6th Sunday of Pascha
Sunday of the Man born blind
Acts 16:16-34
A reading - from the Acts of the Holy Apostles
Brothers and sisters: In those days, while Paul and Luke were on their way to the place of prayer they met a slave girl who had a clairvoyant spirit. She used to bring substantial profit to her masters by fortune | tell | ing.
The girl began to follow Paul and the rest of them shouting, "these men are Servants of the most high God; they will make known to you a way of sal | va | tion."
She did this for several days until finally Paul became annoyed, turned around, and said to the spirit, "in the name of Jesus Christ I command you, come out | of | her!"
Then and there the spirit left her. When her masters saw that their source of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the main square before the local a | uthor | ities.
They turned them over to the magistrates with this complaint: "these men are agitators disturbing the peace of our city! Furthermore, they are jews, which means they advocate customs which are not lawful for us Romans to adopt or | prac | tice."
The crowd joined in the attack on them, and the magistrates stripped them and ordered them to | be | flogged.
After receiving many lashes they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was given instructions to guard | them | well.
Upon receipt of these instructions he put them in maximum security, going so far as to chain their feet to | a | stake.
About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God as their fellow prisoners listened, a severe earthquake suddenly shook the place, rocking the prison to its | found | ations.
Immediately all the doors flew open and everyone's chains were pulled loose. The jailer woke up to see the prison gates | wide | open.
Thinking that the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword to kill himself; but Paul shouted to him "do not harm yourself! We are | still | here."
The jailer called for a light, then rushed in and fell trembling at the feet of Paul and silas. After a brief interval he led them out and said, "men, what must I do to | be | saved?"
Their answer was, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, and all your | house | hold."
They proceeded to announce the word of God to him and to everyone in | his | house.
At that late hour of the night he took them in and bathed their wounds; then he and his whole household were | bap | tized.
He led them up to his house, spread a table before them, and joyfully celebrated with his whole family his - new - found - faith - in - God.