Timotejs pievienojas Pāvilam un Sīlam
1 Tad viņš nonāca Derbē un Listrās. Un, redzi, tur bija kāds māceklis, vārdā Timotejs, ticīgas jūdu sievietes dēls, kura tēvs bija grieķis. 2 Brāļi, kas dzīvoja Listrās un Ikonijā, liecināja par viņu labu. 3 Pāvils, iedams prom, gribēja ņemt viņu sev līdzi. Bet, tā kā visi zināja, ka viņa tēvs bijis grieķis, Pāvils to apgraizīja jūdu dēļ, kuri dzīvoja tajā apvidū. 4 Apceļojot pilsētas, viņi mācekļiem uzdeva ievērot priekšrakstus, ko bija noteikuši apustuļi un presbiteri Jeruzālemē. 5 Draudzes stiprinājās ticībā un skaitliski pieauga dienu no dienas.
Pāvils parādībā redz kādu maķedonieti
6 Bet Frīģijas un Galatijas zemē viņi nepalika, jo Svētais Gars neļāva viņiem sludināt vārdu Āzijā. 7 Nonākuši pie Mīsijas, viņi lūkoja ieiet Bitīnijā, bet Jēzus Gars viņiem neļāva. 8 Pagājuši garām Mīsijai, viņi nonāca Troādā. 9 Naktī Pāvils redzēja parādību: kāds maķedoniešu vīrs stāv un viņu aicina: “Celies pāri uz Maķedoniju un palīdzi mums!” 10 Kad viņš bija šo parādību redzējis, mēs gribējām tūlīt doties uz Maķedoniju, būdami pārliecināti, ka Dievs aicina mūs pasludināt viņiem evaņģēliju.
Lidija pievēršas Kristum
11 Atstājuši Troādu, mēs taisnā ceļā aizkuģojām uz Samotrāki un nākamajā dienā devāmies uz Neapoli 12 un no turienes uz Filipiem, pilsētu, kas mūsu ceļā bija pirmā kolonija Maķedonijas apgabalā. Šajā pilsētā mēs pavadījām dažas dienas. 13 Sabatā mēs izgājām ārā pa pilsētas vārtiem un devāmies gar upi, kur, mēs domājām, jābūt lūgšanu vietai, un apsēdušies sākām runāt ar sievietēm, kas tur bija sanākušas. 14 Klausījās arī kāda dievbijīga sieviete, vārdā Lidija, viņa bija purpura pārdevēja no Tiatīras pilsētas. Viņai Kungs atvēra sirdi uzklausīt Pāvila vārdus. 15 Kad viņa un viņas nams bija kristīti, viņa aicināja: “Ja jūs uzskatāt, ka esmu Kungam uzticīga, tad nāciet manā namā un palieciet.” Un viņai izdevās mūs pierunāt.
Pāvils un Sīla cietumā Filipos
16 Reiz, kad gājām uz lūgšanu vietu, mums gadījās sastapt kādu verdzeni, kurā bija pareģotājas gars, un ar pareģošanu viņa nesa saviem saimniekiem lielu peļņu. 17 Viņa sekoja Pāvilam un mums, klaigādama: “Šie cilvēki ir visaugstā Dieva kalpi! Viņi sludina jums pestīšanas ceļu.” 18 Tā viņa darīja daudzas dienas. Nevarēdams to vairs paciest, Pāvils vērsās pie gara, sacīdams: “Jēzus Kristus vārdā es tev pavēlu: izej no viņas!” Un tajā pašā brīdī tas izgāja no viņas. 19 Bet viņas saimnieki, redzēdami, ka pagaisusi viņu cerība uz peļņu, sagrāba Pāvilu un Sīlu un aizvilka tos uz tirgus laukumu, lai nodotu varasvīriem. 20 Atveduši tos pilsētas pārvaldnieku priekšā, tie sacīja: “Šie cilvēki, būdami jūdi, rada nemieru mūsu pilsētā 21 un sludina paradumus, ko mums, romiešiem, nav iespējams nedz pieņemt, nedz darīt.” 22 Viņiem apkārt sastājās ļaužu pūlis. Pārvaldnieki, norāvuši tiem drēbes, lika tos nopērt. 23 Daudziem sitieniem šaustījuši, viņi tos iemeta cietumā un piekodināja cietumsargam stingri uzraudzīt. 24 Tādu pavēli saņēmis, cietumsargs iemeta tos cietuma dziļākajā kambarī un viņu kājas saslēdza koka siekstā. 25 Nakts vidū Pāvils un Sīla slavēja Dievu dziesmās, un pārējie cietumnieki viņos klausījās. 26 Pēkšņi notika liela zemestrīce un satricināja cietuma pamatus. Tūlīt atvērās visas durvis un visiem nokrita važas. 27 Uztrūcies no miega, cietumsargs ieraudzīja cietuma durvis atvērtas un, nospriedis, ka cietumnieki aizbēguši, izrāva zobenu un grasījās sevi nonāvēt. 28 Bet Pāvils skaļā balsī iesaucās: “Nedari sev nekā slikta, jo mēs visi esam tepat.” 29 Palūdzis gaismu, tas metās pie viņiem iekšā un drebēdams nokrita Pāvilam un Sīlam pie kājām. 30 Izvedis viņus ārā, tas lūdza: “Kungi, kas man jādara, lai es tiktu glābts?” 31 Viņi sacīja: “Tici Kungam Jēzum un tiksi glābts – gan tu, gan tavs nams.” 32 Un tie viņam un visiem, kas bija viņa namā, sludināja Kunga vārdu. 33 Tajā pašā naktī cietumsargs tos uzņēma pie sevis, apmazgāja viņu brūces, un tūlīt viņš tika kristīts un visi, kas bija ar viņu. 34 Ievedis tos savā namā, viņš klāja tiem galdu un priecājās kopā ar visu savu namu ticībā uz Dievu. 35 Nākamajā dienā pilsētas pārvaldnieki sūtīja pie sarga liktorus un lika teikt: “Laid ārā šos cilvēkus!” 36 Cietumsargs to paziņoja Pāvilam: “Pārvaldnieki teica, lai jūs atlaiž. Tad nu ejiet un dodieties prom ar mieru.” 37 Bet Pāvils atbildēja: “Viņi mūs, Romas pilsoņus, bez tiesas sprieduma tautas priekšā nopēruši, iemeta cietumā un tagad grib slepus mūs izmest? Tā vis nebūs – lai viņi nāk un paši izved mūs ārā.” 38 Liktori šos vārdus paziņoja pilsētas pārvaldniekiem, bet tie, izdzirdējuši, ka viņi ir romieši, nobijās. 39 Pilsētas pārvaldnieki atnāca un laipni aprunājās ar viņiem, un, izveduši ārā, lūdza viņus aiziet no pilsētas. 40 Iznākuši no cietuma, viņi aizgāja uz Lidijas māju un, satikuši brāļus, uzmundrināja tos un devās tālāk.
Timothy Goes with Paul and Silas
