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Timothy travels with Paul and Silas

16 Paul travelled to Derbe and then he arrived in Lystra. A man called Timothy lived in Lystra. He was a believer. His mother was a Jew who had become a believer in Jesus. But Timothy's father was a Gentile who came from Greece. 2 All the believers in Lystra and Iconium said good things about Timothy. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to travel with him to different places. All the Jews in that region knew that Timothy's father was a Gentile. So Paul circumcised Timothy, so that the Jews would accept him. [ a ]

4 Paul, Silas and Timothy travelled through many towns. In each place, they told the believers the things that the apostles and the other leaders in Jerusalem had decided. They told the believers to obey those rules. 5 In this way, the groups of believers in those towns became stronger. They trusted Jesus more. More and more people joined the groups of believers every day.

Paul has a vision

6 Paul and his friends wanted to go to the region of Asia to speak God's message. But the Holy Spirit stopped them from doing this. So they travelled through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia. 7 Then they arrived at the edge of the region of Mysia. They wanted to go from there into the region of Bithynia. But the Holy Spirit of Jesus stopped them from going there too. 8 So they went quickly through Mysia and they arrived at the city of Troas, on the coast.

9 During that night, Paul had a vision. In the vision, he saw a man from the region called Macedonia. The man stood there and he said to Paul, ‘Please, please come across the sea to Macedonia and help us.’ 10 After Paul's vision, we immediately prepared ourselves for the journey to Macedonia. [ b ] We decided that God was telling us to go there. He wanted us to tell the people there the good news about Jesus.

Lydia becomes a believer

11 We got in a ship at Troas and we sailed across the sea. We went across to an island called Samothrace. The next day, we continued our journey to a port called Neapolis. 12 We then travelled across the land to Philippi, the most important city in the region of Macedonia. The Romans ruled Philippi and many Roman people lived there. We stayed there for a few days.

13 On the Jewish day of rest, we went out of the city gate. We went down to the edge of the river. We thought that the Jews might have a special meeting place there. We thought that they would meet there to pray. We found a group of women who were meeting there. So we sat down and we talked to them. [ c ]

14 One of the women who listened to us was called Lydia. She was from the city of Thyatira. She bought and sold expensive dark red cloth. She was a Gentile woman who now worshipped God. The Lord helped her to understand Paul's message. So she believed the things that he said.

15 Then Paul and Silas baptized Lydia and the other people who lived in her house. After this, Lydia asked us to go to her house. She said to us, ‘If you think that I really believe in the Lord Jesus, then please stay in my house.’ We agreed to go and to stay there.

The Roman rulers put Paul and Silas in prison

16 One day, we were going to the place where people prayed to God. On the way there, we met a slave girl. A bad spirit was living inside her. This spirit told her what would happen soon. People gave her masters a lot of money when she told them about these future things. 17 She followed Paul and all of us. She was shouting, ‘These men are servants of the powerful God who is over all! They are telling you how God can save you!’

18 The slave girl continued to do this for many days. After some time, Paul became angry. So he turned round and he said to the bad spirit, ‘I am using the authority of Jesus Christ! I command you to leave this woman!’ When Paul said that, the spirit left her immediately.

19 Her masters now knew that the girl could not get money for them any more. So they took hold of Paul and Silas and they pulled them to the market place of the city. They took them to stand in front of the leaders of the city. 20 They asked the important officers to judge them. They said, ‘These men are Jews. They are causing much trouble in our city. 21 They are teaching people to obey strange ideas. We are Roman people. We cannot agree with these laws. They are not right for us to do.’

22 A lot of people quickly came together there. They started to attack Paul and Silas. So the important officers said to their soldiers, ‘Tear the clothes off Paul and Silas. Then hit them with sticks!’ 23 The soldiers hit Paul and Silas many times. Then they took hold of them and they pushed them into the prison. The officers said to the prison guard, ‘Lock the prison door carefully so that these men cannot get free.’

24 The prison guard did what he had been told to do. He put Paul and Silas in a room in the middle of the prison. He put their feet between big heavy pieces of wood so that they could not move their legs.

25 At midnight, Paul and Silas were praying. They were also singing songs to praise God. The other people in the prison were listening to them. 26 The ground under the prison suddenly shook strongly. Immediately, all the prison doors opened. The chains that held the people in the prison all fell off. 27 The prison guard woke up. He saw that the prison doors were open. He thought that all the people in the prison had become free. He decided that he should kill himself. So he pulled out his sword. [ d ]

28 Paul shouted very loudly to him, ‘Do not hurt yourself! We are all still in here!’

29 The guard said, ‘Bring me some lights.’ Then he ran to the prison room where Paul and Silas were. He was very frightened. He went down on his knees in front of them. 30 Then he led Paul and Silas out of the prison. He said to them, ‘Masters, what must I do so that God will save me? Tell me!’

