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caufe of the Jews which were in thofe quarters: for4 they knew all that his father was a Greek. And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the 5 apostles and elders which were at Jerufalem. And so were the churches eftablished in the faith, and in6 creafed in number daily. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the holy Ghoft to preach the word in Afia, After they were come to Myfia, they affayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit fuffered 8 them not. And they paffing by Myfia, came down 9 to Troas. And a vifion appeared to Paul.in the night: There ftood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, faying, Come over into Macedonia, and 10 help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we (b) endeavoured to go into Macedonia, affuredly gathering, that the Lord had called us for to preach II the gospel unto them. Therefore loofing from Troas,

we came with a ftraight courfe to Samothracia, and 12 the next day to Neapolis; And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony (c): and we were in that city 13 abiding certain days. And on the fabbath we went out of the city by a river-fide, where prayer was wont to be made; and we fat down, and spake unto the women which reforted thither.

14

And a certain woman named Lydia, a feller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God (d), heard us: whofe heart the Lord opened, (6) From the change of perfon in the narrative it may be collected, that the writer St. Luke had joined company with St. Paul and Silas.

(c) A colony was a number of Romans settled in any diftant town, and all who were born in that town were called Romans, and were under the laws, and enjoyed the privileges, of Roman citizens. This. was St. Paul's cafe; Tarfus, where he was born, being a colony.

(d) Who had renounced idolatry, and worshipped only the one true God. See Chap. ii, 10.

that

that fhe attended unto the things which were fpoken 15 of Paul. And when the was baptized, and her houfhold, fhe befought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there. And the constrained us (e).

16

And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damfel, poffeffed with a fpirit of divination, met us, which brought her mafters much gain by footh17 faying. The fame followed Paul and us, and cried,

faying, Thefe men are the fervants of the most high 18 God, which fhew unto us the way of falvation. And this did the many days. But Paul being grieved, turned and faid to the fpirit, I command thee in the name of Jefus Chrift to come out of her. And he came out the fame hour (ƒ).

19

And when her mafters faw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the market-place, unto the rulers, 20 And brought them to the magiftrates, faying, Thefe

men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21 And teach cuftoms which are not lawful for us to 22 receive, neither to obferve, being Romans (g): And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magiftrates rent off their clothes (h), and commanded 23 to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they caft them into prifon, charging the 24 jaylor to keep them fafely. Who having received fuch a charge, thrust them into the inner prifon, and made their feet faft in the ftocks..

25

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and fang praifes unto God: and the prifoners heard them. (e) She prevailed by kind entreaty. See Luke xiv. 23.

(ƒ) Thus was the authority of Jefus Chrift manifefled over evil fpirits; and we fhould always remember, that they can have power that is not subject to the divine command.

(g) Being a colony from Rome, and as fuch, fubject to the laws of the Romans, verfe 12.

(h) Tore off the clothes from the backs of St. Paul and Silas, thus ftripping them with violence, in order to their being fcourged.

S 6

26 And

26 And fuddenly there was a great earthquake, fo that the foundations of the prifon were fhaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's 27 bands were loofed. And the keeper of the prifon awaking out of his fleep, and feeing the prifon doors open, he drew out his fword, and would have killed himfelf, fuppofing that the prifoners had been fled. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, faying, Do thyself 29 no harm; for we are all here. Then he called for

a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell 30 down before Paul and Silas; And brought them

out, and faid, Sirs, what muft I do to be faved? 31 And they faid, Believe on the Lord Jefus Christ, and 32 thou fhalt be faved, and thy houfe (i). And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were 33 in his house. And he took them the fame hour of the night, and washed thein ftripes; and was baptiz34 ed, he and all his, ftraightway. And when he had

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brought them into his house, he fet meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his 35 houfe. And when it was day, the magiftrates fent 36 the ferjeants, faying, Let those men go. And the

keeper of the prison told this faying to Paul, The magiftrates have fent to let you go: now therefore 37 depart, and go in peace. in peace. But Paul faid unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans (k), and have caft us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily, but let them 38 come themselves, and fetch us out. And the ferjeants told these words unto the magiftrates: and they 39 feared when they heard that they were Romans, And. they came and befought them, and brought them

(2) It is neceffary to obferve, that belief, as a condition of falva tion, must always be underflood to include practice as well as pro feffion. See Matt. vii 21. xix. 17.

(k) It was not lawful to fcourge a Roman citizen. See Chap.

XXI. 25.

40 out,

40 out, and defired them to depart out of the city. And they went out of the prison, and entered into the houfe of Lydia: and when they had feen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

I

CHA P. XVII.

NOW when they had paffed through Amphipolis, and Apollonia, they came to Theffalonica, where 2 was a fynagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three fabbath3 days reafoned with them out of the fcriptures, Opening and alledging, that Chrift muft needs have fuffered, and rifen again from the dead: and that this 4 Jefus whom I preach unto you, is Chrift. And fome of them believed, and conforted with Paul and Silas : and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

5

But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the bafer fort, and gathered a company, and fet all the city on an uproar, and affaulted the house of Jafon, and 6 fought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jafon, and certain brethren, unto the rulers of the city, crying, Thefe that have turned the world upfide-down, are come 7 hither alfo; Whom Jafon hath received: and thefe all do contrary to the decrees of Cefar, faying, That 8 there is another king, one Jesus. And they troubled the people, and the rulers of the city, when they 9 heard these things. And when they had taken fecurity of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

10

And the brethren immediately fent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither, II went into the fynagogue of the Jews. These were

more

more noble, (a) than thofe in Theffalonica, in that they received the word with all readinefs of mind, and fearched the fcriptures daily, whether those things 12 were fo. Therefore (b) many of them believed: allo of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men 13 not a few. But when the Jews of Theffolonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up 14 the people. And then immediately the brethren fent away Paul, to go as it were to the fea: but Silas 15 and Timotheus abode there ftill. And they that conducted Paul, brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus, for to come to him with all fpeed, they departed.

16

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his fpirit was stirred in him, when he faw the city wholly 17 given to idolatry. Therefore difputed he in the fynagogue with the Jews, and with the devout perfons, and in the market daily with them that me 18 with them. Then certain philofophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks (c) encountered him: and fome faid, What will this babbler fay? other fome, He feemeth to be a fetter forth of ftrange gods: because he preached unto them Jefus, and the re19 furrection (d). And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus (e) faying, May we know what this

(a) More liberal and ingenuous in their difpofition, more defirous of inftruction, and more willing and ready to inquire into the truth with due patience and candour.

(b) To thefe qualities it was owing that they embraced Chriflia nity.

(c) The Epicureans denied the divine Providence, and a future ftate. The Stoicks held virtue to be, in all poffible cafes, its own reward, and vice its own punishment, and fo looked no further than this world.

(d) They feem to have taken the Refurrection for the name of fome Deity they had not heard of before.

(e) An hill in Athens, upon which the fupreme court of justice was held. It is called Mars-hill. Verfe 22.

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