Acts of the Apostles 16

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 From there he went to Derbe, and then on to Lystra, where there was a disciple cal ed Timothy, whosemother was Jewish and had become a believer; but his father was a Greek.	1 Then he arrived at Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple named Timothy was there, the son of a faithful Jewish woman, his father a Gentile.
2 The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke wel of him,	2 The brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium rendered good testimony to him.
3 and Paul, who wanted to have him as a travel ing companion, had him circumcised. This was onaccount of the Jews in the locality where everyone knew his father was a Greek.	3 Paul wanted this man to travel with him, and taking him, he circumcised him, because of the Jews who were in those places. For they all knew that his father was a Gentile.
4 As they visited one town after another, they passed on the decisions reached by the apostles andelders in Jerusalem, with instructions to observe them.	4 And as they were traveling through the cities, they delivered to them the dogmas to be kept, which were decreed by the Apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.
5 So the churches grew strong in the faith, as well as growing daily in numbers.	5 And certainly, the Churches were being strengthened in faith and were increasing in number every day.
6 They travel ed through Phrygia and the Galatian country, because they had been told by the Holy Spiritnot to preach the word in Asia.	6 Then, while crossing through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the Word in Asia.
7 When they reached the frontier of Mysia they tried to go into Bithynia, but as the Spirit of Jesus wouldnot al ow them,	7 But when they had arrived in Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them.
8 they went through Mysia and came down to Troas.	8 Then, when they had crossed through Mysia, they descended to Troas.
9 One night Paul had a vision: a Macedonian appeared and kept urging him in these words, 'Comeacross to Macedonia and help us.'	9 And a vision in the night was revealed to Paul of a certain man of Macedonia, standing and pleading with him, and saying: “Cross into Macedonia and help us!”
10 Once he had seen this vision we lost no time in arranging a passage to Macedonia, convinced thatGod had cal ed us to bring them the good news.	10 Then, after he saw the vision, immediately we sought to set out for Macedonia, having been assured that God had called us to evangelize to them.
11 Sailing from Troas we made a straight run for Samothrace; the next day for Neapolis,	11 And sailing from Troas, taking a direct path, we arrived at Samothrace, and on the following day, at Neapolis,
12 and from there for Philippi, a Roman colony and the principal city of that district of Macedonia.	12 and from there to Philippi, which is the preeminent city in the area of Macedonia, a colony. Now we were in this city some days, conferring together.
13 After a few days in this city we went outside the gates beside a river as it was the Sabbath and thiswas a customary place for prayer. We sat down and preached to the women who had come to the meeting.	13 Then, on the Sabbath day, we were walking outside the gate, beside a river, where there seemed to be a prayer gathering. And sitting down, we were speaking with the women who had assembled.
14 One of these women was called Lydia, a woman from the town of Thyatira who was in the purple-dyetrade, and who revered God. She listened to us, and the Lord opened her heart to accept what Paul was saying.	14 And a certain woman, named Lydia, a seller of purple in the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened. And the Lord opened her heart to be receptive to what Paul was saying.
15 After she and her household had been baptised she kept urging us, 'If you judge me a true believer in the Lord,' she said, 'come and stay with us.' And she would take no refusal.	15 And when she had been baptized, with her household, she pleaded with us, saying: “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, enter into my house and lodge there.” And she convinced us.
16 It happened one day that as we were going to prayer, we were met by a slave-girl who was asoothsayer and made a lot of money for her masters by foretel ing the future.	16 Then it happened that, as we were going out to prayer, a certain girl, having a spirit of divination, met with us. She was a source of great profit to her masters, through her divining.
17 This girl started fol owing Paul and the rest of us and shouting, 'Here are the servants of the MostHigh God; they have come to tel you how to be saved!'	17 This girl, following Paul and us, was crying out, saying: “These men are servants of the Most High God! They are announcing to you the way of salvation!”
18 She did this day after day until Paul was exasperated and turned round and said to the spirit, 'I orderyou in the name of Jesus Christ to leave that woman.' The spirit went out of her then and there.	18 Now she behaved in this way for many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you, in the name of Jesus Christ, to go out from her.” And it went away in that same hour.
