루디아(Lydia) 는
Thyatira 에 살던 자색 옷감 장사였다. 개역한글 판에서는 '
자주 장사 로도 기록되어있다.
당시 자주색 옷감은 굉장히 비싼 염료로 색을 들인 옷감으로 로마의 귀족에서 입는 옷이었다.
따라서 이 루디아는 상당히 부유한 사람이이었을 것으로 추측된다.
Paul 이 유럽으로 첫 전도를 시작하게 되었을 때 맞이한 첫 제자가 바로 루디아이다.
그녀는 바울의 전도에 감화되어 그들을 자신들의 집에 머물도록 강권하였다.
12 and from there to Philippi , which is a city of Macedonia , the foremost of the district, a Roman colony. We were staying some days in this city.
13 On the Sabbath day we went outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
14 A certain woman named Lydia , a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira , one who worshiped God, heard us. The Lord opened her heart to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul .
15 When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.
이후,
Paul 과
Silas 가 그곳에서 귀신들린 여종을 고쳐준 일로 감옥에 갖혔다가 풀려날 때에,
이 루디아의 집에 많은 형제들이 기도하고 있었던 것으로 보인다. 바울은 그들에게 안부를 전하고 길을 떠난다.
35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, “Let those men go.”
36 The jailer reported these words to Paul , saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore come out and go in peace.”
37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most certainly, but let them come themselves and bring us out!”
38 The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,
39 and they came and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to depart from the city.
40 They went out of the prison, and entered into Lydia ’s house. When they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them, then departed.