Acts 16
Wycliffe's Bible
1And he came into Derbe and Lystra. And lo! a disciple was there, by (the) name (of) Timothy, the son of a Jewess christian, and of the father heathen (and of a Gentile father). 2And [the] brethren that were in Lystra and Iconium, yielded good witnessing to him. (And the brothers who were in Lystra and Iconium, testified good things about him/spoke approvingly about him.) 3And Paul would, that this man should go forth with him, and he took, and circumcised him, for Jews that were in those places. For all knew, that his father was heathen. (And Paul wanted, that this man would go forth with him, and he took, and circumcised him, for the Jews who were in those places. For everyone knew, that his father was a Gentile.) 4When they passed by (the) cities, they betook to them to keep the teachings, that were deemed of (the) apostles and elder men, that were at Jerusalem. 5And the churches were confirmed in faith, and increased in number each day.

6And they passed (through) Phrygia, and the country of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to speak the word of God in Asia (but they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word of God in Asia). 7And when they came to Mysia, they assayed, (or they attempted), to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus suffered not them [and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not] (but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them). 8But when they had passed by Mysia, they came down to Troas; 9and a vision by night, (or in the night), was showed to Paul. But a man of Macedonia [Some man of Macedonia] that stood, prayed him (beseeched him), and said, Go thou into Macedonia, and help us. 10And as he had seen the vision, anon we sought to go forth into Macedonia (at once we took action to go forth to Macedonia), and were made certain, that God had called us to preach, (or to evangelize), to them.

11And we went by ship from Troas, and came to Samothracia with straight course [Soothly we going by boot, or sailing, from Troas, with straight course came to Samothracia]; and the day (pur)suing to Neapolis (and the following day to Neapolis); 12and from thence to Philippi, that is the first part of Macedonia, the city colony. And we were in this city some days, and spake together. 13And in the day of sabbaths we went forth without the gate beside the river, where prayer seemed to be [where prayer was seen to be]; and we sat, and spake to women that came together.

14And a woman, Lydia by name, a purpless of the city of Thyatira, worshipping God, heard; whose heart the Lord opened to give attention to these things, that were said of Paul. 15And when she was baptized and her house, she prayed (she beseeched us), and said, If ye have deemed that I am faithful to the Lord, enter ye into mine house, and dwell (there). And she constrained us.

16And it was done, when we went to prayer, that a damsel, (or a wench), that had a spirit of divination, met us, which gave great winning to her lords in divining (who brought much gain, or great profit, to her masters by her divining, or through her fortune-telling). 17This (pur)sued Paul and us, and cried, and said, These men be servants of the high God, that tell to you the way of health. (She followed Paul and the rest of us, and cried, and said, These men be servants of the Most High God, who can tell you the way to salvation.) 18And this she did in many days (And she did this for many days). And Paul sorrowed, and turned, and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ, that thou go out of her. And he went out in the same hour.

19And the lords of her saw, that the hope of their winning went away, and they took (hold of) Paul and Silas, and led [them] into the chapping, either doom place, to the princes. (And her masters saw, that their hope for more gain, or for more profit, went away, and they took hold of Paul and Silas, and led them to the market, or to the place for judgement, that is, the city square, to the city leaders.) 20And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, These men disturb, (or distrouble), our city, for they be Jews, 21and show a custom, which [it] is not leaveful to us to receive (which it is not lawful for us to receive), neither do, since we be Romans.

22And the people and magistrates ran against them, and when they had rent to pieces the coats of them (and when they had torn their coats to pieces), they commanded them to be beaten with rods. 23And when they had given to them many wounds, they sent them into prison, and commanded to the keeper, that he should keep them diligently. (And after they had given them many wounds, they threw them into prison, and commanded the warden, that he should vigilantly guard them.) 24And when he had taken such a precept, he put them into the inner prison, and restrained the feet of them in a tree (and restrained their feet on a tree).

25And at midnight Paul and Silas worshipped, and praised God; and they that were in [the] keeping, heard them (and those who were in the prison, heard them). 26And suddenly a great earth-moving was made, so that the foundaments of the prison were moved. And anon all the doors were opened, and the bonds of all were loosed. (And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so strong that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And at once all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were loosened.) 27And the keeper of the prison was awaked (And the warden was awakened), and saw the gates of the prison opened, and with a sword drawn out he would have slain himself, and guessed that the men that were bound had fled. 28But Paul cried with a great voice, and said, Do thou none harm to thyself, for all we be here. (But Paul cried with a loud voice, and said, Do not thou harm thyself, for all of us still be here.) 29And he asked (for) light, and entered [in], and trembled, and fell down to Paul and to Silas at their feet. 30And he brought them withoutforth, and said, Lords, what behooveth me to do, that I be made safe? (And he brought them outside, and said, Lords, what must I do, so that I can be saved?)

31And they said, Believe thou in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be safe, and thine house. (And they said, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou, and thy family, shall be saved.) 32And they spake to him the word of the Lord, with all that were in his house. 33And he took them in the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds. And he was baptized, and all his house anon (And he, and his whole family/and all his household, were baptized at once). 34And when he had brought them into his house, he set to them a board. And he was glad with all his house, and believed to God. (And when he had brought them into his house, he set the table for them/he gave them a meal. And he had joy with all his household, and believed in God.)

35And when (the) day was come, the magistrates sent constables, and said, Deliver thou, (or Dismiss), those men. 36And the keeper of the prison told these words to Paul, That the magistrates have sent, that ye be delivered; now therefore go ye out, and go ye in peace. (And the warden of the prison said to Paul, The magistrates have sent word, that ye should be released; and so now go out, and go thy way in peace.) 37And Paul said to them, They sent us men of Rome into prison, that were beaten openly and uncondemned, and now privily they bring us out; not so, but come they themselves, and deliver us out (not so fast, let them come here themselves, and release us). 38And the constables told these words to the magistrates; and they dreaded, for they heard that they were Romans (and they had great fear, when they heard that they were Romans). 39And they came, and besought them, and they brought them out, and prayed, that they should go out of the city. (And so they came, and found them, and they brought them out, and beseeched them, that they would go away from their city.) 40And they went out of the prison, and entered [in]to (the house of) Lydia. And when they saw (the) brethren, they comforted them, and went forth (And when they saw the brothers, they strengthened them/they encouraged them, and then they went forth).

WYCLIFFE’S BIBLE

Comprising of
Wycliffe’s Old Testament

and

Wycliffe’s New Testament
(Revised Edition)


Translated by

JOHN WYCLIFFE
and JOHN PURVEY


A modern-spelling edition of their
14TH century Middle English translation,
the first complete English vernacular version,
with an Introduction by

TERENCE P. NOBLE

Used by Permission

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