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Domenica, 2 giugno 2024 - Santi Marcellino e Pietro ( Letture di oggi)

Acts of the Apostles 16


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CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAINNEW JERUSALEM
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.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.
2 The brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium rendered good testimony to him.2 The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke wel of him,
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.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.
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.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.
5 And certainly, the Churches were being strengthened in faith and were increasing in number every day.5 So the churches grew strong in the faith, as well as growing daily in numbers.
6 Then, while crossing through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the Word in Asia.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.
7 But when they had arrived in Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them.7 When they reached the frontier of Mysia they tried to go into Bithynia, but as the Spirit of Jesus wouldnot al ow them,
8 Then, when they had crossed through Mysia, they descended to Troas.8 they went through Mysia and came down to Troas.
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!”9 One night Paul had a vision: a Macedonian appeared and kept urging him in these words, 'Comeacross to Macedonia and help us.'
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.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.
11 And sailing from Troas, taking a direct path, we arrived at Samothrace, and on the following day, at Neapolis,11 Sailing from Troas we made a straight run for Samothrace; the next day for Neapolis,
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.12 and from there for Philippi, a Roman colony and the principal city of that district of Macedonia.
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.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.
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.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.
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.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.
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.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.
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!”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!'
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.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.
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.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.
20 And presenting them to the magistrates, they said: “These men are disturbing our city, since they are Jews.20 Taking them before the magistrates they said, 'These people are causing a disturbance in our city.They are Jews
21 And they are announcing a way which is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, since we are Romans.”21 and are advocating practices which it is unlawful for us as Romans to accept or fol ow.'
22 And the people rushed together against them. And the magistrates, tearing their tunics, ordered them to be beaten with staffs.22 The crowd joined in and showed its hostility to them, so the magistrates had them stripped andordered them to be flogged.
23 And when they had inflicted many scourges on them, they cast them into prison, instructing the guard to watch them diligently.23 They were given many lashes and then thrown into prison, and the gaoler was told to keep a closewatch on them.
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.24 So, fol owing such instructions, he threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in thestocks.
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.25 In the middle of the night Paul and Silas were praying and singing God's praises, while the otherprisoners listened.
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.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.
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.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.
28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying: “Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here!”28 But Paul shouted at the top of his voice, 'Do yourself no harm; we are al here.'
29 Then calling for a light, he entered. And trembling, he fell before the feet of Paul and Silas.29 He cal ed for lights, then rushed in, threw himself trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas,
30 And bringing them outside, he said, “Sirs, what must I do, so that I may be saved?”30 and escorted them out, saying, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'
31 So they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and then you will be saved, with your household.”31 They told him, 'Become a believer in the Lord Jesus, and you wil be saved, and your household too.'
32 And they spoke the Word of the Lord to him, along with all those who were in his house.32 Then they preached the word of the Lord to him and to al his household.
33 And he, taking them in the same hour of the night, washed their scourges. And he was baptized, and next his entire household.33 Late as it was, he took them to wash their wounds, and was baptised then and there with al hishousehold.
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.34 Afterwards he took them into his house and gave them a meal, and the whole household celebratedtheir conversion to belief in God.
35 And when daylight had arrived, the magistrates sent the attendants, saying, “Release those men.”35 When it was daylight the magistrates sent the lictors with the order: 'Release those men.'
36 But the prison guard reported these words to Paul: “The magistrates have sent to have you released. Now therefore, depart. Go in peace.”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.'
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,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.'
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.38 The lictors reported this to the magistrates, who were terrified when they heard they were Romancitizens.
39 And arriving, they pleaded with them, and leading them out, they begged them to depart from the city.39 They came and urged them to leave the town.
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.40 From the prison they went to Lydia's house where they saw all the brothers and gave them someencouragement; then they left.