1Giunse {anche} a Derba e a Listra; e là c’era un discepolo, di nome Timoteo, figlio di una donna ebrea credente, ma di padre greco.2Di lui rendevano buona testimonianza i fratelli che erano a Listra e a Iconio.3Paolo volle che egli partisse con lui; perciò lo prese e lo circoncise a causa dei Giudei che erano in quei luoghi, perché tutti sapevano che il padre di lui era greco.4Passando da una città all’altra, trasmisero ai fratelli, perché le osservassero, le decisioni prese dagli apostoli e dagli anziani che erano a Gerusalemme.5Le chiese dunque si fortificavano nella fede e crescevano ogni giorno di numero.
Visione di Paolo a Troas
6Poi attraversarono la Frigia e la regione della Galazia, essendogli stato impedito dallo Spirito Santo di annunciare la Parola in Asia;7e, giunti ai confini della Misia, cercavano di andare in Bitinia; ma lo Spirito di Gesù non lo permise loro;8e, oltrepassata la Misia, discesero a Troas.9Paolo ebbe durante la notte una visione: un Macedone gli stava davanti e lo pregava, dicendo: «Passa in Macedonia e soccorrici».10Appena ebbe avuta quella visione, cercammo subito di partire per la Macedonia, convinti che Dio ci aveva chiamati là ad annunciare loro il vangelo.
Paolo a Filippi
11Perciò, salpando da Troas, puntammo diritto su Samotracia, e il giorno seguente su Neapolis;12di là ci recammo a Filippi, che è colonia romana e la città più importante di quella regione della Macedonia; e restammo in quella città alcuni giorni.13Il sabato andammo fuori dalla porta, lungo il fiume, dove pensavamo vi fosse un luogo di preghiera; e, sedutici, parlavamo alle donne là riunite.14Una donna della città di Tiatiri, commerciante di porpora[1], di nome Lidia, che temeva Dio, stava ad ascoltare. Il Signore le aprì il cuore per renderla attenta alle cose dette da Paolo.15Dopo che fu battezzata con la sua famiglia, ci pregò dicendo: «Se avete giudicato che io sia fedele al Signore, entrate in casa mia e alloggiatevi». E ci costrinse ad accettare.
Paolo e Sila in prigione
16Mentre andavamo al luogo di preghiera, incontrammo una serva posseduta da uno spirito di divinazione. Facendo l’indovina, essa procurava molto guadagno ai suoi padroni.17Costei, messasi a seguire Paolo e noi, gridava: «Questi uomini sono servi del Dio altissimo e vi annunciano la via della salvezza».18Così fece per molti giorni; ma Paolo, infastidito, si voltò e disse allo spirito: «Io ti ordino, nel nome di Gesù Cristo, che tu esca da costei». Ed egli uscì in quell’istante.19I suoi padroni, vedendo che la speranza del loro guadagno era svanita, presero Paolo e Sila e li trascinarono sulla piazza davanti alle autorità;20e, presentatili ai pretori, dissero: «Questi uomini, che sono Giudei, turbano la nostra città21e predicano riti che a noi Romani non è lecito accettare né praticare».22La folla insorse allora contro di loro; e i pretori, strappate loro le vesti, comandarono che fossero battuti con le verghe.23E, dopo aver dato loro molte vergate, li cacciarono in prigione, comandando al carceriere di sorvegliarli attentamente.24Ricevuto tale ordine, egli li rinchiuse nella parte più interna del carcere e mise dei ceppi ai loro piedi.
