“Plis, Iu Kam Long Macedonia”

1-3. (a) Long wanem wei nao Jesus iusim holy spirit for leadim Paul and olketa wea go witim hem? (b) Wanem nao bae iumi storyim?

LONG Philippi, wanfala taon long Macedonia, samfala woman go aotsaed long taon and go long smol river wea olketa kolem Gangites River. Hem wei bilong olketa for sidaon saed long river and prea long God bilong Israel. Jehovah lukim samting wea olketa duim.​—2 Chron. 16:9; Ps. 65:2.

² Long datfala taem tu, Paul, Silas, and Timothy lusim Lystra long south Galatia. Lystra hem winim 800 kilometer east long Philippi. Samfala day bihaen, olketa kasem main road wea olketa long Rome wakem wea gogo for Asia long west. Paul, Silas, and Timothy laek followim datfala road mekem olketa savve go long Ephesus and olketa nara taon wea staka thousand pipol need for herem gud nius abaotem Christ. Bat Jesus iusim holy spirit for stopem olketa for no followim datfala road. Bible no storyim hao holy spirit stopem olketa bat Jesus no laekem olketa for preach long Asia. Why nao olsem? Jesus laekem olketa for go pas long Asia Minor, akrosim Aegean Sea, and go olowe for Gangites River.

³ Iumi savve lanem plande samting from wei wea Jesus leadim Paul and olketa wea go witim hem for kasem Macedonia. Bae iumi storyim samfala samting wea happen long mek-tu missionary gogo bilong Paul wea hem startim long samting olsem 49 C.E.

“God Laekem Mifala for Go” (Acts 16:6-15)

4, 5. (a) Wanem nao happen taem Paul, Silas, and Timothy klosap kasem Bithynia? (b) Wanem nao olketa disaed for duim, and wanem nao happen?

⁴ From holy spirit stopem Paul, Silas, and Timothy for no preach long Asia, olketa go north, for preach long olketa taon long Bithynia. Maet olketa baeleg for staka day followim bush road wea go pas long olketa ples long Phrygia and Galatia wea no staka pipol stap. Bat taem olketa klosap kasem Bithynia, Jesus iusim holy spirit moa for stopem olketa for no go long there. (Acts 16:6, 7) Maet olketa konfius nao. Olketa savve wanem for preach abaotem and hao for preach, bat olketa no savve wea for preach. Olketa trae for preach long Asia bat holy spirit stopem olketa. Taem olketa klosap kasem Bithynia, sem samting happen tu. Bat Paul nating givap. Olketa disaedem samting wea maet long tingting bilong pipol hem krangge samting nomoa. Olketa baeleg west for samting olsem 550 kilometer. Olketa go pas long staka taon gogo olketa kasem Troas wea olketa savve sail go long Macedonia. (Acts 16:8) Paul garem chance for preach long Macedonia and distaem holy spirit no stopem olketa!

⁵ Luke joinim Paul, Silas, and Timothy long Troas and hem storyim samting wea happen. Hem sei: “Long naet, Paul hem lukim wanfala vision. Hem lukim wanfala man bilong Macedonia hem standap and sei long hem: ‘Plis, iu kam long Macedonia and helpem mifala.’ Bihaen Paul lukim vision hia nomoa, mifala go long Macedonia nao bikos mifala luksavve God laekem mifala for go talemaot gud nius long pipol long there.”a (Acts 16:9, 10) Paul hem savve nao wea for preach. Masbi Paul hapi tumas bikos hem no givap long gogo bilong hem! Stretawe fofala evriwan sail go long Macedonia.

6, 7. (a) Wanem nao iumi lanem from gogo bilong Paul? (b) Hao nao samting wea happen long Paul savve encouragem iumi?

⁶ Wanem nao iumi lanem? Tingim diswan: Bihaen Paul gogo for Asia, Jesus iusim holy spirit for stopem hem. Then bihaen Paul klosap kasem Bithynia, Jesus iusim holy spirit for stopem hem moa. Then bihaen Paul kasem Troas nao Jesus leadim hem for go long Macedonia. Jesus hem Hed bilong kongregeson and maet hem duim semkaen samting for leadim iumi tu. (Col. 1:18) Olsem example, maet iumi tingting for pioneer or go stap long ples wea needim olketa pablisa. Bat maet bihaen iumi duim samting for kasem goal bilong iumi nao, then Jesus givim holy spirit for leadim iumi. Why nao olsem? Tingim diswan: Sapos draeva laek tanem trak for go long left or raet, trak mas muv firstaem. Long sem wei, Jesus savve leadim iumi for duim moa samting long ministry sapos iumi duim samting firstaem for kasem goal bilong iumi.

