Hechos 16: Timoteo acompaña a Pablo y a Silas
1 DESPUÉS llegó á Derbe, y á Listra: y he aquí, estaba allí un discípulo llamado Timoteo, hijo de una mujer Judía fiel, mas de padre Griego.
2 De éste daban buen testimonio los hermanos que estaban en Listra y en Iconio.
3 Este quiso Pablo que fuese con él; y tomándole, le circuncidó por causa de los Judíos que estaban en aquellos lugares; porque todos sabían que su padre era Griego.
4 Y como pasaban por las ciudades, les daban que guardasen los decretos que habían sido determinados por los apóstoles y los ancianos que estaban en Jerusalem.
5 Así que, las iglesias eran confirmadas en fe, y eran aumentadas en número cada día.
6 Y pasando á Phrygia y la provincia de Galacia, les fué prohibido por el Espíritu Santo hablar la palabra en Asia.
7 Y como vinieron á Misia, tentaron de ir á Bithynia; mas el Espíritu no les dejó.
8 Y pasando á Misia, descendieron á Troas.
9 Y fué mostrada á Pablo de noche una visión: Un varón Macedonio se puso delante, rogándole, y diciendo: Pasa á Macedonia, y ayúdanos.
10 Y como vió la visión, luego procuramos partir á Macedonia, dando por cierto que Dios nos llamaba para que les anunciásemos el evangelio.
11 Partidos pues de Troas, vinimos camino derecho á Samotracia, y el día siguiente á Neápolis;
12 Y de allí á Filipos, que es la primera ciudad de la parte de Macedonia, y una colonia; y estuvimos en aquella ciudad algunos días.
13 Y un día de sábado salimos de la puerta junto al río, donde solía ser la oración; y sentándonos, hablamos á las mujeres que se habían juntado.
14 Entonces una mujer llamada Lidia, que vendía púrpura en la ciudad de Tiatira, temerosa de Dios, estaba oyendo; el corazón de la cual abrió el Señor para que estuviese atenta á lo que Pablo decía.
15 Y cuando fué bautizada, y su familia, nos rogó, diciendo: Si habéis juzgado que yo sea fiel al Señor, entrad en mi casa, y posad: y constriñónos.
16 Y aconteció, que yendo nosotros á la oración, una muchacha que tenía espíritu pitónico, nos salió al encuentro, la cual daba grande ganancia á sus amos adivinando.
17 Esta, siguiendo á Pablo y á nosotros, daba voces, diciendo: Estos hombres son siervos del Dios Alto, los cuales os anuncian el camino de salud.
18 Y esto hacía por muchos días; mas desagradando á Pablo, se volvió y dijo al espíritu: Te mando en el nombre de Jesucristo, que salgas de ella. Y salió en la misma hora.
19 Y viendo sus amos que había salido la esperanza de su ganancia, prendieron á Pablo y á Silas, y los trajeron al foro, al magistrado;
20 Y presentándolos á los magistrados, dijeron: Estos hombres, siendo Judíos, alborotan nuestra ciudad,
21 Y predican ritos, los cuales no nos es lícito recibir ni hacer, pues somos Romanos.
22 Y agolpóse el pueblo contra ellos: y los magistrados rompiéndoles sus ropas, les mandaron azotar con varas.
23 Y después que los hubieron herido de muchos azotes, los echaron en la cárcel, mandando al carcelero que los guardase con diligencia:
24 El cual, recibido este mandamiento, los metió en la cárcel de más adentro; y les apretó los pies en el cepo.
25 Mas á media noche, orando Pablo y Silas, cantaban himnos á Dios: y los que estaban presos los oían.
26 Entonces fué hecho de repente un gran terremoto, de tal manera que los cimientos de la cárcel se movían; y luego todas las puertas se abrieron, y las prisiones de todos soltaron.
27 Y despertado el carcelero, como vió abiertas las puertas de la cárcel, sacando la espada se quería matar, pensando que los presos se habían huído.