Conversione del carceriere di Filippi
25Verso la mezzanotte Paolo e Sila, pregando, cantavano inni a Dio; e i carcerati li ascoltavano.26A un tratto vi fu un gran terremoto, la prigione fu scossa dalle fondamenta; e in quell’istante tutte le porte si aprirono e le catene di tutti si spezzarono.27Il carceriere si svegliò e, vedute tutte le porte del carcere spalancate, sguainò la spada per uccidersi, pensando che i prigionieri fossero fuggiti.28Ma Paolo gli gridò ad alta voce: «Non farti del male, perché siamo tutti qui».29Il carceriere, chiesto un lume, balzò dentro e, tutto tremante, si gettò ai piedi di Paolo e di Sila;30poi li condusse fuori e disse: «Signori, che debbo fare per essere salvato?»31Ed essi risposero: «Credi nel Signore Gesù, e sarai salvato tu e la tua famiglia».32Poi annunciarono la Parola del Signore a lui e a tutti quelli che erano in casa sua.33Ed egli li prese con sé in quella stessa ora della notte, lavò le loro piaghe e subito fu battezzato lui con tutti i suoi.34Poi li fece salire in casa sua, apparecchiò loro la tavola, e si rallegrava con tutta la sua famiglia, perché aveva creduto in Dio.
Paolo e Sila vengono rilasciati
35Fattosi giorno, i pretori mandarono i littori a dire: «Libera quegli uomini».36Il carceriere riferì a Paolo queste parole, dicendo: «I pretori hanno mandato a dire che siate rimessi in libertà; or dunque uscite, e andate in pace».37Ma Paolo disse loro: «Dopo averci battuti in pubblico senza che fossimo stati condannati, noi che siamo cittadini romani[2], ci hanno gettati in prigione; e ora vogliono rilasciarci di nascosto? No davvero! Anzi, vengano loro stessi a condurci fuori».38I littori riferirono queste parole ai pretori; e questi ebbero paura quando seppero che erano romani.39Essi vennero e li pregarono di scusarli; e, accompagnandoli fuori, chiesero loro di andarsene dalla città.40Allora Paolo e Sila, usciti dalla prigione, entrarono in casa di Lidia; e, visti i fratelli, li confortarono, poi partirono.
Atti 16
English Standard Version
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
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. (At 17,14; At 18,5; At 19,22; At 20,4; Ro 16,21; 1Co 4,17; Fili 2,19; Col 1,1; 1Te 3,2; 2Te 1,1; 1Ti 1,2; 1Ti 1,18; 2Ti 1,2; 2Ti 1,5; 2Ti 3,15)2He was well spoken of by the brothers[2] at Lystra and Iconium. (Giov 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. (Ga 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. (At 15,2; At 15,28; At 17,7)5So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. (At 2,47; At 6,7; At 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. (At 18,23; Ga 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. (At 8,29; At 16,6; Ro 8,9; Ga 4,6; Fili 1,19; 1P 1,11)8So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. (At 20,5; 2Co 2,12; 2Ti 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. (At 16,11; At 20,5; At 20,13; At 21,1; At 27,1)
The Conversion of Lydia
11So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, (At 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. (At 16,21; Fili 1,1; 1Te 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. (Esd 8,15; Esd 8,21; Sal 137,1; Mat 5,1; At 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. (Lu 24,45; At 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. (Gen 19,3; Lu 24,29; At 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. (Le 19,31; Lu 13,11; At 16,13; At 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.” (Da 3,26; Mat 7,14; Mar 5,7; At 9,2; Giac 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. (Mat 17,18; Mar 1,25; Mar 1,34; Mar 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. (Mat 10,18; At 8,3; At 16,16; At 17,6; At 18,12; At 19,25; At 21,30; Giac 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; At 16,12)22The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. (2Co 6,5; 2Co 11,23; 1Te 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. (Giob 13,27; Giob 33,11; Ger 20,2; Ger 29,26; Lu 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, (Giob 35,10; Sal 42,8; Sal 77,6; Sal 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. (At 4,31; At 5,19; At 12,7; At 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. (1Re 20,39; At 12,19; At 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. (At 10,25)30Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Lu 3,10; Lu 3,12; Lu 3,14; Giov 6,28; At 2,37; At 16,17; At 22,10)31And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Mar 16,16; At 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. (At 8,12; At 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. (Sal 9,14; Sal 13,5; Is 25,9; Lu 1,47; At 2,46; 1P 1,6; 1P 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.” (At 22,25; At 22,29)38The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. (At 16,37)39So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. (Mat 8,34)40So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed. (Giov 21,23; At 16,14)