the Fourth Week of Advent
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Wycliffe Bible
Acts 16
1 And he cam in to Derben and Listram. And lo! a disciple was there, bi name Timothe, the sone of a Jewesse cristen, and of the fadir hethen.2 And britheren that weren in Listris and Iconye, yeldiden good witnessing to hym.3 And Poul wolde that this man schulde go forth with him, and he took, and circumsidide hym, for Jewis that weren in the places. For alle wisten, that his fadir was hethen.4 Whanne thei passiden bi citees, thei bitoken to hem to kepe the techingis, that weren demyd of apostlis and eldre men, that weren at Jerusalem.5 And the chirches weren confermed in feith, and encreseden in noumbre eche dai.
6 And thei passiden Frigie, and the cuntre of Galathi, and weren forbedun of the Hooli Goost to speke the word of God in Asie.7 And whanne thei camen in to Mysie, thei assaieden to go in to Bithynye, and the spirit of Jhesu suffride not hem.8 But whanne thei hadden passid bi Mysie, thei camen doun to Troade;9 and a visioun `bi nyyt was schewid to Poul. But a man of Macedonye that stoode, preiede hym, and seide, Go thou in to Macedonye, and helpe vs.10 And as he hadde sei the visioun, anoon we souyten to go forth in to Macedonye, and weren maad certeyn, that God hadde clepid vs to preche to hem.11 And we yeden bi schip fro Troade, and camen to Samatrachia with streiyt cours; and the dai suynge to Neapolis;12 and fro thennus to Filippis, that is the firste part of Macedonye, the citee colonye. And we weren in this citee summe daies, and spaken togidere.13 And in the dai of sabotis we wenten forth with out the yate bisidis the flood, where preier semyde to be; and we saten, and spaken to wymmen that camen togidere.14 And a womman, Lidda bi name, a purpuresse of the cite of Tiatirens, worschipinge God, herde; whos herte the Lord openyde to yyue tente to these thingis, that weren seid of Poul.15 And whanne sche was baptisid and hir hous, sche preyede, and seide, If ye han demyd that Y am feithful to the Lord, entre ye in to myn hous, and dwelle.
16 And sche constreynede vs. And it was don, whanne we yeden to preier, that a damysel that hadde a spirit of diuynacioun, mette vs, which yaf greet wynnyng to her lordis in dyuynynge.17 This suede Poul and vs, and criede, and seide, These men ben seruauntis of the hiy God, that tellen to you the weie of helthe.18 And this sche dide in many daies. And Poul sorewide, and turnede, and seide to the spirit, Y comaunde thee in the name of Jhesu Crist, that thou go out of hir.19 And he wente out in the same our. And the lordis of hir siyen, that the hope of her wynnyng wente awei, and thei token Poul and Silas, and ledden in to the `dom place, to the princis.20 And thei brouyten hem to the magistratis, and seiden, These men disturblen oure citee,21 for thei ben Jewis, and schewen a custom, which it is not leueful to vs to resseyue, nether do, sithen we ben Romayns.22 And the puple `and magistratis runnen ayens hem, and when thei hadden to-rente the cootis of hem, thei comaundiden hem to be betun with yerdis.23 And whanne thei hadden youun to hem many woundis, thei senten hem into prisoun, and comaundiden to the kepere, that he schulde kepe hem diligentli.24 And whanne he hadde take siche a precept, he putte hem into the ynnere prisoun, and streynede the feet of hem in a tre.
25 And at mydniyt Poul and Silas worschipide, and heriden God; and thei that weren in kepyng herden hem.26 And sudenli a greet erthe mouyng was maad, so that the foundementis of the prisoun weren moued. And anoon alle the doris weren openyd, and the boondis of alle weren lousid.27 And the kepere of the prisoun was awakid, and siy the yatis `of the prisoun openyd, and with a swerd drawun out he wolde haue slawe hym silf, and gesside that the men that weren boundun, hadden fled.28 But Poul criede with a greet vois, and seide, Do thou noon harm to thi silf, for alle we ben here.29 And he axide liyt, and entride, and tremblide, and felle doun to Poul and to Silas at her feet.30 And he brouyte hem with out forth, and seide, Lordis, what bihoueth me to do, that Y be maad saaf?31 And thei seiden, Bileue thou in the Lord Jhesu, and thou schalt be saaf, and thin hous.32 And thei spaken to hym the word of the Lord, with alle that weren in his hous.33 And he took hem in the ilke our of the niyt, and waschide her woundis. And he was baptisid, and al his hous anoon.34 And whanne he hadde led hem in to his hous, he settide to hem a boord. And he was glad with al his hous, and bileuede to God.
35 And whanne dai was come, the magistratis senten catchepollis, and seiden, Delyuere thou tho men.36 And the kepere of the prisoun telde these wordis to Poul, That the magistratis han sent, that ye be delyuered; now therfor go ye out, and go ye in pees.37 And Poul seide to hem, Thei senten vs men of Rome in to prisoun, that weren betun openli and vndampned, and now priueli thei bringen vs out; not so, but come thei hem silf, and delyuere vs out.38 And the catchepollis telden these wordis to the magistratis; and thei dredden, for thei herden that thei weren Romayns.39 And thei camen, and bisechiden hem, and thei brouyten hem out, and preieden, that thei schulden go out of the citee.40 And thei yeden out of the prisoun, and entriden to Lidie. And whanne thei siyen britheren, thei coumfortiden hem, and yeden forth.