28 Mas Pablo clamó á gran voz, diciendo: No te hagas ningún mal; que todos estamos aquí.
29 El entonces pidiendo luz, entró dentro, y temblando, derribóse á los pies de Pablo y de Silas;
30 Y sacándolos fuera, le dice: Señores, ¿qué es menester que yo haga para ser salvo?
31 Y ellos dijeron: Cree en el Señor Jesucristo, y serás salvo tú, y tu casa.
32 Y le hablaron la palabra del Señor, y á todos los que estan en su casa.
33 Y tomándolos en aquella misma hora de la noche, les lavó los azotes; y se bautizó luego él, y todos los suyos.
34 Y llevándolos á su casa, les puso la mesa: y se gozó de que con toda su casa había creído á Dios.
35 Y como fué, día, los magistrados enviaron los alguaciles, diciendo: Deja ir á aquellos hombres.
36 Y el carcelero hizo saber estas palabras á Pablo: Los magistrados han enviado á decir que seás sueltos: así que ahora salid, é id en paz.
37 Entonces Pablo les dijo: Azotados públicamente sin ser condenados, siendo hombres Romanos, nos echaron en la cárcel; y ¿ahora nos echan encubiertamente? No, de cierto, sino vengan ellos y sáquennos.
38 Y los alguaciles volvieron á decir á los magistrados estas palabras: y tuvieron miedo, oído que eran Romanos.
39 Y viniendo, les rogaron; y sacándolos, les pidieron que se saliesen de la ciudad.
40 Entonces salidos de la cárcel, entraron en casa de Lidia; y habiendo visto á los hermanos, los consolaron, y se salieron.
Reina-Valera Antigua (RVA)
by Public Domain
Momento de Reflexión por Noemi Dominguez:
A veces descubrimos que lo “peor que nos podía haber pasado” es lo mejor que nos podía ocurrir en nuestra vida. Estaba al borde del suicidio, porque temía que por perder el control sobre los presos el carcelero debía responder con su vida. En tal desesperación busca quitarse la vida. Fue un día extremadamente raro. Dos presos fueron azotados en lugar quejarse y maldecir, orando Pablo y Silas cantaban himnos a Dios y los demás presos los oían. Ocurre un terremoto, se abrieron las puertas y las cadenas se les cayeron de las manos. Otro milagro más grande ocurrió, ninguno de los presos escapó. Sin embargo, sigue latente otro terremoto internoque pone en descubierto el corazón del carcelero. De rodillascon la inocencia de un niño hace la pregunta que muchos aúnno se han hecho:¿Que debo hacer para ser salvo? La respuesta es simple pero contundente. Subráyalo en tu Biblia: Cree en el Señor Jesucristo y será salvo. ¿Te has hecho tú esta pregunta? Dios está esperando. Solo creer. Si, solo creer.
Acts 16: Timothy Joins Paul and Silas.
1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.
4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,
7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;
12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.
13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.
36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.
37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.
38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
39 And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain
Reflection by Noemi Dominguez:
Sometimes we discover that the “worst thing that could have happened to us” is the best thing that could happen to us in our lives. He was on the verge of suicide, because he feared that for losing control over the prisoners the jailer would have to pay with his life. In such despair he seeks to take his own life. It was an extremely rare day. Two prisoners were whipped and instead of complaining and cursing, Paul and Silas praying sang hymns to God and the other prisoners heard them. An earthquake occurs, the doors opened, and the chains fell from their hands. Another bigger miracle happened, none of the prisoners escaped. However, another internal earthquake that exposes the jailer’s heart that heretofore remained dormant. On his knees with the innocence of a child he asks the question that many have not yet asked themselves: What must I do to be saved? The answer is simple but blunt. Underline it in your Bible [verse 31]: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Have you asked yourself this question? God is waiting. Just believe. Yes, justbelieve.
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