31 Paul and Silas said to him, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus and then God will save you. He will save you and the people who live in your house, if they believe too.’ 32 Then Paul and Silas went to the guard's house. They spoke God's message about the Lord Jesus to him and to all the people in his house. 33 In the middle of the night, the man took care of them. He washed their bodies where the soldiers had hurt them. Immediately after this, Paul and Silas baptized the man and his whole family. 34 The man gave them some food to eat in his house. The guard and all his family were very happy because now they believed in God.

35 The next morning, the important officers sent their police to the prison with a message for the guard. They told him, ‘Let those men go free.’ 36 The guard went to Paul and he told him, ‘The city officers have sent a message to me. They said, “Let Paul and Silas go free.” So now you can leave the prison. Nobody will hurt you any more.’

37 But Paul spoke to the police who had brought the message. He said, ‘The city officers did not find that we had done anything wrong. But they commanded their soldiers to hit us with sticks in front of everybody. We are citizens of Rome but they still did this to us. They even put us into prison. Now they want us to leave the prison and go away. They want to send us away secretly. We will not agree! The Roman officers must come here to the prison themselves. Then they must lead us out for everyone to see.’

38 The police returned to the city officers. They told them what Paul had said. The officers now understood that Paul and Silas were citizens of Rome. This made them very afraid. 39 So they went to see Paul and Silas in the prison. They told Paul and Silas that they were very sorry. Then they led Paul and Silas out of the prison. They asked them to leave the city. 40 After Paul and Silas left the prison, they went to Lydia's house. There they met the other believers. They spoke to the believers to make them strong. Then Paul and Silas left Philippi. [ e ]

Footnotes

  1. 16:3 Timothy's father was not a Jew. So nobody had circumcised Timothy when he was a baby. Paul wanted Timothy to go with him to help him with his work. Paul wanted to tell Jews, not only Gentiles, the good news about Jesus. These Jews knew Timothy. They knew that his father was not a Jew. This is why Paul circumcised Timothy. If he had not done this, the Jews would not have accepted him.
  2. 16:10 'We' is used here so it seems that Luke met Paul, Silas and Timothy in Troas.
  3. 16:13 Not many Jews were living in Philippi, so they did not have a synagogue. Instead, they met at the side of the river to pray together.
  4. 16:27 The guard thought that the people in the prison had run away. He knew that this would be a very bad thing for him. If this had happened, the leader of the soldiers would kill him. So he decided to kill himself.
  5. 16:40 Luke did not go with Paul and Silas when they left Philippi.

Timothy Goes With Paul and Silas

16 Paul went to the city of Derbe and then to Lystra, where a follower of Jesus named Timothy lived. Timothy’s mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 The believers in the cities of Lystra and Iconium had only good things to say about him. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to travel with him, but all the Jews living in that area knew that his father was a Greek. So Paul circumcised Timothy to please the Jews.

4 Then Paul and those with him traveled through other cities. They gave the believers the rules and decisions from the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. They told them to obey these rules. 5 So the churches were becoming stronger in their faith, and the number of believers was growing every day.

Paul Is Called to Macedonia

6 Paul and those with him went through the areas of Phrygia and Galatia because the Holy Spirit did not allow them to tell the Good News in the province of Asia. 7 When they reached the border of Mysia, they tried to go on into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not let them go there. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went to the city of Troas.

9 That night Paul saw a vision. In it, a man from Macedonia came to Paul. The man stood there and begged, “Come across to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we [ a ] immediately prepared to leave for Macedonia. We understood that God had called us to tell the Good News to those people.

The Conversion of Lydia

11 We left Troas in a ship and sailed to the island of Samothrace. The next day we sailed to the city of Neapolis. 12 Then we went to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city in that part of Macedonia. We stayed there for a few days.

13 On the Sabbath day we went out the city gate to the river. There we thought we might find a special place for prayer. Some women had gathered there, so we sat down and talked with them. 14 There was a woman there named Lydia from the city of Thyatira. Her job was selling purple cloth. She was a worshiper of the true God. Lydia was listening to Paul, and the Lord opened her heart to accept what Paul was saying. 15 She and all the people living in her house were baptized. Then she invited us into her home. She said, “If you think I am a true believer in the Lord Jesus, come stay in my house.” She persuaded us to stay with her.

Paul and Silas in Jail

16 One day we were going to the place for prayer, and a servant girl met us. She had a spirit [ b ] in her that gave her the power to tell what would happen in the future. By doing this she earned a lot of money for the men who owned her. 17 She started following Paul and the rest of us around. She kept shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God! They are telling you how you can be saved!” 18 She continued doing this for many days. This bothered Paul, so he turned and said to the spirit, “By the power of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!” Immediately, the spirit came out.

