Acts 16
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
16Now Paul also arrived at aDerbe and at bLystra. And behold, a disciple was there, named cTimothy, the son of a dJewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, 2and he was well spoken of by athe brothers who were in bLystra and cIconium. 3Paul wanted this man to 1go with him, and he atook him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering athe decrees which had been decided upon by bthe apostles and celders who were in Jerusalem, for them to keep. 5So athe churches were being strengthened 1in the faith, and were babounding in number daily.
The Macedonian Vision
6And they passed through the 1,aPhrygian and bGalatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in 2,cAsia; 7and after they came to aMysia, they were trying to go into bBithynia, and the cSpirit of Jesus did not permit them; 8and passing by aMysia, they came down to bTroas. 9aAnd a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of bMacedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10And when he had seen athe vision, immediately bwe sought to 1go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to cproclaim the gospel to them.
Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi
11So setting sail from aTroas, we ran ba straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis; 12and from there to aPhilippi, which is a leading city of the district of bMacedonia, ca Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days. 13And on athe Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and sitting down, we began speaking to the women who had assembled. 14And a woman named Lydia, from the city of aThyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, ba worshiper of God, was listening, whose heart the Lord copened to pay attention to the things spoken by Paul. 15And when she and aher household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
Paul and Silas in Prison
16Now it happened that as we were going to athe place of prayer, a servant-girl having ba spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are slaves of athe Most High God, who are proclaiming to you 1the way of salvation.” 18And she continued doing this for many days. But being greatly annoyed, Paul turned and said to the spirit, “I command you ain the name of Jesus Christ to leave her!” And it left at that very 1moment.
19But when her masters saw that their hope of aprofit had left, they seized bPaul and Silas and cdragged them into the marketplace before the authorities, 20and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, 21and aare proclaiming customs that are not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being bRomans.” 22And the crowd joined together to attack them, and the chief magistrates, tearing their garments off of them, proceeded to order them to be abeaten with rods. 23And when they had inflicted them with many wounds, they threw them into prison, commanding athe jailer to guard them securely, 24who, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in athe 1stocks.
The Philippian Jailer Converted
25But about midnight aPaul and Silas were praying and bsinging hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26And suddenly athere came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the jailhouse were shaken; and immediately ball the doors were opened and everyone’s cchains were unfastened. 27And when athe jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about bto kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before aPaul and Silas, 30and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, awhat must I do to be saved?” 31And they said, “aBelieve in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and byour house.” 32And they spoke the word of 1the Lord to him together with all who were in his household. 33And he took them athat very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. 34And he brought them into his house and set 1food before them, and rejoiced 2greatly with ahis whole household, because he had believed in God.
35Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their policemen, saying, “Release those men.” 36And athe jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Therefore come out now and go bin peace.” 37But Paul said to them, “Having beaten us in public without trial, amen who are Romans, they have thrown us into prison. And now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.” 38And the policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. aThey were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, 39and they came and appealed to them, and when they had brought them out, they kept requesting them ato leave the city. 40And they went out of the prison and entered the house of aLydia, and when they saw bthe brothers, they 1encouraged them and left.