New Testament in Modern English by J.B. Phillips

Author:J.B. Phillips
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Touchstone
Published: 2014-03-04T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

Paul chooses Timothy as companion

HE went to Derbe and on to Lystra. At Lystra there was a disciple by the name of Timothy whose mother was a Jewish Christian, though his father was a Greek. Timothy was held in high regard by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium, and Paul wanted to take him on as his companion. Everybody knew that his father was a Greek, and Paul therefore had him circumcised because of the attitude of the Jews in these places. As they went on their way through the cities they passed on to them for their observance the decisions which had been reached by the aposdes and elders in Jerusalem. Consequently the churches grew stronger in the faith and their numbers increased daily.

Paul and Silas find their journey divinely directed

They made their way through Phrygia and the Galatia district, since the Holy Spirit prevented them from speaking God’s message in the province of Asia. When they approached Mysia they tried to enter Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them. So they passed by Mysia and came down to Troas. One night Paul had a vision of a Macedonian man standing and appealing to him in the words: “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” As soon as Paul had seen this vision we made every effort to get on to Macedonia, convinced that God had called us to give them the good news.

The gospel comes to Europe: a business-woman is converted

So we set sail from Troas and ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the following day to Neapolis. From there we went to Philippi, a Roman garrison-town and the chief city in that part of Macedonia. We spent some days in Philippi and on the Sabbath day we went out of the city gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place for prayer. There we sat down and spoke to the women who had assembled. One of our hearers was a woman named Lydia. (She came from Thyatira and was a dealer in purple-dyed cloth.) She was already a believer in God, who had opened her heart to accept Paul’s words. When she and her household had been baptised, she appealed to us, saying,

“If you are satisfied that I am a true believer in the Lord, then come down to my house and stay there.”

And she insisted on our doing so.

Conflict with evil spirits and evil men

One day while we were going to the place of prayer we met a young girl who had a spirit of clairvoyance and brought her owners a good deal of profit by foretelling the future. She would follow Paul and the rest of us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they are telling you the way of salvation.” She continued this behaviour for many days, and then Paul, in a burst of irritation, turned round and spoke to the spirit in her.

“I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!”

And it came out immediately.

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