Saturday, July 19, 2014

Dorcas & Lydia

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Acts 9:32–43; Acts 16:11–40                                
Peter Goes to Lydda and Joppa

            As Peter traveled around the country, he went to visit God’s people in Lydda. There he found a disabled man named Aeneas. For eight years the man had spent most of his time in bed. “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up! Take care of your mat!” So Aeneas got up right away. Everyone who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him. They turned to the Lord. In Joppa there was a believer named Tabitha. Her name in the Greek language was Dorcas. She was always doing good and helping poor people. About that time she became sick and died. Her body was washed and placed in a room upstairs. Lydda was near Joppa. The believers heard that Peter was in Lydda. So they sent two men to him. They begged him, “Please come at once!” Peter went with them. When he arrived, he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him crying. They showed him the robes and other clothes Dorcas had made while she was still alive.

            Peter sent them all out of the room. Then he got down on his knees and prayed. He turned toward the dead woman. He said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows. He brought her to them. They saw that she was alive. This became known all over Joppa.

            Many people believed in the Lord. Peter stayed in Joppa for some time. He stayed with Simon, a man who worked with leather.

Lydia Becomes a Believer

            At Troas we got into a boat. We sailed straight for Samothrace. The next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony. It is an important city in that part of Macedonia. We stayed there several days. On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate. We walked down to the river. There we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered together. One of those listening was a woman named Lydia. She was from the city of Thyatira. Her business was selling purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to accept Paul’s message. She and her family were baptized. Then she invited us to
her home. “Do you consider me a believer in the Lord?” she asked. “If you do, come and stay at my house.” She succeeded in getting us to go home with her.

Paul and Silas Are Thrown Into Prison

            One day we were going to the place of prayer. On the way we were met by a female slave. She had a spirit that helped her to tell ahead of time what was going to happen. She earned a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes. The woman followed Paul and the rest of us around. She shouted, “These men serve the Most High God. They are telling you how to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became upset. Turning around, he spoke to the spirit. “In the name of Jesus Christ,” he said, “I command you to come out of her!” At that very moment the spirit left her.

            The female slave’s owners realized that their hope of making money was gone. So they grabbed Paul and Silas. They dragged them into the market place to face the authorities. They brought them to the judges. “These men are Jews,” her owners said. “They are making trouble in our city. They are suggesting practices that are against Roman law. These are practices we can’t accept or take part in.”

            The crowd joined the attack against Paul and Silas. The judges ordered that Paul and Silas be stripped and beaten. They were whipped without mercy. Then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received his orders, he put Paul and Silas deep inside the prison. He fastened their feet so they couldn’t get away.

            About midnight Paul and Silas were praying. They were also singing hymns to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a powerful earthquake. It shook the prison from top to bottom. All at once the prison doors flew open. Everybody’s chains came loose.

            The jailer woke up. He saw that the prison doors were open. He pulled out his sword and was going to kill himself. He thought the prisoners had escaped.

            “Don’t harm yourself!” Paul shouted. “We are all here!” The jailer called out for some lights. He rushed in, shaking with fear. He fell down in front of Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out. He asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

            They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus. Then you and your family will be saved.” They spoke the word of the Lord to him. They also spoke to all the others in his house.

            At that hour of the night, the jailer took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Right away he and his whole family were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house. He set a meal in front of them. He and his whole family were filled with joy. They had become believers in God.

            Early in the morning the judges sent their officers to the jailer. They ordered him, “Let those men go.” The jailer told Paul, “The judges have ordered me to set you and Silas free. You can leave now. Go in peace.”

            But Paul replied to the officers. “They beat us in public,” he said. “We weren’t given a trial. And we are Roman citizens! They threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and personally lead us out.”

            The officers reported this to the judges. When the judges heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they became afraid. So they came and said they were sorry. They led them out of the prison. Then they asked them to leave the city. After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house. There they met with the believers. They told them to be brave. Then they left. (NIRV)


This reading is taken from 30 Scripture Readings on Great Women from the Bible. The complete book can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZK5H96/ref=nosim?tag=hudsonbcom-20&linkCode=sb1&camp=212353&creative=380549

HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL READER'S VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright© 1994, 1996 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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