提摩太加入福音事工
1保羅來到特庇，然後又到路司得。那裡有個門徒名叫提摩太，母親是信主的猶太人，父親是希臘人。 2路司得和以哥念的弟兄姊妹都稱讚提摩太。 3保羅打算帶提摩太去傳福音。因為當地的猶太人都知道提摩太的父親是希臘人，保羅就給提摩太行了割禮。 4他們走遍各城，把耶路撒冷的使徒和長老所定下的規條教導當地的門徒遵守。 5這樣，眾教會在信仰上得到堅固，人數天天都在增加。
馬其頓人的呼求
6由於聖靈阻止他們到亞細亞傳福音，他們便經過弗呂迦和加拉太地區， 7來到每西亞的邊界，正要進入庇推尼地區，耶穌的靈又加以攔阻。 8他們就越過每西亞，下到特羅亞。 9當天晚上，保羅在異象中看見一個馬其頓人站在那裡懇求他：「請到馬其頓來幫助我們！」
10保羅見了這個異象，確信是上帝呼召我們16·10 本書作者路加此時加入保羅的行列，故改用第一人稱複數「我們」。到馬其頓去傳福音，就立刻準備動身。 11我們從特羅亞啟航，直接駛往撒摩特喇，第二天抵達尼亞坡里， 12再從那裡來到腓立比。腓立比是馬其頓的主要城市，是羅馬帝國的殖民地。我們在那裡住了幾天。 13安息日那天，我們到城外的河邊，知道那裡有一個禱告的地方，就坐下來，向已經聚集的婦女講道。 14聽眾中有個賣紫色布匹的婦人名叫呂底亞，是推雅推喇城的人，向來敬拜上帝。上帝開啟她的心，她便留心聽保羅講道。 15呂底亞和家人接受洗禮之後，極力邀請我們，說：「如果你們認為我是真心信主的話，請來我家住。」於是強留我們住下。
保羅和西拉入獄
16一天，我們又去河邊那個禱告的地方，途中遇到一個被巫鬼附身的女奴。她用占卜為她的主人們賺了不少錢。 17她跟著保羅和我們大喊大叫：「這些人是至高上帝的奴僕，是來向你們宣講得救之道的。」 18一連幾天，她都這樣喊叫。保羅不勝其煩，就轉過身來斥責那鬼：「我奉耶穌基督的名命令你從她身上出來！」那鬼立刻從她身上出去了。
19她的主人們眼見財路斷絕了，就把保羅和西拉揪住，拖到廣場去見官長。 20他們在官長面前控告保羅和西拉，說：「這些是猶太人，竟擾亂我們的城市， 21宣揚我們羅馬人不可接受或實行的風俗。」 22於是，大家都一起攻擊他們，官長下令剝掉他們的衣服，杖打他們。 23他們被毒打一頓，又被關進監獄，官長命獄卒嚴密看守。 24獄卒接到命令後把他們關進內牢，雙腳上了枷鎖。
25半夜，保羅和西拉禱告、唱詩讚美上帝，其他的囚犯都側耳傾聽。 26突然間發生大地震，整座監獄的地基都搖動起來，牢門立刻全開了，囚犯的鎖鏈也都鬆開了。 27獄卒驚醒後，看見牢門盡開，以為囚犯已經逃走了，就想拔刀自殺。 28保羅見狀，大聲喝止：「不要傷害自己，我們都在這裡！」
29獄卒叫人拿燈過來，衝進內牢，戰戰兢兢地俯伏在保羅和西拉面前。 30獄卒領他們出來後問道：「兩位先生，我該怎樣做才能得救？」
31他們說：「要信主耶穌，你和你一家就必定得救。」 32於是保羅和西拉向獄卒和他全家傳講主的道。 33當晚，獄卒把二人帶去，為他們清洗傷口。他一家老小都接受了洗禮。 34他請二人到家裡吃飯，他和全家人充滿了喜樂，因為都信了上帝。
35第二天早上，官長派差役來，說：「把他們放了。」 36獄卒轉告保羅說：「官長下令釋放你們，現在你們可以平安地走了。」 37保羅卻說：「我們是羅馬公民，他們不經審訊就當眾打我們，又把我們關進牢裡，現在卻想偷偷打發掉我們嗎？這樣不行，叫他們親自來領我們出去！」
38差役回報官長。官長得知保羅和西拉都是羅馬公民，非常害怕， 39連忙到獄中向他們道歉，領他們出監，又央求他們離開腓立比。 40二人離開監獄，來到呂底亞家中，見了弟兄姊妹，勸勉一番之後，便離開了那裡。
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
1Paul came to Derbe. Then he went on to Lystra. A believer named Timothy lived there. His mother was Jewish and a believer. His father was a Greek. 2The believers at Lystra and Iconium said good things about Timothy. 3Paul wanted to take him along on the journey. So he circumcised Timothy because of the Jews who lived in that area. They all knew that Timothy’s father was a Greek. 4Paul and his companions traveled from town to town. They reported what the apostles and elders in Jerusalem had decided. The people were supposed to obey what was in the report. 5So the churches were made strong in the faith. The number of believers grew every day.
