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.
Timóteo Acompanha Paulo e Silas
1Chegou a Derbe e depois a Listra, onde vivia um discípulo chamado Timóteo. Sua mãe era uma judia convertida e seu pai era grego. 2Os irmãos de Listra e Icônio davam bom testemunho dele. 3Paulo, querendo levá-lo na viagem, circuncidou-o por causa dos judeus que viviam naquela região, pois todos sabiam que seu pai era grego. 4Nas cidades por onde passavam, transmitiam as decisões tomadas pelos apóstolos e presbíteros em Jerusalém, para que fossem obedecidas. 5Assim as igrejas eram fortalecidas na fé e cresciam em número cada dia.
A Visão de Paulo em Trôade
6Paulo e seus companheiros viajaram pela região da Frígia e da Galácia, tendo sido impedidos pelo Espírito Santo de pregar a palavra na província da Ásia. 7Quando chegaram à fronteira da Mísia, tentaram entrar na Bitínia, mas o Espírito de Jesus os impediu. 8Então, contornaram a Mísia e desceram a Trôade. 9Durante a noite Paulo teve uma visão, na qual um homem da Macedônia estava em pé e lhe suplicava: “Passe à Macedônia e ajude-nos”. 10Depois que Paulo teve essa visão, preparamo-nos imediatamente para partir para a Macedônia, concluindo que Deus nos tinha chamado para lhes pregar o evangelho.
A Conversão de Lídia em Filipos
11Partindo de Trôade, navegamos diretamente para Samotrácia e, no dia seguinte, para Neápolis. 12Dali partimos para Filipos, na Macedônia, que é colônia romana e a principal cidade daquele distrito. Ali ficamos vários dias.
13No sábado saímos da cidade e fomos para a beira do rio, onde esperávamos encontrar um lugar de oração. Sentamo-nos e começamos a conversar com as mulheres que haviam se reunido ali. 14Uma das que ouviam era uma mulher temente a Deus chamada Lídia, vendedora de tecido de púrpura, da cidade de Tiatira. O Senhor abriu seu coração para atender à mensagem de Paulo. 15Tendo sido batizada, bem como os de sua casa, ela nos convidou, dizendo: “Se os senhores me consideram uma crente no Senhor, venham ficar em minha casa”. E nos convenceu.
Paulo e Silas na Prisão
16Certo dia, indo nós para o lugar de oração, encontramos uma escrava que tinha um espírito pelo qual predizia o futuro. Ela ganhava muito dinheiro para os seus senhores com adivinhações. 17Essa moça seguia Paulo e a nós, gritando: “Estes homens são servos do Deus Altíssimo e anunciam o caminho da salvação”. 18Ela continuou fazendo isso por muitos dias. Finalmente, Paulo ficou indignado, voltou-se e disse ao espírito: “Em nome de Jesus Cristo eu ordeno que saia dela!” No mesmo instante o espírito a deixou.
19Percebendo que a sua esperança de lucro tinha se acabado, os donos da escrava agarraram Paulo e Silas e os arrastaram para a praça principal, diante das autoridades. 20E, levando-os aos magistrados, disseram: “Estes homens são judeus e estão perturbando a nossa cidade, 21propagando costumes que a nós, romanos, não é permitido aceitar nem praticar”.
22A multidão ajuntou-se contra Paulo e Silas, e os magistrados ordenaram que se lhes tirassem as roupas e fossem açoitados. 23Depois de serem severamente açoitados, foram lançados na prisão. O carcereiro recebeu instrução para vigiá-los com cuidado. 24Tendo recebido tais ordens, ele os lançou no cárcere interior e lhes prendeu os pés no tronco.
25Por volta da meia-noite, Paulo e Silas estavam orando e cantando hinos a Deus; os outros presos os ouviam. 26De repente, houve um terremoto tão violento que os alicerces da prisão foram abalados. Imediatamente todas as portas se abriram, e as correntes de todos se soltaram. 27O carcereiro acordou e, vendo abertas as portas da prisão, desembainhou sua espada para se matar, porque pensava que os presos tivessem fugido. 28Mas Paulo gritou: “Não faça isso! Estamos todos aqui!”
29O carcereiro pediu luz, entrou correndo e, trêmulo, prostrou-se diante de Paulo e Silas. 30Então levou-os para fora e perguntou: “Senhores, que devo fazer para ser salvo?”
31Eles responderam: “Creia no Senhor Jesus, e serão salvos, você e os de sua casa”. 32E pregaram a palavra de Deus, a ele e a todos os de sua casa. 33Naquela mesma hora da noite o carcereiro lavou as feridas deles; em seguida, ele e todos os seus foram batizados. 34Então os levou para a sua casa, serviu-lhes uma refeição e com todos os de sua casa alegrou-se muito por haver crido em Deus.
35Quando amanheceu, os magistrados mandaram os seus soldados ao carcereiro com esta ordem: “Solte estes homens”. 36O carcereiro disse a Paulo: “Os magistrados deram ordens para que você e Silas sejam libertados. Agora podem sair. Vão em paz”.
37Mas Paulo disse aos soldados: “Sendo nós cidadãos romanos, eles nos açoitaram publicamente sem processo formal e nos lançaram na prisão. E agora querem livrar-se de nós secretamente? Não! Venham eles mesmos e nos libertem”.
38Os soldados relataram isso aos magistrados, os quais, ouvindo que Paulo e Silas eram romanos, ficaram atemorizados. 39Vieram para se desculpar diante deles e, conduzindo-os para fora da prisão, pediram-lhes que saíssem da cidade. 40Depois de saírem da prisão, Paulo e Silas foram à casa de Lídia, onde se encontraram com os irmãos e os encorajaram. E então partiram.
