Acts · Chapter 16

[ edit] Soþli he cam in to Derben and Liſtram. And lo! ſum diſciple was þere, by name Tymoþe, þe ſone of a womman widowe feiþful, or criſten, þe fadir heþen. Breþeren þat weren in Liſtris and Iconye, ȝelden good witneſſing to him. Poul wolde him for to go forþ wiþ him ſilf, and he takinge to, circumcide him, for Jewis þat weren in þe ilke places. Soþely alle wiſten, þat his fadir was heþen. Forſoþ whanne þei paſſiden bi citees, þei bitoken to hem for to kepe þe techingis, þat weren demed of apoſtlis and eldere men, þat weren at Jeruſalem. And ſoþly þe chirchis weren confermyd in feiþ, and haboundiden in noumbre ech day.

Forſoþ þei paſſinge Frigye, and þe cuntree of Galaþie, weren forbodyn of þe Hooly Goſt for to ſpeke þe word of God in Aſya. Soþli whanne þei camen into Miſye, þei temptiden for to go into Biþinie, and þe ſpirit of Jheſu ſuffride not hem. Soþli whanne þei hadden paſſid by Miſye, þei camen down to Troade; and a viſioun by nyȝt was ſchewid to Poul. Sum man of Macedonye was ſtondinge, and preiynge him, and ſeyinge, Þou goynge into Macedonye, help vs. Soþli as he ſyȝ þe viſioun, anoon we ſouȝten for to go forþ into Macedonye, maad certeyn þat God hadde clepid vs for to euangeliſe to hem.

Soþeli we goynge by boot, or ſeylinge, wiþ ſtreiȝt cours camen to Samatrachia; and þe day ſuynge to Neapolis; and fro þennis to Philippis, þat is þe firſte part of Macedonye, þe citee colonye. Soþli we weren in þis citee ſumme dayes, ſpekinge to gidere. Soþli in þe day of ſabotis we wenten out wiþoute þe ȝate biſydis þe flood, wher preier was ſeyn for to be; and we ſittinge, ſpaken to wymmen þat camen to gidere. And ſum womman, Lidda bi name, purpureſſe of þe citee of Tiatirens, worſchipinge God, herde; whos herte þe Lord openyde for to ȝyue tent to þeſe þingis, þat weren ſeid of Poul.

Forſoþe whanne ſhe was baptyſid and hir hous, ſhe preiede, ſeiynge, If ȝe han demyd me for to be feiþful to þe Lord, entre ȝe into myn hous, and dwelle. And ſche conſtreynede vs. Forſoþe it is don, vs goynge to preier, ſum wenche hauynge a ſpirit of dyuynacioun, for to mete vs, þe which ȝaf greet wynnyng to hir lordis in dyuynyng, þat is, tellinge hid þingis bi þe deuelis craft. Þis ſuynge Poul and vs, criede, ſeyinge, Þes men ben ſeruauntis of hiȝe God, þat tellen to ȝou þe wey of helþe. Forſoþe þis þing ſhe dide in many dayes. Soþli Poul ſorwinge, and conuertid, ſeide to þe ſpirit, I comaunde to þee in þe name of Jheſu Criſt, for to go out of hir. And he wente out in þe ſame hour.

Soþli þe lordis of hir, ſeynge for þe hope of hir wynnyng wente a wey, catchinge Poul and Silas ledden into cheping, or dom place, to þe princes. And þei offringe hem to þe mageſtratis, ſeyden, Þeſe men diſturblen oure citee, whanne þei ben Jewis, and ſchewen a cuſtom, þe which it is not leueful to vs for to receyue, neþer do, ſyþen we ben Romayns. And þe peple ran aȝens hem and mageſtratis, and þe cootis of hem kitt, þei comaundiden hem for to be betyn wiþ ȝerdis. And whanne þei hadden ȝouun to hem many woundis, þei ſenten hem into priſoun, comaundinge to þe kepere, þat he diligentli ſchulde kepe hem.

Þe which, whanne he hadde takyn ſuch a precept, ſente hem into þe ynner priſoun, and ſtreynede þe feet of hem in a tree. Soþli at mydnyȝt Poul and Silas worſchipinge, herieden God; and þei þat weren in keping herden hem. Forſoþ ſudenli a greet erþe mouyng is maad, ſo þat þe foundementis of þe priſoun weren mouyd. And anoon alle þe doris ben openyd, and þe bondis of alle ben vnbounden. Soþli þe kepere of þe priſoun maad wakyn, and ſeynge þe ȝatis of þe priſoun openyd, þe ſwerd drawun out, wolde ſle hym ſilf, wenynge þe boundyn men for to haue fled. Forſoþ Poul criede wiþ greet vois, ſeyinge, Do þou no þing of yuel to þi ſilf, forſoþ alle we ben here.

And liȝt axid, he entride yn, and tremblinge he fel down to Poul and Silas at þe feet. And he bringinge hem wiþoute forþ, ſeiþ, Lordis, what bihoueþ me for to do, þat I be maad ſaf? And þei ſeiden, Bileue þou in to þe Lord Jheſu, and þou ſchalt be ſaf, and þin hows. And þei ſpaken to him þe word of þe Lord, wiþ alle þat weren in his hous. And he takinge hem in þe ilke hour of nyȝt, waiſchide her woundis. And he is baptyſid, and al his hous anoon. And whanne he hadde led hem into his hous, he ſette to hem a boord. And he gladide wiþ al his hous, bileuynge to God.

And whanne day was maad, þe magiſtratis ſenten littoures, þat ben myniſtris of ponyſching, ſeyinge, Diſmitte, or delyuere, ȝe þo men. Forſoþ þe keper of priſoun telde þes wordis to Poul, For þe mageſtratis han ſent, þat ȝe be delyuered; now þerfore ȝe goynge out, goþ in pees. Forſoþ Poul ſeide to hem, Þei ſenten into priſoun vs, betyn opynly vndampnyd, men Romayns, and now priuely þei caſten vs out; not ſo, but come þei, and þei ſilf caſte vs out. Soþli þe myniſtris of peyne telden þes wordis to þe mageſtratis; and þei dredden, herd þat þei weren Romayns. And þei comynge, biſecheden hem, and þei ledinge forþ, preieden, þat þei ſchulden go out of þe citee.

Soþli þei goynge out of þe priſoun, entriden into Lidie. And, þe breþeren ſeyn, þei coumfortiden hem, and wenten forþ.