1 Paul traveled on to Derbe and Lystra, where a Christian named Timothy lived. His mother, who was also a Christian, was Jewish, but his father was a Greek. 2 All the believers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of Timothy. 3 Paul wanted to take Timothy along with him, so he circumcised him. He did so because all the Jews who lived in those places knew that Timothy's father was Greek. 4 As they went through the towns, they delivered to the believers the rules decided upon by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, and they told them to obey those rules. 5 So the churches were made stronger in the faith and grew in numbers every day.
In Troas: Paul's Vision
6 They traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia because the Holy Spirit did not let them preach the message in the province of Asia. 7 When they reached the border of Mysia, they tried to go into the province of Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So they traveled right on through Mysia and went to Troas. 9 That night Paul had a vision in which he saw a Macedonian standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 As soon as Paul had this vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia, because we decided that God had called us to preach the Good News to the people there.
In Philippi: the Conversion of Lydia
11 We left by ship from Troas and sailed straight across to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis. 12 From there we went inland to Philippi, a city of the first district of Macedonia; it is also a Roman colony. We spent several days there. 13 On the Sabbath we went out of the city to the riverside, where we thought there would be a place where Jews gathered for prayer. We sat down and talked to the women who gathered there. 14 One of those who heard us was Lydia from Thyatira, who was a dealer in purple cloth. She was a woman who worshiped God, and the Lord opened her mind to pay attention to what Paul was saying. 15 After she and the people of her house had been baptized, she invited us, “Come and stay in my house if you have decided that I am a true believer in the Lord.” And she persuaded us to go.
In Prison at Philippi
16 One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a young servant woman who had an evil spirit that enabled her to predict the future. She earned a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes. 17 She followed Paul and us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God! They announce to you how you can be saved!” 18 She did this for many days, until Paul became so upset that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I order you to come out of her!” The spirit went out of her that very moment. 19 When her owners realized that their chance of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to the authorities in the public square. 20 They brought them before the Roman officials and said, “These men are Jews, and they are causing trouble in our city. 21 They are teaching customs that are against our law; we are Roman citizens, and we cannot accept these customs or practice them.” 22 And the crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas.
Then the officials tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered them to be whipped. 23 After a severe beating, they were thrown into jail, and the jailer was ordered to lock them up tight. 24 Upon receiving this order, the jailer threw them into the inner cell and fastened their feet between heavy blocks of wood.
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 a violent earthquake, which shook the prison to its foundations. At once all the doors opened, and the chains fell off all the prisoners. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he thought that the prisoners had escaped; so he pulled out his sword and was about to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted at the top of his voice, “Don't harm yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for a light, rushed in, and fell trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas. 30 Then he led them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your family.” 32 Then they preached the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in the house. 33 At that very hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; and he and all his family were baptized at once. 34 Then he took Paul and Silas up into his house and gave them some food to eat. He and his family were filled with joy, because they now believed in God.
35 The next morning the Roman authorities sent police officers with the order, “Let those men go.”
36 So the jailer told Paul, “The officials have sent an order for you and Silas to be released. You may leave, then, and go in peace.”
37 But Paul said to the police officers, “We were not found guilty of any crime, yet they whipped us in public—and we are Roman citizens! Then they threw us in prison. And now they want to send us away secretly? Not at all! The Roman officials themselves must come here and let us out.”
38 The police officers reported these words to the Roman officials; and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were afraid. 39 So they went and apologized to them; then they led them out of the prison and asked them to leave the city. 40 Paul and Silas left the prison and went to Lydia's house. There they met the believers, spoke words of encouragement to them, and left.