⁷ Bat waswe sapos iumi trae for duim datwan bat iumi no kasem gud samting stretawe? Waswe, iumi shud givap nao bikos iumi tingse holy spirit no leadim iumi? Nomoa. Tingim Paul. Samfala samting wea hem laekem no happen followim tingting bilong hem. Nomata olsem, hem no givap. Iumi tu bae kasem gud samting sapos iumi lukaotem “chance for duim staka waka.”​—1 Cor. 16:9.

8. (a) Wanem kaen ples nao Philippi? (b) Wanem gud samting nao happen taem Paul preach long “ples for prea”?

⁸ Bihaen Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke kasem Macedonia, olketa go long Philippi. Pipol long there praod bikos olketa citizen bilong Rome. Plande samting long Philippi hem semsem olsem long Rome, so olketa soldia wea retire and stap long there feel olsem olketa stap nomoa long Rome. Taem olketa missionary go aotsaed long gate long Philippi, olketa faendem wanfala area saed long smol river wea hem “ples for prea.”b Long Sabbath, olketa go long there and lukim samfala woman hipap for worshipim God. So olketa sidaon and preach long olketa. Wanfala woman wea nem bilong hem Lydia “lisin long Paul, and Jehovah openem heart bilong hem.” Lydia bilivim samting wea olketa missionary teachim, so hem and evriwan wea stap long haos bilong hem baptaes. Then hem talem Paul and olketa nara missionary for kam stap long haos bilong hem.c​—Acts 16:13-15.

9. Wanem nao staka duim for followim example bilong Paul and wanem blessing nao olketa kasem?

⁹ Evriwan hapi tumas taem Lydia baptaes! Masbi Paul hapi tu hem go “long Macedonia” and Jehovah iusim hem and olketa narawan for ansarem prea bilong olketa woman long Philippi wea worshipim God! Distaem tu staka brata and sista wea young, olo, singol, or marit go stap long ples wea needim olketa pablisa. Nomata samfala taem hem no isi, olketa hapi tumas taem olketa meetim pipol wea olsem Lydia wea acceptim and followim tru samting long Bible. Waswe, iu savve changem samfala samting mekem iu go long ples wea needim olketa pablisa? Sapos olsem, bae iu kasem staka blessing. Tingim Aaron, wanfala brata wea winim 20 year wea go stap long wanfala kantri long Central America. Hem garem sem tingting olsem olketa narawan wea go preach long nara kantri. Hem sei: “From mi go preach long nara kantri, datwan helpem mi for kamap mature Christian and for fren gud witim Jehovah. Ministry hem gud tumas tu. Mi garem 8-fala Bible study!”

Evriwan “Againstim Tufala” (Acts 16:16-24)

10. Wanem nao olketa demon duim for againstim Paul and olketa wea go witim hem?

¹⁰ From pipol long Philippi duim olketa samting followim tingting bilong Satan and olketa demon, masbi Satan kros tumas taem pipol start for acceptim gud nius. So iumi no sapraes olketa demon mekem pipol for againstim Paul and olketa wea go witim hem! Taem olketa go long datfala ples for prea, wanfala gele wea demon stap long hem gohed followim olketa. Hem savve talem olketa samting wea no happen yet and olketa boss bilong hem savve tekem staka selen long diswan. Hem singaot olsem long Paul and olketa nara missionary: “Olketa man hia wakaman bilong Barava Haefala God. Olketa talem long iufala God hem sevem iufala.” Wanem Paul teachim hem kam from God, so maet demon nao mekem gele singaot olsem for mekem pipol tingse wanem gele hia talem kam from God tu. Datwan savve mekem pipol for no interest long samting wea olketa tru follower bilong Christ teachim. Paul les for herem gele hia singaot olsem so hem raosem datfala demon from hem.​—Acts 16:16-18.