Paul’s Vision of the Man From Macedonia
6Paul and his companions traveled all through the area of Phrygia and Galatia. The Holy Spirit had kept them from preaching the word in Asia Minor. 7They came to the border of Mysia. From there they tried to enter Bithynia. But the Spirit of Jesus would not let them. 8So they passed by Mysia. Then they went down to Troas. 9During the night Paul had a vision. He saw a man from Macedonia standing and begging him. “Come over to Macedonia!” the man said. “Help us!” 10After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia. We decided that God had called us to preach the good news there.
Lydia Becomes a Believer in Philippi
11At Troas we got into a boat. We sailed straight for Samothrace. The next day we went on to Neapolis. 12From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony. It is an important city in that part of Macedonia. We stayed there several days.
13On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate. We walked down to the river. There we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered together. 14One of the women listening was from the city of Thyatira. Her name was Lydia, and her business was selling purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to accept Paul’s message. 15She and her family were baptized. Then she invited us to her home. “Do you consider me a believer in the Lord?” she asked. “If you do, come and stay at my house.” She succeeded in getting us to go home with her.
Paul and Silas Are Thrown Into Prison
16One day we were going to the place of prayer. On the way we were met by a female slave. She had a spirit that helped her tell people what was going to happen. She earned a lot of money for her owners by doing this. 17She followed Paul and the rest of us around. She shouted, “These men serve the Most High God. They are telling you how to be saved.” 18She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became upset. Turning around, he spoke to the spirit that was in her. “In the name of Jesus Christ,” he said, “I command you to come out of her!” At that very moment the spirit left the woman.
19Her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone. So they grabbed Paul and Silas. They dragged them into the market place to face the authorities. 20They brought them to the judges. “These men are Jews,” her owners said. “They are making trouble in our city. 21They are suggesting practices that are against Roman law. These are practices we can’t accept or take part in.”
22The crowd joined the attack against Paul and Silas. The judges ordered that Paul and Silas be stripped and beaten with rods. 23They were whipped without mercy. Then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24When he received these orders, he put Paul and Silas deep inside the prison. He fastened their feet so they couldn’t get away.
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying. They were also singing hymns to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was a powerful earthquake. It shook the prison from top to bottom. All at once the prison doors flew open. Everyone’s chains came loose. 27The jailer woke up. He saw that the prison doors were open. He pulled out his sword and was going to kill himself. He thought the prisoners had escaped. 28“Don’t harm yourself!” Paul shouted. “We are all here!”
29The jailer called out for some lights. He rushed in, shaking with fear. He fell down in front of Paul and Silas. 30Then he brought them out. He asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus. Then you and everyone living in your house will be saved.” 32They spoke the word of the Lord to him. They also spoke to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the night, the jailer took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Right away he and everyone who lived with him were baptized. 34The jailer brought them into his house. He set a meal in front of them. He and everyone who lived with him were filled with joy. They had become believers in God.
35Early in the morning the judges sent their officers to the jailer. They ordered him, “Let those men go.” 36The jailer told Paul, “The judges have ordered me to set you and Silas free. You can leave now. Go in peace.”
37But Paul replied to the officers. “They beat us in public,” he said. “We weren’t given a trial. And we are Roman citizens! They threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and personally lead us out.”
38The officers reported this to the judges. When the judges heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they became afraid. 39So they came and said they were sorry. They led them out of the prison. Then they asked them to leave the city. 40After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house. There they met with the brothers and sisters. They told them to be brave. Then they left.