19 When her masters saw that there was no hope of making any more money out of her, they seizedPaul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities.	19 But her masters, seeing that the hope of their profit went away, apprehended Paul and Silas, and they brought them to the rulers at the courthouse.
20 Taking them before the magistrates they said, 'These people are causing a disturbance in our city.They are Jews	20 And presenting them to the magistrates, they said: “These men are disturbing our city, since they are Jews.
21 and are advocating practices which it is unlawful for us as Romans to accept or fol ow.'	21 And they are announcing a way which is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, since we are Romans.”
22 The crowd joined in and showed its hostility to them, so the magistrates had them stripped andordered them to be flogged.	22 And the people rushed together against them. And the magistrates, tearing their tunics, ordered them to be beaten with staffs.
23 They were given many lashes and then thrown into prison, and the gaoler was told to keep a closewatch on them.	23 And when they had inflicted many scourges on them, they cast them into prison, instructing the guard to watch them diligently.
24 So, fol owing such instructions, he threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in thestocks.	24 And since he had received this kind of order, he cast them into the interior prison cell, and he restricted their feet with stocks.
25 In the middle of the night Paul and Silas were praying and singing God's praises, while the otherprisoners listened.	25 Then, in the middle of the night, Paul and Silas were praying and praising God. And those who were also in custody were listening to them.
26 Suddenly there was an earthquake that shook the prison to its foundations. Al the doors flew openand the chains fel from al the prisoners.	26 Yet truly, there was a sudden earthquake, so great that the foundations of the prison were moved. And immediately all the doors were opened, and the bindings of everyone were released.
27 When the gaoler woke and saw the doors wide open he drew his sword and was about to commitsuicide, presuming that the prisoners had escaped.	27 Then the prison guard, having been jarred awake, and seeing the doors of the prison open, drew his sword and intended to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had fled.
28 But Paul shouted at the top of his voice, 'Do yourself no harm; we are al here.'	28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying: “Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here!”
29 He cal ed for lights, then rushed in, threw himself trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas,	29 Then calling for a light, he entered. And trembling, he fell before the feet of Paul and Silas.
30 and escorted them out, saying, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'	30 And bringing them outside, he said, “Sirs, what must I do, so that I may be saved?”
31 They told him, 'Become a believer in the Lord Jesus, and you wil be saved, and your household too.'	31 So they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and then you will be saved, with your household.”
32 Then they preached the word of the Lord to him and to al his household.	32 And they spoke the Word of the Lord to him, along with all those who were in his house.
33 Late as it was, he took them to wash their wounds, and was baptised then and there with al hishousehold.	33 And he, taking them in the same hour of the night, washed their scourges. And he was baptized, and next his entire household.
34 Afterwards he took them into his house and gave them a meal, and the whole household celebratedtheir conversion to belief in God.	34 And when he had brought them into his own house, he set a table for them. And he was joyous, with his entire household, believing in God.
35 When it was daylight the magistrates sent the lictors with the order: 'Release those men.'	35 And when daylight had arrived, the magistrates sent the attendants, saying, “Release those men.”
36 The gaoler reported the message to Paul, 'The magistrates have sent an order for your release; youcan go now and be on your way.'	36 But the prison guard reported these words to Paul: “The magistrates have sent to have you released. Now therefore, depart. Go in peace.”
37 'What!' Paul replied. 'Without trial they gave us a public flogging, though we are Roman citizens, andthrew us into prison, and now they want to send us away on the quiet! Oh no! They must come and escort us outthemselves.'	37 But Paul said to them: “They have beaten us publicly, though we were not condemned. They have cast men who are Romans into prison. And now they would drive us away secretly? Not so. Instead, let them come forward,
38 The lictors reported this to the magistrates, who were terrified when they heard they were Romancitizens.	38 and let us drive them away.” Then the attendants reported these words to the magistrates. And upon hearing that they were Romans, they were afraid.
39 They came and urged them to leave the town.	39 And arriving, they pleaded with them, and leading them out, they begged them to depart from the city.
40 From the prison they went to Lydia's house where they saw all the brothers and gave them someencouragement; then they left.	40 And they went away from the prison and entered into the house of Lydia. And having seen the brothers, they consoled them, and then they set out.