19 When the men who owned the servant girl saw this, they realized that they could no longer use her to make money. So they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them to the public square to meet with the authorities. 20 They brought Paul and Silas before the Roman officials and said, “These men are Jews, and they are making trouble in our city. 21 They are telling people to do things that are not right for us as Romans to do.”

22 The whole crowd turned against Paul and Silas. The officials tore the clothes off both men and ordered that they be beaten with rods. 23 They were beaten severely and thrown into jail. The officials told the jailer, “Guard them very carefully!” 24 When the jailer heard this special order, he put Paul and Silas far inside the jail and bound their feet between large blocks of wood.

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was an earthquake so strong that it shook the foundation of the jail. All the doors of the jail opened, and the chains on all the prisoners fell off. 27 The jailer woke up and saw that the jail doors were open. He thought that the prisoners had already escaped, so he got his sword and was ready to kill himself. [ c ] 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t hurt yourself! We are all here!”

29 The jailer told someone to bring a light. Then he ran inside and, shaking with fear, fell down in front of Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them outside and said, “Men, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They said to him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and all who live in your house.” 32 So Paul and Silas told the message of the Lord to the jailer and all the people who lived in his house. 33 It was late at night, but the jailer took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Then the jailer and all his people were baptized. 34 After this the jailer took Paul and Silas home and gave them some food. All the people were very happy because they now believed in God.

35 The next morning the Roman officials sent some soldiers to tell the jailer, “Let these men go free.”

36 The jailer said to Paul, “The officials have sent these soldiers to let you go free. You can leave now. Go in peace.”

37 But Paul said to the soldiers, “Those officials did not prove that we did anything wrong, but they beat us in public and put us in jail. And we are Roman citizens. [ d ] Now they want us to go away quietly. No, they must come here themselves and lead us out!”

38 The soldiers told the officials what Paul said. When they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were afraid. 39 So they came and told them they were sorry. They led them out of the jail and asked them to leave the city. 40 But when Paul and Silas came out of the jail, they went to Lydia’s house. They saw some of the believers there and encouraged them. Then they left.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 16:10 we Luke, the writer, apparently went with Paul to Macedonia but did not leave Philippi with him. (See verse 40.) The first person pronoun occurs again in 20:5-21:18 and 27:1-28.
  2. Acts 16:16 spirit A spirit from the devil that gave special knowledge.
  3. Acts 16:27 kill himself He thought the leaders would kill him for letting the prisoners escape.
  4. Acts 16:37 Roman citizens Roman law said that Roman citizens must not be beaten before their trial.

16 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.

The Macedonian Vision

16 Now Paul also came to ( A ) Derbe and to ( B ) Lystra. And a disciple was there, named ( C ) Timothy, the son of a ( D ) Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, 2 and he was well spoken of by ( E ) the brothers and sisters who were in ( F ) Lystra and ( G ) Iconium. 3 Paul wanted this man to leave with him; and he ( H ) took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering ( I ) the ordinances for them to follow which had been determined by ( J ) the apostles and ( K ) elders in Jerusalem. 5 So ( L ) the churches were being strengthened [ a ] in the faith, and were ( M ) increasing in number daily.

6 They passed through the [ b ] ( N ) Phrygian and ( O ) Galatian region, after being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in [ c ] ( P ) Asia; 7 and after they came to ( Q ) Mysia, they were trying to go into ( R ) Bithynia, and the ( S ) Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; 8 and passing by ( T ) Mysia, they went down to ( U ) Troas. 9 ( V ) And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of ( W ) Macedonia was standing and pleading with him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 When he had seen ( X ) the vision, ( Y ) we immediately sought to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to ( Z ) preach the gospel to them.

11 So after setting sail from ( AA ) Troas, we ran ( AB ) a straight course to Samothrace, and on the following day to Neapolis; 12 and from there to ( AC ) Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of ( AD ) Macedonia, ( AE ) a Roman colony; and we were spending some days in this city. 13 And on ( AF ) the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were thinking that there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled.

First Convert in Europe

14 A woman named Lydia was listening; she was a seller of purple fabrics from the city of ( AG ) Thyatira, and ( AH ) a worshiper of God. [ d ] The Lord ( AI ) opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. 15 Now when she and ( AJ ) her 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.

16 It happened that as we were going to ( AK ) the place of prayer, a slave woman who had ( AL ) a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing great profit to her masters by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us and cried out repeatedly , saying, “These men are bond-servants of ( AM ) the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you a way of salvation.” 18 Now she continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and he turned and said to the spirit, “I command you ( AN ) in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very [ e ] moment.

