1 Chegou também a Derbe e a Listra. Havia ali um discípulo chamado Timóteo, filho de uma judia crente, mas de pai grego; 2 dele davam bom testemunho os irmãos em Listra e Icônio. 3 Quis Paulo que ele fosse em sua companhia e, por isso, circuncidou-o por causa dos judeus daqueles lugares; pois todos sabiam que seu pai era grego. 4 Ao passar pelas cidades, entregavam aos irmãos, para que as observassem, as decisões tomadas pelos apóstolos e presbíteros de Jerusalém. 5 Assim, as igrejas eram fortalecidas na fé e, dia a dia, aumentavam em número.

6 E, percorrendo a região frígio-gálata, tendo sido impedidos pelo Espírito Santo de pregar a palavra na Ásia, 7 defrontando Mísia, tentavam ir para Bitínia, mas o Espírito de Jesus não o permitiu. 8 E, tendo contornado Mísia, desceram a Trôade. 9 À noite, sobreveio a Paulo uma visão na qual um varão macedônio estava em pé e lhe rogava, dizendo: Passa à Macedônia e ajuda-nos. 10 Assim que teve a visão, imediatamente, procuramos partir para aquele destino, concluindo que Deus nos havia chamado para lhes anunciar o evangelho.

11 Tendo, pois, navegado de Trôade, seguimos em direitura a Samotrácia, no dia seguinte, a Neápolis 12 e dali, a Filipos, cidade da Macedônia, primeira do distrito e colônia. Nesta cidade, permanecemos alguns dias. 13 No sábado, saímos da cidade para junto do rio, onde nos pareceu haver um lugar de oração; e, assentando-nos, falamos às mulheres que para ali tinham concorrido. 14 Certa mulher, chamada Lídia, da cidade de Tiatira, vendedora de púrpura, temente a Deus, nos escutava; o Senhor lhe abriu o coração para atender às coisas que Paulo dizia. 15 Depois de ser batizada, ela e toda a sua casa, nos rogou, dizendo: Se julgais que eu sou fiel ao Senhor, entrai em minha casa e aí ficai. E nos constrangeu a isso.

16 Aconteceu que, indo nós para o lugar de oração, nos saiu ao encontro uma jovem possessa de espírito adivinhador, a qual, adivinhando, dava grande lucro aos seus senhores. 17 Seguindo a Paulo e a nós, clamava, dizendo: Estes homens são servos do Deus Altíssimo e vos anunciam o caminho da salvação. 18 Isto se repetia por muitos dias. Então, Paulo, já indignado, voltando-se, disse ao espírito: Em nome de Jesus Cristo, eu te mando: retira-te dela. E ele, na mesma hora, saiu.

19 Vendo os seus senhores que se lhes desfizera a esperança do lucro, agarrando em Paulo e Silas, os arrastaram para a praça, à presença das autoridades; 20 e, levando-os aos pretores, disseram: Estes homens, sendo judeus, perturbam a nossa cidade, 21 propagando costumes que não podemos receber, nem praticar, porque somos romanos. 22 Levantou-se a multidão, unida contra eles, e os pretores, rasgando-lhes as vestes, mandaram açoitá-los com varas. 23 E, depois de lhes darem muitos açoites, os lançaram no cárcere, ordenando ao carcereiro que os guardasse com toda a segurança. 24 Este, recebendo tal ordem, levou-os para o cárcere interior e lhes prendeu os pés no tronco. 25 Por volta da meia-noite, Paulo e Silas oravam e cantavam louvores a Deus, e os demais companheiros de prisão escutavam. 26 De repente, sobreveio tamanho terremoto, que sacudiu os alicerces da prisão; abriram-se todas as portas, e soltaram-se as cadeias de todos.

27 O carcereiro despertou do sono e, vendo abertas as portas do cárcere, puxando da espada, ia suicidar-se, supondo que os presos tivessem fugido. 28 Mas Paulo bradou em alta voz: Não te faças nenhum mal, que todos aqui estamos! 29 Então, o carcereiro, tendo pedido uma luz, entrou precipitadamente e, trêmulo, prostrou-se diante de Paulo e Silas. 30 Depois, trazendo-os para fora, disse: Senhores, que devo fazer para que seja salvo? 31 Responderam-lhe: Crê no Senhor Jesus e serás salvo, tu e tua casa. 32 E lhe pregaram a palavra de Deus e a todos os de sua casa. 33 Naquela mesma hora da noite, cuidando deles, lavou-lhes os vergões dos açoites. A seguir, foi ele batizado, e todos os seus. 34 Então, levando-os para a sua própria casa, lhes pôs a mesa; e, com todos os seus, manifestava grande alegria, por terem crido em Deus.

35 Quando amanheceu, os pretores enviaram oficiais de justiça, com a seguinte ordem: Põe aqueles homens em liberdade. 36 Então, o carcereiro comunicou a Paulo estas palavras: Os pretores ordenaram que fôsseis postos em liberdade. Agora, pois, saí e ide em paz. 37 Paulo, porém, lhes replicou: Sem ter havido processo formal contra nós, nos açoitaram publicamente e nos recolheram ao cárcere, sendo nós cidadãos romanos; querem agora, às ocultas, lançar-nos fora? Não será assim; pelo contrário, venham eles e, pessoalmente, nos ponham em liberdade. 38 Os oficiais de justiça comunicaram isso aos pretores; e estes ficaram possuídos de temor, quando souberam que se tratava de cidadãos romanos. 39 Então, foram ter com eles e lhes pediram desculpas; e, relaxando-lhes a prisão, rogaram que se retirassem da cidade. 40 Tendo-se retirado do cárcere, dirigiram-se para a casa de Lídia e, vendo os irmãos, os confortaram. Então, partiram.

1 And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess that believed; but his father was a Greek. 2 The same was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those parts: for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 And as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decrees to keep which had been ordained of the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden of the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; 7 and when they were come over against Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia; and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not; 8 and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: There was a man of Macedonia standing, beseeching him, and saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10 And when he had seen the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel unto them.

11 Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis; 12 and from thence to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the first of the district, a Roman colony: and we were in this city tarrying certain days. 13 And on the sabbath day we went forth without the gate by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spake unto the women that were come together. 14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened to give heed unto the things which were spoken by Paul. 15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

16 And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that a certain maid having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. 17 The same following after Paul and us cried out, saying, These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim unto you the way of salvation. 18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, being sore troubled, turned and said to the spirit, I charge thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour.

19 But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they laid hold on Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers, 20 and when they had brought them unto the magistrates, they said, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21 and set forth customs which it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans. 22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent their garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24 who, having received such a charge, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns unto God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison-house were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened; and every one’s bands were loosed. 27 And the jailor, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29 And he called for lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house. 32 And they spake the word of the Lord unto him, with all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately. 34 And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, having believed in God.

35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. 36 And the jailor reported the words to Paul, saying, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore come forth, and go in peace. 37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison; and do they now cast us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and bring us out. 38 And the serjeants reported these words unto the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans; 39 and they came and besought them; and when they had brought them out, they asked them to go away from the city. 40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

1 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek.

2 The believers 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 strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

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.

11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went 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 went 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 from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She 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.

16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men 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 annoyed 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 her owners 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."

22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.

23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.

24 When he received these 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 everyone'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 to all the others in his house.

33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.

34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God —he and his whole household.

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. Go 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 sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.