Book of Common Prayer

⁶ Paul and Silas went through the district of Phrygia and Galatia. The Holy Spirit said they should not tell God's word in the country of Asia Minor.

⁷ After they came to the district of Mysia, they wanted to go to the country of Bithynia but the Holy Spirit did not allow them.

⁸ So they went by Mysia and came to the city of Troas.

⁹ In the night Paul had a vision: he saw a picture like a dream. He saw a man of Macedonia standing and calling to him, `Come over into Macedonia and help us.'

¹⁰ After Paul had seen the vision, we tried to leave for Macedonia right away. We believed that the Lord had called us to tell the people there the good news.

¹¹ So we left Troas in a boat and went straight across the water to the town of Samothrace. The next day we went to Neapolis.

¹² From there we went to Philippi. This was the big city of the district of Macedonia. It was a free city. We stayed there for some time.

¹³ On the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the river. We thought this was a place where people met to talk with God. So we sat down and talked to the women who had come there.

¹⁴ One woman named Lydia listened to us. She was from the city of Thyatira, and she sold red cloth. She worshipped God. He worked in her heart and she believed what Paul said.

¹⁵ She and all the people in her house were baptised. Then she begged us and said, `If you really feel that I believe in the Lord, come and stay at my house.' And she would not allow us to say no.

10 After this the Lord chose seventy other men. He sent them ahead of him, two by two. He sent them to every town and village that he was going to visit.

² He said to them, `The harvest is much, but there are not many people to gather it. So talk to the Lord of this harvest and ask him to send out people to his harvest.

³ Go on your way now. I am sending you out among people. You will be like sheep among bad animals.

⁴ Do not take money, or a bag, or shoes. And do not stop to talk with anyone on the road.

⁵ When you go into a house, first say, "May God give peace to this family."

⁶ If a man of peace is there, your blessing will stay with him. If not, your blessing will come back to you.

⁷ Stay in that house. Eat and drink what the people give you. The one who works should have his pay for it. Do not move from one house to another house.

⁸ `When you go into a town and they take you in, eat what is put before you.

⁹ Heal the sick people in the town. Tell the people, "The kingdom of God has come to you."

¹⁰ But when you go into a town and they do not take you in, then go out into the streets of the town.

¹¹ Say to the people, "We wipe off even the dust of the town that is on our feet. This will be a sign to you. But remember this, the kingdom of God has come."

¹² I tell you this. On the day when people are judged, they will be punished more than the people in the city of Sodom.

¹⁷ The seventy men Jesus had sent out came back very happy. They said, `Lord, even the bad spirits obey us when we talk to them in your name!'

¹⁸ Jesus said to them, `I saw Satan fall from the sky like lightning.

¹⁹ I have given you power over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will hurt you.

²⁰ Do not be glad that the bad spirits obey you. But be glad that your names are written in the book in heaven.'