Acts 16-17 (Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition)

Acts 16

 ¹And he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, there was a certain disciple there named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman that believed; but his father was a Gentile.

    ²To this man the brethren that were in Lystra and Iconium, gave a good testimony.

    ³Him Paul would have to go along with him: and taking him he circumcised him, because of the Jews who were in those places. For they all knew that his father was a Gentile.

    ⁴And as they passed through the cities, they delivered unto them the decrees for to keep, that were decreed by the apostles and ancients who were at Jerusalem.

    ⁵And the churches were confirmed in faith, and increased in number daily.

    ⁶And when they had passed through Phrygia, and the country of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia.

    ⁷And when they were come into Mysia, they attempted to go into Bythynia, and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not.

    ⁸And when they had passed through Mysia, they went down to Troas.

    ⁹And a vision was shewed to Paul in the night, which was a man of Macedonia standing and beseeching him, and saying: Pass over into Macedonia, and help us.

    ¹⁰And as soon as he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, being assured that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

    ¹¹And sailing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the day following to Neapolis;

    ¹²And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were in this city some days conferring together.

    ¹³And upon the sabbath day, we went forth without the gate by a river side, where it seemed that there was prayer; and sitting down, we spoke to the women that were assembled.

    ¹⁴And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, did hear: whose heart the Lord opened to attend to those things which were said by Paul.

    ¹⁵And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying: If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

    ¹⁶And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain girl, having a pythonical spirit, met us, who brought to her masters much gain by divining.

    ¹⁷This same following Paul and us, cried out, saying: These men are the servants of the most high God, who preach unto you the way of salvation.

    ¹⁸And this she did many days. But Paul being grieved, turned, and said to the spirit: I command thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to go out from her. And he went out the same hour.

    ¹⁹But her masters, seeing that the hope of their gain was gone, apprehending Paul and Silas, brought them into the marketplace to the rulers.

    ²⁰And presenting them to the magistrates, they said: These men disturb our city, being Jews;

    ²¹And preach a fashion which it is not lawful for us to receive nor observe, being Romans.

    ²²And the people ran together against them; and the magistrates rending off their clothes, commanded them to be beaten with rods.

    ²³And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the gaoler to keep them diligently.

    ²⁴Who having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

    ²⁵And at midnight, Paul and Silas praying, praised God. And they that were in prison, heard them.

    ²⁶And 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.

    ²⁷And the keeper of the prison, awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the doors of the prison open, drawing his sword, would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

    ²⁸But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying: Do thyself no harm, for we all are here.

    ²⁹Then calling for a light, he went in, and trembling, fell down at the feet of Paul and Silas.

    ³⁰And bringing them out, he said: Masters, what must I do, that I may be saved?

    ³¹But they said: Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

    ³²And they preached the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house.

    ³³And he, taking them the same hour of the night, washed their stripes, and himself was baptized, and all his house immediately.

    ³⁴And when he had brought them into his own house, he laid the table for them, and rejoiced with all his house, believing God.

    ³⁵And when the day was come, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.

    ³⁶And the keeper of the prison told these words to Paul: The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore depart, and go in peace.

    ³⁷But Paul said to them: They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison: and now do they thrust us out privately? Not so; but let them come,

    ³⁸And let us out themselves. And the serjeants told these words to the magistrates. And they were afraid, hearing that they were Romans.

    ³⁹And coming, they besought them; and bringing them out, they desired them to depart out of the city.

    ⁴⁰And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia; and having seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

   

Acts 17

 ¹And when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

    ²And Paul, according to his custom, went in unto them; and for three sabbath days he reasoned with them out of the scriptures:

    ³Declaring and insinuating that the Christ was to suffer, and to rise again from the dead; and that this is Jesus Christ, whom I preach to you.

    ⁴And some of them believed, and were associated to Paul and Silas; and of those that served God, and of the Gentiles a great multitude, and of noble women not a few.

    ⁵But the Jews, moved with envy, and taking unto them some wicked men of the vulgar sort, and making a tumult, set the city in an uproar; and besetting Jason's house, sought to bring them out unto the people.

    ⁶And not finding them, they drew Jason and certain brethren to the rulers of the city, crying: They that set the city in an uproar, are come hither also;

    ⁷Whom Jason hath received; and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.

    ⁸And they stirred up the people, and the rulers of the city hearing these things,

    ⁹And having taken satisfaction of Jason and of the rest, they let them go.

    ¹⁰But the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea. Who, when they were come thither, went into the synagogue of the Jews.

    ¹¹Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness, daily searching the scriptures, whether these things were so.

    ¹²And many indeed of them believed, and of honourable women that were Gentiles, and of men not a few.

    ¹³And when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was also preached by Paul at Berea, they came thither also, stirring up and troubling the multitude.

    ¹⁴And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul, to go unto the sea; but Silas and Timothy remained there.

    ¹⁵And they that conducted Paul, brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a commandment from him to Silas and Timothy, that they should come to him with all speed, they departed.

    ¹⁶Now whilst Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him, seeing the city wholly given to idolatry.

    ¹⁷He disputed, therefore, in the synagogue with the Jews, and with them that served God, and in the marketplace, every day with them that were there.

    ¹⁸And certain philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoics disputed with him; and some said: What is it, that this word sower would say? But others: He seemeth to be a setter forth of new gods; because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.

    ¹⁹And taking him, they brought him to the Areopagus, saying: May we know what this new doctrine is, which thou speakest of?

    ²⁰For thou bringest in certain new things to our ears. We would know therefore what these things mean.

    ²¹(Now all the Athenians, and strangers that were there, employed themselves in nothing else, but either in telling or in hearing some new thing.)

    ²²But Paul standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious.

    ²³For passing by, and seeing your idols, I found an altar also, on which was written: To the unknown God. What therefore you worship, without knowing it, that I preach to you:

    ²⁴God, who made the world, and all things therein; he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

    ²⁵Neither is he served with men's hands, as though he needed any thing; seeing it is he who giveth to all life, and breath, and all things:

    ²⁶And hath made of one, all mankind, to dwell upon the whole face of the earth, determining appointed times, and the limits of their habitation.

    ²⁷That they should seek God, if happily they may feel after him or find him, although he be not far from every one of us:

    ²⁸For in him we live, and move, and are; as some also of your own poets said: For we are also his offspring.

    ²⁹Being therefore the offspring of God, we must not suppose the divinity to be like unto gold, or silver, or stone, the graving of art, and device of man.

    ³⁰And God indeed having winked at the times of this ignorance, now declareth unto men, that all should every where do penance.

    ³¹Because he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in equity, by the man whom he hath appointed; giving faith to all, by raising him up from the dead.

    ³²And when they had heard of the resurrection of the dead, some indeed mocked, but others said: We will hear thee again concerning this matter.

    ³³So Paul went out from among them.

    ³⁴But certain men adhering to him, did believe; among whom was also Dionysius, the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.