1THEN he arrived at the city of Der’be and Lys’tra: there was there a disciple whose name was Timo’the-us, the son of a Jewess convert, but whose father was a Syr’ian.
2And all the disciples of Lys’tra and I-co’nium gave good testimony concerning him.
3Paul wanted to take this man with him, so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region; for they all knew that his father was a Syr’i-an.
4And as they went through the cities, they preached and taught the people to obey the decrees which the apostles and elders had written at Jerusalem.
5And so the churches were established in the faith, and increased in number daily. 6Then they traveled through the countries of Phryg’i-a and Ga-la’tia, and the Holy Spirit forbade them to speak the word of God in Asia Minor. 7And when they came to the country of Mys’ia, they wanted to go from thence to Bi-thyn’i-a: but the spirit of Jesus permitted them not. 8And when they had left Mys’ia, they came to the country of Tro’as. 9And, in a vision of the night, there appeared to Paul a man resembling a Mac-edo’ni- an, standing and begging him, saying, Come over to Mac-e-do’ni-a and help me. 10And after Paul had seen this vision, we were desirous to leave for Mac-e-do’ni-a at once, because we understood that our LORD had called us to preach the gospel to them. 11When we sailed from Tro’as, we came in a direct course to Sam-o-thra’cia, and from thence on the following day, we came to the city Ne-ap’o-lis; 12And from thence to Phi-lip’pi, which is the capital of Mac-e-do’ni-a, and is a colony: and we were in that city on some holidays. 13And on the sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the river side because a house of prayer was seen there, and when we were seated, we spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14And a certain woman, named Lyd’i-a, a seller of purple of the city of Thy-a-ti’ra, feared God; her heart was so touched by our LORD that she listened to what Paul said. 15And she was baptized together with her household, and she begged us, saying, If you are sincerely convinced that I believe in our LORD, come and stay in my house; and she urged us strongly. 16And it came to pass, as we went to the house of prayer, we were met by a young girl who was possessed of a spirit, and who did for her masters a great business by fortune telling. 17And she followed Paul and us, crying and saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, and they preach to you the way of salvation. 18And she did this for many days. So Paul was indignant and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it left her the same hour. 19And when her masters saw that the hope for their business was lost with her power, they seized Paul and Silas and beat them and brought them to the market place. 20And they brought them before the soldiers and the city magistrates and said, These men are Jews, and they create disturbances in our city, 21And they preach customs to us which are not lawful for us to accept and practice, because we are Romans. 22And a large crowd gathered against them. Then the soldiers stripped them of their clothes and gave command to scourge them. 23And when they had flogged them severely, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to watch them carefully. Paul and Silas in prison. 24He, having received the charge, brought them in and put them into the inner chamber of the prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25Now at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and glorified God; and the prisoners heard them. 26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and the bands of all were loosed. 27When the keeper of the prison awoke, and saw that the prison doors were open, he took a sword and would have killed himself, for he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice and said to him, Do not harm yourself, for we are all here. 29Then he lighted a lamp, and sprang in, trembling, and threw himself at the feet of Paul and Silas. 30And he brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31And they said to him, Believe in our LORD Jesus Christ, and both you and your household will be saved. 32And they spoke to him the word of the LORD, and to all who were of his household. 33And he took them at that hour of the night and washed their wounds; and then was baptized in that very hour, he and all his household. 34And when he had brought them up into his house, he set food before them; and he and all the members of his household rejoiced, believing in God. 35In the morning, the soldiers sent the lictors to tell the prison warden to release those men. 36And when the keeper of the prison heard this, he went in and told Paul, saying, The soldiers have sent orders to release you: now therefore depart, and go in peace. 37But Paul said to him, Not having committed any offense, they flogged us, Roman citizens, in the presence of the people, and they cast us into prison; and now do they let us out secretly? No verily; let them come themselves and fetch us out. 38And the lictors went and told the soliers these words which were told to them: and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were afraid. 39And they came to them and urged them to get out and depart from the city. 40And they went out of the prison and entered into the house of Lydia where they saw the brethren and comforted them, and departed. Holy Bible From The Ancient Eastern Texts: Aramaic Of The Peshitta by George M. Lamsa (1933) |