MA’ASĔH 16

1 And he came to Derbĕ and Lustra. And see, a certain talmid was there, named Timotheos, the son of a certain Yahuḏi woman who believed – but his father was Yawanite –

2 who was well spoken of by the brothers who were at Lustra and Ikonion.

3 Sha’ul wanted to have this one go with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Yahuḏim who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was Yawanite.

4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the regulations to keep, which were decided by the emissaries and elders at Yerushalayim.

5 Then, indeed, the assemblies were strengthened in the belief, and increased in number every day.

6 And having passed through Phrugia and the Galatian country, they were forbidden by the Ruaḥ ha’Qodesh to speak the Word in Asia.

7 When they came to Musia, they tried to go into Bithunia, but the Ruaḥ did not allow them.

8 And having passed by Musia, they came down to Troas.

9 And in the night a vision appeared to Sha’ul: A man of Makedonia was standing, begging him and saying, “Come over to Makedonia and help us.”

10 And when he saw the vision, immediately we sought to go to Makedonia, concluding that the Aḏon had called us to bring the Good News to them.

11 Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrakĕ, and the next day came to Neapolis,

12 and from there to Philippos, which is the principal city of that part of Makedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days.

13 And on the Shabbath we went outside the city by a river, where there used to be prayer. And having sat down we were speaking to the women who met there.

14 And a certain woman named Ludia, a seller of purple from the city of Thuatira, worshipping Elohim, was hearing, whose heart the Aḏon opened to pay attention to what Sha’ul said.

15 And when she was immersed, and her household, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be believing in the Aḏon, come to my house and stay.” And she urged us.

16 And it came to be, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of Puthon, met us, who brought her masters much profit by foretelling.

17 Having followed Sha’ul and us, she cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High Elohim, who proclaim to us the Way of deliverance.”

18 And she was doing this for many days. But Sha’ul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the Name of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 ha’Mashiaḥ to come out of her.” And it came out that same hour.

19 But when her masters saw that their anticipation of money-making was gone, they seized Sha’ul and Sila and dragged them into the market-place to the rulers.

20 And having brought them to the captains, they said, “These men, being Yahuḏim, greatly disturb our city,

21 and they proclaim practices which are not right for us to receive nor to do, being Romans.”

22 And the crowd rose up together against them. And the captains tore off their garments and commanded them to be beaten with rods.

23 And having laid many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them safely,

24 who, having received such a command, put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 And at midnight Sha’ul and Sila were praying and singing songs to Elohim, and the prisoners were listening to them.

26 And suddenly a great earthquake took place, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened and all the chains came loose.

27 And the jailer, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, thinking the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.

28 But Sha’ul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here.”

29 And asking for a light, he ran in, and fell down trembling before Sha’ul and Sila.

30 And having led them outside he said, “Masters, what do I have to do to be saved?”

31 And they said, “Believe on the Aḏon 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 ha’Mashiaḥ, and you shall be saved, you and your household.”

32 And they spoke the Word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 to him and to all who were in his house.

33 And taking them in that hour of the night, he washed their wounds, and immediately he was immersed, he and all that were his.

34 And having brought them into his house, he put food before them. And he rejoiced with all his household, having believed in Elohim.

35 And when day came, the authorities sent the officers, saying, “Let these men go.”

36 And the jailer reported these words to Sha’ul, saying, “The captains have sent to let you go. Now then, come out and go in peace.”

37 But Sha’ul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, being Romans. They have thrown us into prison, and now, do they throw us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and bring us out.”

38 And the officers reported these words to the authorities, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans.

39 And having come, they pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to leave the city.

40 So coming out of the prison they went to Ludia, and seeing the brothers, they encouraged them, and went forth.