Lectionary Calendar
Friday, May 3rd, 2024
the Fifth Week after Easter
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Myles Coverdale Bible

Acts 16

1 He came vnto Derba and to Lystra, and beholde, a certayne disciple was there named Timotheus, the sonne of a Iewish woman, which beleued, but his father was a Greke:2 ye same had a good reporte amonge the brethre of Lystra and at Iconium.3 Paul wolde that the same shulde go forth with him, and toke and circumcysed him because of the Iewes that were in those quarters. For they knewe all, that his father was a Greke.4 But as they wente thorow the cities, they delyuered them the sentence to kepe, which was concluded of the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem.5 The were the congregacions stablyshed in the faith, and increased in nombre daylie.

6 But as they wente thorow Phrygia and the londe of Galacia, they were forbydden of the holy goost, to preache the worde in Asia.7 Howbeit as they came in to Mysia, they proued to take their iourney in to Bithinia, and the sprete suffred them not.8 Neuertheles whan they had passed thorow Mysia, they came downe to Troada,9 and there appeared a vision vnto Paul by night, that there was a man of Macedonia which stode and prayed him, and sayde: Come downe to Macedonia, and helpe vs.10 Whan he had sene ye vision, we soughte immediatly to go, vnto Macedonia, beynge certified, that ye LORDE had called vs thither, to preach the Gospell vnto them.11 The departed we from Troada, and came the straight course vnto Samothracia, on the nexte daye to Neapolis,12 and from thence to Philippis, which is the chefe cite of the londe of Macedonia, and a fre cite. In this cite abode we certayne dayes.13 On the daye of the Sabbathes wete we out of the cite besyde the water, where men were wonte to praye, and we sat downe, and spake vnto the wemen that resorted thither.14 And a deuoute woman (named Lydia) a seller of purple, out of the cite of Thiatira, herkened to, whose hert the LORDE opened that she gaue hede vnto the thinges that Paul spake.15 Whan she was baptysed and hir housholde, she besoughte vs, and sayde: Yf ye thynke that I beleue on the LORDE, then come in to my house, and a byde there. And she constrayned vs.

16 It fortuned whan we wente to prayer, yt there met vs a damsel, which had a sprete of soythsayenge, and broughte hir master and mastresse greate vauntage with soyth sayenge:17 ye same folowed Paul and vs, and cryed, and sayde: These men are the seruauntes of the most hye God, which shewe vs ye waye of saluacion.18 This dyd she many dayes. But Paul was not content with it, and turned him aboute, and sayde vnto the sprete: I comaunde the in the name of Iesu Christ, that thou departe out of her. And he departed out at the same houre.19 But wha hir master and mastresse sawe that the hope of their vauntage was gone, they toke Paul and Sylas, drue them in to the market place before ye rulers,20 & broughte the vnto the officers, and sayde: These men trouble oure cyte, & are Iewes,21 and preach an ordynaunce, which is not laufull for vs to receaue, ner to obserue, seynge we are Romaynes.22 And the people rane on them, and the officers rente their clothes, and comaunded them to be beaten with roddes.23 And whan they had beaten them sore, they cast the in preson, and commaunded the iayler, to kepe them diligetly.24 Which whan he had receaued soch commaundement, he cast the in to the ynner preson, and put their fete in the stockes.

25 But at mydnight prayed Paul and Sylas, and praysed God. And the presoners herde them.26 Sodenly was there a greate earth quake, so that the foundacions of the preson were shaken. And immediatly were all the dores open, & all their bondes lowsed27 Wha the keper of the preson waked out of slepe, and sawe the preson dores open, he drue out his swerde, and wolde haue kylled him selfe: for he thoughte ye presoners had bene fled.28 But Paul cryed loude, and sayde: Do thy self no harme, for we are all here.29 He called for a lighte, and sprange in, and trembled, and fell at the fete of Paul and Sylas,30 and broughte them out, and sayde: Syrs, what must I do, to be saued?31 They sayde: Beleue on the LORDE Iesus, and so shalt thou and thy housholde be saued.32 And they preached the worde of the LORDE vnto him, and to all that were in his house.33 And he toke them to him in the same houre of the night, and wasshed their strypes. And immediatly was he baptysed, and all his.34 And he broughte them in to his house, and set them a table, and reioysed with all his housholde, that he was become a beleuer on God.

35 And whan it was daye, the officers of the cite sent mynisters, and sayde: Let those men go.36 And the keper of the preson tolde this sayenge vnto Paul: The officers haue sent hither, that ye shulde be lowse. Now therfore get you hece, and go in peace.37 But Paul sayde vnto them: They haue beaten vs openly vncondempned (where as we are yet Romaynes) and haue cast vs in preson, and shulde they now thrust vs out preuely? Not so, but let them come them selues, and brynge vs out.38 The mynisters tolde these wordes vnto the officers. And they feared, whan they herde that they were Romaynes,39 and came and besoughte them, and prayed the to departe out of the cite.40 Then wente they out of the preson, and entred in to the house of Lydia. And whan they had sene the brethren and comforted them, they departed.

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