11. Bihaen Paul raosem demon from datfala gele, wanem nao happen long hem and Silas?

¹¹ Taem olketa boss bilong gele hia luksavve olketa bae no tek selen moa, olketa kros fogud. Olketa holem Paul and Silas and tekem tufala go long market, wea hem nao ples wea olketa magistrate stap for kotem man. From olketa boss savve olketa judge tinghae long kantri and saedem olketa citizen bilong Rome, olketa sei: “Olketa Jew hia kosim problem long taon bilong iumi. Samting wea olketa teachim hem tambu for iumi followim bikos iumi pipol bilong Rome.” Semtaem nomoa, ‘evriwan long market againstim Paul and Silas’ and olketa magistrate talem police for “whipim tufala long olketa stik.” Then olketa tekem tufala long prison. Man wea lukaftarem prison putim tufala long wanfala rum midol long prison and putim leg bilong tufala long stock. (Acts 16:19-24) Taem hem satem door, rum hem dark fogud and Paul and Silas no savve lukim each other nao. Bat Jehovah lukim samting wea happen.​—Ps. 139:12.

12. (a) Hao nao tingting bilong olketa disaepol abaotem wei wea pipol spoelem olketa, and why nao olsem? (b) Wanem nao Satan and olketa wea hem iusim duim for againstim iumi?

¹² Staka year bifor, Jesus talem olketa disaepol: “Bae [pipol] spoelem iufala.” (John 15:20) So taem Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke go long Macedonia, olketa savve pipol bae againstim olketa. Taem datwan happen, olketa luksavve Satan nao kros long olketa and no Jehovah. Satan savve iusim pipol for againstim iumi tu, olsem hem duim long Philippi. Pipol long skul and long waka ples savve talem laea samting abaotem iumi for mekem pipol againstim iumi. Long samfala kantri, pipol bilong religion accusim iumi long kot and savve sei: ‘Olketa Witness hia kosim problem bikos olketa teachim samting wea iumi long “olketa main religion” hard for acceptim.’ Long samfala ples, pipol whipim and putim olketa brata and sista long prison. Nomata olsem, Jehovah lukim samting wea happen.​—1 Pet. 3:12.

‘Then Hem and Evriwan Long Famili Baptaes’ (Acts 16:25-34)

13. Why nao man wea lukaftarem prison askem Paul and Silas wanem hem mas duim for sev?

¹³ Masbi Paul and Silas ting raonem nogud samting wea happen long datfala day. Bat long midolnaet, luk olsem tufala feel gud lelebet bikos tufala “gohed prea and singsing for praisem God.” Then seknomoa earthquake barava sekem prison! Man wea lukaftarem prison hem wekap and lukim olketa door long prison open. Hem tingse olketa prisoner ranawe finis. From hem savve olketa bigman bae panisim hem sapos olketa prisoner ranawe, “hem tekem sword bilong hem and laek for killim dae hemseleva.” Bat Paul singaot olsem: “Iu no spoelem iuseleva, mifala evriwan stap nomoa!” Datfala man seksek fogud and askem tufala: “Wanem nao mi mas duim for God sevem mi?” Paul and Silas savve Jesus nomoa savve sevem hem, so tufala sei: “Iu mas biliv long Lord Jesus mekem God bae sevem iu.”​—Acts 16:25-31.

14. (a) Wanem nao Paul and Silas duim for helpem man wea lukaftarem prison? (b) Wanem blessing nao Paul and Silas kasem from tufala gohed hapi nomata pipol spoelem tufala?

¹⁴ Waswe, datfala man really laek for savve long ansa for kwestin bilong hem? Paul luksavve hem interest. Datfala man hem no Jew and hem no savve long olketa Holy Raeting. Bifor hem savve kamap Christian, hem mas lanem and acceptim olketa main teaching long olketa Holy Raeting. So Paul and Silas iusim taem for “storyim message bilong Jehovah long hem.” Taem tufala teachim hem, maet tufala no tingim nao body bilong tufala hem soa fogud. Bat man hia lukim baksaed bilong tufala garekil nogud, so hem wasim garekil bilong tufala. “Then hem and evriwan long famili bilong hem baptaes.” Datwan hem nambawan blessing wea Paul and Silas kasem from tufala gohed hapi nomata pipol spoelem tufala!​—Acts 16:32-34.

