Acts 16

1 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where he found a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father.

2 The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.

3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, so he took him and circumcised him on account of the Jews in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

4 As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.

5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

6 After the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia.

7 And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit would not permit them.

8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.

9 During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

10 As soon as Paul had seen the vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

11 Therefore we sailed from Troas straight to Samothrace, and the following day on to Neapolis.

12 From there we went to the Roman colony of Philippi, the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.

13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there.

14 Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.

15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

16 One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling.

17 This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to us the way of salvation!”

18 She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment.

19 When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace.

20 They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil

21 by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.”

22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods.

23 And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.

24 On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

26 Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.

27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped.

28 But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!”

29 Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.

30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household.”

32 Then Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.

33 At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized.

34 Then he brought them into his home and set a meal before them. So he and all his household rejoiced that they had come to believe in God.

35 When daylight came, the magistrates sent their officers with the order: “Release those men.”

36 The jailer informed Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders to release you. Now you may go on your way in peace.”

37 But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!”

38 So the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, who were alarmed to hear that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

39 They came to appease them and led them out, requesting that they leave the city.

40 After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house to see the brothers and encourage them. Then they left the city.

1 ¶ Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father [was] a Greek:

2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.

3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.

5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

6 ¶ Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,

7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.

9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next [day] to Neapolis;

12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, [and] a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.

13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted [thither].

14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard [us]: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought [us], saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide [there]. And she constrained us.

16 ¶ And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew [them] into the marketplace unto the rulers,

20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,

21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat [them].

23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast [them] into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

25 ¶ And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed [their] stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

35 ¶ And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.

36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.

37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast [us] into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.

38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.

39 And they came and besought them, and brought [them] out, and desired [them] to depart out of the city.

40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into [the house of] Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

1 And he came to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, there was there a disciple named Timotheus, the son of a Jewess, which believed, but of a Greek father.

2 Who had a good report among the brethren of the Lystrans, and of Iconium.

3 And Paul, willing to let him go with him, took him, and circumcised him, for the Jews' sakes, which were in the same place: for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

4 And as they passed through the cities, they charged them to keep the sentence which was decreed by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.

5 Then the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

6 And as they passed through Phrygia and the country of Galatia, they were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to speak the word in Asia.

7 And when they were come to Mysia, they sought to pass through Bithynia; and the Spirit suffered them not.

8 And when they were passed by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

9 And there appeared unto Paul a vision by night, a man of Macedonia standing, and beseeching him, saying, Come down into Macedonia, and help us.

10 And when he had seen the vision, we sought immediately to go into Macedonia, assuredly that the Lord had called us thither to preach the gospel unto them.

11 So we departed from Troas, and straightway we came to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis.

12 And thence to Philippi, which is the capital of the land of Macedonia, and a free city. And we dwelt in that city some days.

13 And it came to pass on the sabbath day, that we went out of the city unto the waters where they worshipped, and sat down, and spake unto the women that were gathered together.

14 And a godly woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, was listening; to whom the Lord opened her heart, that she might give heed to the things which were spoken of Paul.

15 And when she and her house were baptized, she exhorted us, saying, If ye esteem me a believer in the LORD, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

16 And it came to pass, as we went to the prayer, that a certain maid met us, which had a spirit of divination, and did much pleasure to her masters in divination.

17 These followed Paul and us everywhere, crying out and saying, These men are servants of GOD, the Most High, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.

18 And she did so many days. But Paul was pained at this, and turned and said unto the spirit: I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ, that thou depart from her. And he departed at that very hour.

19 And when their lords saw that the hope of their enjoyment was gone, they took Paul and Silas, and brought them into the market before the rulers.

20 And they brought them unto the captains, and said: These men make our city mad, and are Jews

21 Proclaiming a manner which it behooveth us not to receive nor to do, because we are Romans.

22 And the people were aroused against them. And the captains rent them their clothes, and beat them.

23 And when they had beheaded them, they cast them into prison, and commanded the keeper of the prison that he should keep them safe.

24 And he accepted such a commandment, and cast them into the innermost prison, and put their feet into the stocks.

25 And about midnight Paul and Silas prayed, praising God. And they heard the prisoners.

26 And quickly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And from that time all the doors were opened, and all the bands were loosed.

27 And when the jailer arose out of sleep, and saw the doors of the prison opened, he drew out his sword, and would have slain himself: for he thought that the prisoners had escaped.

28 And Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thee no harm: for we are all here.

29 And he asked for a light, and leaped in, and trembled, and fell at the feet of Paul and Silas.

30 And brought them forth, and said, Sirs, what shall I do to be saved?

31 And they said. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house.

32 And they told him the word of the LORD, and all that were in his house.

33 And he took them unto him in that hour of the night, and washed their sores; and he was baptized, and all his own immediately.

34 And he brought them into his house, and set them a table, and rejoiced with all his house that he had believed in GOD.

35 And when it was day, the captains of the cities sent servants, saying: Let the people go.

36 And the keeper of the prison declared these words unto Paul, saying, The captains have sent to loose you. Now therefore go forth, and depart in peace.

37 And Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly without judgment, being Romans, and have cast us into prison, and now shall they cast us out privily? Not so; but let them come themselves, and bring us out.

38 And the servants of the city told these words unto the captains: and they were afraid, because they heard that they were Romans,

39 And came and exhorted them, and brought them out, and besought them to go out of the city.

40 And they went out of the prison, and went to Lydia. And when they had seen the brethren, and were comforted, they departed.