1Pavol a Sílas navštívili najprv mesto Derbe a odtiaľ sa dostali do Lystry. Tam stretli mladého veriaceho Timoteja. Jeho matka bola Židovka, ktorá uverila v Krista, ale otec bol Grék.2Bratia v Lystre aj v Ikoniu sa o ňom veľmi pochvalne vyjadrovali.3Jeho si Pavol vybral za svojho sprievodcu. Z ohľadu na tamojších Židov, ktorí vedeli, že jeho otec je Grék, mu Pavol odporúčal, aby sa radšej dal obrezať.4Vo všetkých mestách, ktorými prechádzali, zoznamovali kresťanov s ustanoveniami, ktoré prijali apoštoli a starší jeruzalemského zboru.5A tak sa zbory upevňovali vo viere a zo dňa na deň v nich pribúdali noví kresťania.
Cesta do Európy cez Troadu
6Po svojom pobyte v Lystre prešli cez provinciu Frýgiu naspäť do Galácie.7Svätý Duch im totiž povedal, aby tentoraz nešli do provincie Ázia.8A keď došli do Mýzie a chceli cestovať ďalej na sever do provincie Bitýnia, cítili, že ich tam Duch Ježišov neposiela.9Prešli teda Mýziou a došli k moru do Troady.10Tam mal Pavol v noci sen. Stál pred ním akýsi Macedónec a prosil ho: „Príď do Macedónska a pomôž nám!“11Po tomto Pavlovom videní sme sa bez váhania začali pripravovať na cestu do Macedónska, lebo sme usúdili, že Boh nás posiela, aby sme tam hlásali radostnú zvesť.
Filipy – prvý kresťanský zbor v Európe
12Z Troady sme sa teda plavili rovno na ostrov Samotráke, na druhý deň do Neapola a po súši sme pokračovali do Filíp, najvýznamnejšieho mesta východného Macedónska, obývaného najmä rímskymi kolonistami. Tam sme strávili niekoľko dní.13Pretože v meste nebola synagóga, vybrali sme sa v sobotu za bránu na breh rieky, lebo sme vedeli, že sa tam schádzajú miestni Židia a bohabojní pohania modliť. Skutočne sme tam našli skupinku žien. Prisadli sme si k nim a hovorili sme im o Kristovi.14Medzi poslucháčkami bola aj Lýdia, obchodníčka s purpurovými látkami z mesta Tyatira, ktorá verila v jediného Boha. Pán jej otvoril srdce a dychtivo počúvala všetko, čo Pavol hovoril.15Dala sa pokrstiť aj s celou svojou rodinou a pozvala nás do svojho domu s prosbou: „Ak ste presvedčení, že som uverila v Pána, buďte hosťami v mojom dome.“ A dovtedy naliehala, kým sme neprijali jej pozvanie.
Pavol a Sílas vo väzení
16Keď sme raz šli na miesto modlitieb, stretla nás mladá otrokyňa, ktorá mala veštecký dar a predpovedaním budúcnosti prinášala svojim pánom značný zisk.17Chodila za Pavlom a za nami a stále volala: „Toto sú služobníci najvyššieho Boha a prišli sem, aby vám povedali, ako môžete byť zachránení.“18To sa opakovalo deň čo deň, až to Pavol nezniesol a prikázal démonovi v nej: „V mene Ježiša Krista ti prikazujem, aby si z nej vyšiel!“ A v tej chvíli ju ten zlý duch opustil.19Keď si jej páni uvedomili, že tým prišli o svoj zisk, chytili Pavla a Sílasa a dovliekli ich na námestie pred sudcov:20„Títo Židia poburujú naše mesto,“ kričali.21„Zavádzajú tu zvyky, ktoré sú proti našim rímskym zákonom.“22Aj poštvaný dav sa obrátil proti nim. Sudcovia dali teda z nich postŕhať šaty a vyšľahať ich po nahom tele prútmi.23Keď ich poriadne zbičovali, vrhli ich do väzenia a žalárnikovi prikázali, aby ich prísne strážil.24Dal ich do najhlbšej cely a nohy im pre istotu zovrel do klady.25Okolo polnoci, keď sa Pavol a Sílas modlili a spevom oslavovali Boha, až sa to rozliehalo po celej väznici,26nastalo zrazu veľké zemetrasenie. Celá budova sa otriasala až do základov. Všetky dvere sa pootvárali a väzňom spadli okovy.27Keď sa žalárnik prebudil a videl, čo sa stalo, vytasil meč a chcel sa zabiť, lebo si myslel, že väzni utiekli.28Ale Pavol nahlas skríkol: „Nerob to! Všetci sme tu!“29Tu žalárnik rozkázal, aby mu priniesli svetlo, vbehol dnu a trasúc sa od strachu, padol pred Pavlom a Sílasom na kolená.30Potom ich vyviedol von a spýtal sa: „Páni, čo mám robiť, aby som bol spasený?“31Odpovedali mu: „Uver v Pána Ježiša a budeš spasený ty i všetci v tvojom dome.“32A začali jemu i všetkým v jeho domácnosti zvestovať Božie slovo.33Hneď v tú nočnú hodinu sa ich žalárnik ujal, vymyl a ošetril im rany a dal sa pokrstiť aj s celou svojou rodinou.34Potom ich zaviedol do svojho domu, pohostil ich a tešil sa on i celá jeho rodina, že mohli uveriť v Boha.35Na druhé ráno poslali sudcovia zriadencov s odkazom: „Prepusť tých ľudí!“36Žalárnik oznámil Pavlovi, že sú slobodní a môžu odísť.37Ale Pavol odpovedal: „To teda nie! Nás rímskych občanov verejne a bez súdu zbili a zavreli do väzenia. A teraz by sa nás chceli tajne zbaviť? Nech pekne prídu osobne a prepustia nás!“38Zriadenci to oznámili sudcom. Keď počuli, že Pavol a Sílas sú rímski občania, náramne sa preľakli,39prišli sa ospravedlniť, vyviedli ich z väzenia a pekne ich požiadali, aby opustili mesto.40Pavol a Sílas po prepustení z väzenia navštívili Lýdiu, kde sa stretli s veriacimi. Potešili sa navzájom a odišli z Filíp.