15. (a) Hao nao staka Witness distaem followim example bilong Paul and Silas? (b) Why nao iumi shud evritaem go bak for visitim pipol long territory?

¹⁵ Distaem tu, staka Witness stap long prison bikos long faith bilong olketa. Olsem Paul and Silas, olketa preach long narawan and gud samting hem happen. Olsem example, long wanfala kantri wea gavman tambuim preaching waka, klosap haf long namba bilong olketa Witness lanem truth abaotem Jehovah taem olketa stap long prison! (Isa. 54:17) Tingim tu, datfala man wea lukaftarem prison askem Paul and Silas for helpem hem bihaen earthquake hem happen. Maet samfala pipol distaem tu acceptim message abaotem Kingdom bihaen nogud samting seknomoa kasem olketa. Sapos iumi evritaem go bak for visitim pipol long territory, iumi savve teachim olketa taem olketa redi for acceptim help bilong iumi.

“Olketa Laek Aotem Mitufala Haed” (Acts 16:35-40)

16. Long day bihaen police whipim Paul and Silas, wanem nao olketa magistrate mas duim?

¹⁶ Long day bihaen police whipim Paul and Silas, olketa magistrate sendem police for go aotem tufala from prison. Bat Paul sei: “Nomoa ia! Olketa seleva nao mas kam aotem mitufala. Olketa laek aotem mitufala haed bikos nomata mitufala man bilong Rome and no duim eni rong samting bat olketa whipim mitufala nogud front long evriwan and putim mitufala long prison.” Taem olketa magistrate herem Paul and Silas tufala man bilong Rome, olketa “fraet nao” bikos olketa brekem law.d From olketa magistrate talem police for whipim tufala front long evriwan, olketa mas sei sorre long tufala front long evriwan tu. Bihaen olketa sei sorre, olketa talem Paul and Silas for lusim Philippi. Tufala obeyim olketa bat tufala go firstaem for encouragem olketa niu disaepol. Then tufala lusim Philippi.

17. Wanem important samting nao olketa niu disaepol lanem from Paul and Silas gohed strong nomata pipol spoelem olketa?

¹⁷ Sapos Paul and Silas talem olketa magistrate tufala citizen bilong Rome, maet olketa magistrate no talem police for whipim tufala. (Acts 22:25, 26) Bat maet datwan mekem olketa disaepol long Philippi tingse Paul and Silas laek mekius long wei wea tufala citizen bikos tufala no laek safa. Hao nao bae olketa disaepol wea no citizen bilong Rome ting long datwan? Maet hem spoelem faith bilong olketa bikos olketa no garem eni law wea stopem pipol for whipim olketa. Paul and Silas showimaot gud example long olketa niu disaepol hao olketa wea followim Christ savve gohed strong nomata pipol spoelem olketa. And from Paul and Silas mekem olketa magistrate talemaot front long pipol tufala citizen bilong Rome, datwan mekem pipol luksavve olketa magistrate brekem law. Datwan savve mekem olketa magistrate for no spoelem olketa nara Christian and protectim olketa saed long law from eni nogud samting wea maet kamap bihaen.

18. (a) Hao nao olketa elder distaem followim example bilong Paul? (b) Wanem nao iumi savve duim for ‘defendim gud nius and kasem raet for preachim datwan’?

¹⁸ Olketa elder long kongregeson showimaot gud example for iumi tu. Eni samting wea olketa laekem nara Christian for duim, olketa tu willing for duim. And olsem Paul, iumi ting raonem best wei and taem for iusim raet bilong iumi saed long law for protectim iumiseleva. Sapos pipol stopem iumi for no worshipim Jehovah, iumi askem lokol kot, hae kot, or big kot long nara kantri for herem case bilong iumi. Goal bilong iumi hem no for changem samfala samting long gavman bat for “iusim law for defendim datfala gud nius and for kasem raet for preachim datwan.” Hem nao samting wea Paul raet abaotem long kongregeson long Philippi samting olsem 10-fala year bihaen hem prisoner long there. (Phil. 1:7) Nomata wanem nao disison bilong kot, iumi bae followim example bilong Paul and olketa wea go witim hem for gohed “talemaot gud nius long pipol” long evri ples wea holy spirit leadim iumi.—Acts 16:10.