16Acts 16

1He also came to Derbe and to Lystra. At Lystra he found a disciple, Timothy by name--the son of a Christian Jewess, though he had a Greek father.Select Acts 16:1

2Timothy was well spoken of by the brethren at Lystra and Iconium,Select Acts 16:2

3and Paul desiring that he should accompany him on his journey, took him and circumcised him on account of the Jews in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.Select Acts 16:3

4As they journeyed on from town to town, they handed to the brethren for their observance the decisions which had been arrived at by the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem.Select Acts 16:4

5So the Churches went on gaining a stronger faith and growing in numbers from day to day.Select Acts 16:5

6Then Paul and his companions passed through Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Message in the province of Asia.Select Acts 16:6

7When they reached the frontier of Mysia, they were about to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit this.Select Acts 16:7

8So, passing along Mysia, they came to Troas.Select Acts 16:8

9Here, one night, Paul saw a vision. There was a Macedonian who was standing, entreating him and saying, "Come over into Macedonia and help us."Select Acts 16:9

10So when he had seen the vision, we immediately looked out for an opportunity of passing on into Macedonia, confidently inferring that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to the people there.Select Acts 16:10

11Accordingly we put out to sea from Troas, and ran a straight course to Samothrace. The next day we came to Neapolis,Select Acts 16:11

12and thence to Philippi, which is a city in Macedonia, the first in its district, a Roman colony. And there we stayed some little time.Select Acts 16:12

13On the Sabbath we went beyond the city gate to the riverside, where we had reason to believe that there was a place for prayer; and sitting down we talked with the women who had come together.Select Acts 16:13

14Among our hearers was one named Lydia, a dealer in purple goods. She belonged to the city of Thyateira, and was a worshipper of the true God. The Lord opened her heart, so that she gave attention to what Paul was saying.Select Acts 16:14

15When she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, "If in your judgement I am a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house." And she made us go there.Select Acts 16:15

16One day, as we were on our way to the place of prayer, a slave girl met us who claimed to be inspired and was accustomed to bring her owners large profits by telling fortunes.Select Acts 16:16

17She kept following close behind Paul and the rest of us, crying aloud, "These men are the bondservants of the Most High God, and are proclaiming to you the way of salvation."Select Acts 16:17

18This she persisted in for a considerable time, until Paul, wearied out, turned round and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out immediately.Select Acts 16:18

19But when her owners saw that their hopes of gain were gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them off to the magistrates in the public square.Select Acts 16:19

20Then they brought them before the praetors. "These men," they said, "are creating a great disturbance in our city.Select Acts 16:20

21They are Jews, and are teaching customs which we, as Romans, are not permitted to adopt or practise."Select Acts 16:21

22The crowd, too, joined in the outcry against them, till at length the praetors ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods;Select Acts 16:22

23and, after severely flogging them, they threw them into jail and bade the jailer keep them safely.Select Acts 16:23

24He, having received an order like that, lodged them in the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks.Select Acts 16:24

25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,Select Acts 16:25

26when suddenly there was such a violent shock of earthquake that the prison shook to its foundations. Instantly the doors all flew open, and the chains fell off from every prisoner.Select Acts 16:26

27Starting up from sleep and seeing the doors of the jail wide open, the jailer drew his sword and was on the point of killing himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.Select Acts 16:27

28But Paul shouted loudly to him, saying, "Do yourself no injury: we are all here.Select Acts 16:28

29Then, calling for lights, he sprang in and fell trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas;Select Acts 16:29

30and, bringing them out of the prison, he exclaimed, "O sirs, what must I do to be saved?"Select Acts 16:30

31"Believe on the Lord Jesus," they replied, "and both you and your household will be saved."Select Acts 16:31

32And they told the Lord's Message to him as well as to all who were in his house.Select Acts 16:32

33Then he took them, even at that time of night, washed their wounds, and he and all his household were immediately baptized;Select Acts 16:33

34and bringing the Apostles up into his house, he spread a meal for them, and was filled with gladness, with his whole household, his faith resting on God.Select Acts 16:34

35In the morning the praetors sent their lictors with the order, "Release those men."Select Acts 16:35

36So the jailer brought Paul word, saying, "The praetors have sent orders for you to be released. Now therefore you can go, and proceed on your way in peace."Select Acts 16:36

37But Paul said to them, "After cruelly beating us in public, without trial, Roman citizens though we are, they have thrown us into prison, and are they now going to send us away privately? No, indeed! Let them come in person and fetch us out."Select Acts 16:37

38This answer the lictors took back to the praetors, who were alarmed when they were told that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.Select Acts 16:38

39Accordingly they came and apologized to them; and, bringing them out, asked them to leave the city.Select Acts 16:39

40Then Paul and Silas, having come out of the prison, went to Lydia's house; and, after seeing the brethren and encouraging them, they left Philippi.Select Acts 16:40