22

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, and the whole church, to choose men from among themselves, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, leading 23 men among the brethren: having written a letter by them in this manner: "The apostles and the elders, and the brethren, send greeting to the brethren that are of the 24 gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia. Whereas we have heard, that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your minds*, [saying that ye must be circumcised and keep the law;] to 25 whom we gave no such commandment: it hath seemed good to us, being assembled with one mind, to choose men and send them to you, together with our beloved Bar26 nabas and Paul, who have† hazarded their lives for the 27 name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore

Judas and Silas; who will tell you the same things in 28 words also. For it hath seemed good to the holy spirit and to us, to lay upon you no greater burthen than 29 [these] necessary things; that ye abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye will do well. Fare ye well."

30 So when they were dismissed, they went to Antioch : and, when they had gathered the multitude together, 31 they delivered the epistle which when the brethren had 32 read, they rejoiced at this comfort. And Judas and Silas,

:

being themselves also prophets, comforted the brethren 33 with many words, and strengthened them. And after they had remained there for some time, they were dismissed with wishes of peace by the brethren to those who sent 34 them. [Notwithstanding, it pleased Silas to continue

* subverting your minds, N. See N. m. and Schleusner's Lex.

† Or, men who have, etc.

+ Some conjecture that ogxelas, swine's flesh, is the true reading here and in

ver. 20. See Griesbach.

to the apostles, R. T.

35 there still*.] But Paul and Barnabas abode in Antioch, teaching and preaching the glad tidings of the word of the Lord, with many others.

36

And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go again, and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they 37 are." Then Barnabas advised to take with them John, 38 whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought it not proper to take with them him, who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 39 Wherefore sharp anger arose, so that they separated from each other; and that Barnabas took Mark, and sailed to Cyprus.

40

XVI.

But Paul chose Silas, and departed; having been re41 commended by the brethren to the favour of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the CH. churches. Then he came to Derbè and Lystra. And, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, (the son of a believing Jewess, but his father was a gen2 tile :) who was well reported of by the brethren at Lystra 3 and Iconium. Paul was desirous that this man should go forth with him; and he took and circumcised him, because of the Jews that were in those parts: for they all 4 knew that his father was a gentile. And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them for their observance the ordinances which had been made by the apo5 stles and elders at Jerusalem. The churches therefore were becoming confirmed in the faith, and increasing in number every dayt.

6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia, and the country of Galatia, and were forbidden by the holy spirit 7 to preach the word in Asia; after they came to Mysia,

Ver. 34 is wanting in the Alex. and some other manuscripts. The Camb. adds, "but Judas returned alone." The words are probably a marginal gloss, to account for the choice of Silas by Paul, ver. 40. See Newcome's note.

+ See Wakefield, were established in the faith and abounded in number daily. N.

they attempted to go into Bithynia: but the spirit of 8 Jesus suffered them not. So when they had passed by 9 Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia stood and besought him, saying, "Come over into Macedonia, 10 and help us." And after he had seen the vision, we immediately endeavoured to go into Macedonia; concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel unto them.

We loosed therefore from Troas, and came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Nea12 polis; and thence to Philippi, which is a chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony. And we abode 13 in that city some days. And on the sabbath-day we went out of the city by a river, where prayer was wont to be made and we sat down and spake to the women who 14 resorted thither. And a certain woman heard us, named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, a gentile who worshipped God: whose heart the Lord opened, so that she attended to the things which were spoken by 15 Paul. And when she had been baptized, and her house

hold, she besought us, saying, "If ye judge me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and remain there." And she constrained us.

16 And it came to pass as we went to prayer, that a certain damsel, having a spirit of divination, met us; who 17 brought her masters much gain by divining. She followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying. "These men are the servants of the most high God, who declare to us the 18 way of salvation." And she did this for many days. But Paul was grieved, and turned, and said to the spirit, " I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of 19 her." And it came out at that very time. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they

• The words, " of Jesus," are introduced into the text upon the most approved au thorities. See Griesbach.

seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the market20 place to the rulers. And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, "These men, who are Jews, 21 greatly trouble our city; and teach customs which it is not lawful for us to receive, or observe, being Romans." 22 And the multitude rose up together against them and

the magistrates tore off their clothes, and commanded to 23 beat them with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they cast them into prison, and charged 24 the gaoler to keep them safely : who, having received such a charge, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

25

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang 26 praises to God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and the bands of all were loosed*. 27 And when the gaoler awoke out of his sleep, and saw the prison-doors opened, he drew out his sword, and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had 28 escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, "Do 29 thyself no harm; for we are all here." Then the gaoler

called for a light, and sprang in, and trembled, and fell 30 down before Paul and Silas; and brought them out, and 31 said, "Sirs, what must I do to be safe †?" And they said,

"Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be 32 safe, and thine household." And they spake unto him

the word of the Lord, and unto all that were in his house. 33 And he took them in that hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was immediately baptized, he and all 34 his household. And when he had brought them into his

* Or, all the bands were loosed. See Griesbach.

+ Saved, N. Mr. Wakefield explains it, to avoid punishment for what has befallen the prisoners and the prison. This, he adds, "is beyond all doubt the sense of the passage; though Paul, in his reply, uses the words in a more extensive signification: a pràctice common in these writings."

house, he set food before them, and greatly rejoiced with all his household, on believing in God.

35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, 36 saying, "Let those men go." Then the gaoler told these words to Paul," The magistrates have sent to let you 37 go; now therefore depart, and go in peace." But Paul said unto them, "They have beaten as publicly, uncondemned, being Roman-citizens, and have cast us into prison; and now do they send us away privately? No, truly but let them come themselves and bring us out." 38 And the officers told these words to the magistrates; who feared when they heard that the men were Roman-citizens. 39 So they came and besought them, and brought them out, 40 and desired them to depart from the city. And they went

out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and, when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

CH. XVII. Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a 2 synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his custom was, went in unto them, and on three sabbaths discoursed to 3 them out of the scriptures; explaining them, and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered, and have risen again from the dead; and that "this Jesus whom I preach 4 unto you, is the Christ." And some of them believed, and joined themselves to Paul and Silas; and of the gentiles who worshipped God, a great multitude, and of the 5 chief women not a few. But the Jews took* unto them some wicked men of the meaner sort, and gathered a multitude, and raised a tumult in the city, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought after Paul and Silas, that 6 they might bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they dragged Jason, and some of the brethren, to the rulers of the city, crying out, "These

* who believed not, moved with envy, took, 19. R. T.