--
YOU
AND YOUR HOUSEHOLD.'
32
Then they spoke the Word of the Lord to him
And
all the others in his house.
33
At that hour of the night
The
Jailer took them and washed their wounds;
THEN
IMMEDIATLEY HE
AND
ALL HIS FAMILY WERE BAPTIZED.
34
The Jailer brought them into his house
And
set a meal before them,
AND
THE WHOLE FAMILY WAS FILLED WITH JOY,
BECAUSE
THEY HAD COME TO BELEIVE IN GOD.
35
When it was Daylight,
The
Magistrates sent their officers to the Jailer
With
the Order: 'RELEASE THOSE MEN,'
36
The Jailer told Paul,
''THE
MAGISTRATES HAVE ORDERED
THAT
YOU AND SILAS BE RELEASED.
Now
you can leave. God in Peace.
37
But Paul said to the officers:
'THEY
BEAT US PUBLICLY WITHOUT A TRIAL,
EVEN
THOUGH WE ARE ROMAN CITIZENS,
And
threw us into Prison.
And
now do they want to get rid of us quietly?
NO!
LET THEM COME THEMSELVES
AND
ESCORT US OUT.'
38
The officers reported this to the Magistrates,
And
when they heard
That
Paul and Silas were Roman Citizens,
They
were Alarmed.
39
They came to Appease them
And
Escorted them from the Prison,
Requesting
them to leave the City.
40
After Paul and Silas came out of the Prison,
They
went to Lydia's house,
Where
they met with the Brothers
And
encouraged them.
Then
they left.
(Acts
16)
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