19 But when her masters saw that their hope of ( AO ) profit was suddenly gone, they seized ( AP ) Paul and Silas and ( AQ ) dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities, 20 and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men, Jews as they are, are causing our city trouble, 21 and they ( AR ) are proclaiming customs that are not lawful for us to accept or to practice, since we are ( AS ) Romans.”

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

22 The crowd joined in an attack against them, and the chief magistrates tore their [ f ] robes off them and proceeded to order [ g ] them to be ( AT ) beaten with rods. 23 When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding ( AU ) the jailer to guard them securely; 24 [ h ] and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in ( AV ) the [ i ] stocks.

25 Now about midnight ( AW ) Paul and Silas were praying and ( AX ) singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26 and suddenly ( AY ) there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately ( AZ ) all the doors were opened, and everyone’s ( BA ) chains were unfastened. 27 When ( BB ) the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about ( BC ) to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29 And the jailer asked for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear, he fell down before ( BD ) Paul and Silas; 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, ( BE ) what must I do to be saved?”

The Jailer Converted

31 They said, “ ( BF ) Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and ( BG ) your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of God to him together with all who were in his house. 33 And he took them ( BH ) that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household . 34 And he brought them into his house and set [ j ] food before them, and was [ k ] overjoyed, since he had become a believer in God together with ( BI ) his whole household.

35 Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their officers, saying, “Release those men.” 36 And ( BJ ) the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying , “The chief magistrates have sent word that you be released. So come out now and go ( BK ) in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them, “After beating us in public without due process— ( BL ) men who are Romans—they threw us into prison; and now they are releasing us secretly? No indeed! On the contrary, let them come [ l ] in person and lead us out.” 38 The officers reported these words to the chief magistrates. ( BM ) And they became fearful when they heard that they were Romans, 39 and they came and pleaded with them, and when they had led them out, they repeatedly asked them ( BN ) to leave the city. 40 They left the prison and entered the house of ( BO ) Lydia, and when they saw ( BP ) the brothers and sisters , they [ m ] encouraged them and departed.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 16:5 Or in faith
  2. Acts 16:6 Or Phrygia and the Galatian region
  3. Acts 16:6 I.e., west coast province of Asia Minor
  4. Acts 16:14 Lit Whose heart the Lord opened
  5. Acts 16:18 Lit hour
  6. Acts 16:22 Or outer garments
  7. Acts 16:22 Lit to beat with rods
  8. Acts 16:24 Lit who
  9. Acts 16:24 Lit wood
  10. Acts 16:34 Lit a table
  11. Acts 16:34 Or overjoyed together with his whole household, since...God
  12. Acts 16:37 Lit themselves
  13. Acts 16:40 Or exhorted

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, ( A ) where a disciple named Timothy ( B ) lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer ( C ) but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers ( D ) at Lystra and Iconium ( E ) spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ( F ) 4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders ( G ) in Jerusalem ( H ) for the people to obey. ( I ) 5 So the churches were strengthened ( J ) in the faith and grew daily in numbers. ( K )

Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia

6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia ( L ) and Galatia, ( M ) having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. ( N ) 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus ( O ) would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. ( P ) 9 During the night Paul had a vision ( Q ) of a man of Macedonia ( R ) standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we ( S ) got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel ( T ) to them.

Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi

11 From Troas ( U ) we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. 12 From there we traveled to Philippi, ( V ) a Roman colony and the leading city of that district [ a ] of Macedonia. ( W ) And we stayed there several days.

13 On the Sabbath ( X ) we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira ( Y ) named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart ( Z ) to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household ( AA ) were baptized, ( AB ) she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, ( AC ) we were met by a female slave who had a spirit ( AD ) by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, ( AE ) who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. ( AF )

19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money ( AG ) was gone, they seized Paul and Silas ( AH ) and dragged ( AI ) them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar ( AJ ) 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans ( AK ) to accept or practice.” ( AL )

22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. ( AM ) 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer ( AN ) was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. ( AO )

25 About midnight ( AP ) Paul and Silas ( AQ ) were praying and singing hymns ( AR ) to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. ( AS ) At once all the prison doors flew open, ( AT ) and everyone’s chains came loose. ( AU ) 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. ( AV ) 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. ( AW ) 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ( AX )

31 They replied, “Believe ( AY ) in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved ( AZ ) —you and your household.” ( BA ) 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night ( BB ) the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. ( BC ) 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he ( BD ) was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” 36 The jailer ( BE ) told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.” ( BF )

37 But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, ( BG ) and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”

38 The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. ( BH ) 39 They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. ( BI ) 40 After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, ( BJ ) where they met with the brothers and sisters ( BK ) and encouraged them. Then they left.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 16:12 The text and meaning of the Greek for the leading city of that district are uncertain.
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