1Paul[1] came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. (Sk 17,14; Sk 18,5; Sk 19,22; Sk 20,4; Rim 16,21; 1 Kor 4,17; Flp 2,19; Kol 1,1; 1 Sol 3,2; 2 Sol 1,1; 1 Tim 1,2; 1 Tim 1,18; 2 Tim 1,2; 2 Tim 1,5; 2 Tim 3,15)2He was well spoken of by the brothers[2] at Lystra and Iconium. (Jn 21,23)3Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. (Gal 2,3)4As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. (Sk 15,2; Sk 15,28; Sk 17,7)5So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. (Sk 2,47; Sk 6,7; Sk 9,31)
The Macedonian Call
6And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. (Sk 18,23; Gal 4,13)7And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. (Sk 8,29; Sk 16,6; Rim 8,9; Gal 4,6; Flp 1,19; 1 Pt 1,11)8So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. (Sk 20,5; 2 Kor 2,12; 2 Tim 4,13)9And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”10And when Paul[3] had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Sk 16,11; Sk 20,5; Sk 20,13; Sk 21,1; Sk 27,1)
The Conversion of Lydia
11So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, (Sk 21,1)12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the[4] district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. (Sk 16,21; Flp 1,1; 1 Sol 2,2)13And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. (Ezd 8,15; Ezd 8,21; Ž 137,1; Mt 5,1; Sk 13,14)14One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. (Lk 24,45; Sk 18,7)15And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. (Gn 19,3; Lk 24,29; Sk 11,14)
Paul and Silas in Prison
16As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. (Lv 19,31; Lk 13,11; Sk 16,13; Sk 16,19)17She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” (Dan 3,26; Mt 7,14; Mk 5,7; Sk 9,2; Jak 2,19)18And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. (Mt 17,18; Mk 1,25; Mk 1,34; Mk 9,38)19But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. (Mt 10,18; Sk 8,3; Sk 16,16; Sk 17,6; Sk 18,12; Sk 19,25; Sk 21,30; Jak 2,6)20And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city.21They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” (Est 3,8; Sk 16,12)22The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. (2 Kor 6,5; 2 Kor 11,23; 1 Sol 2,2)23And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.24Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. (Jób 13,27; Jób 33,11; Jer 20,2; Jer 29,26; Lk 21,12)
The Philippian Jailer Converted
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, (Jób 35,10; Ž 42,8; Ž 77,6; Ž 119,62)26and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. (Sk 4,31; Sk 5,19; Sk 12,7; Sk 12,10)27When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. (1 Kr 20,39; Sk 12,19; Sk 27,42)28But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”29And the jailer[5] called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. (Sk 10,25)30Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Lk 3,10; Lk 3,12; Lk 3,14; Jn 6,28; Sk 2,37; Sk 16,17; Sk 22,10)31And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Mk 16,16; Sk 11,14)32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.33And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. (Sk 8,12; Sk 16,25)34Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. (Ž 9,14; Ž 13,5; Iz 25,9; Lk 1,47; Sk 2,46; 1 Pt 1,6; 1 Pt 1,8)35But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.”36And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.”37But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” (Sk 22,25; Sk 22,29)38The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. (Sk 16,37)39So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. (Mt 8,34)40So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed. (Jn 21,23; Sk 16,14)