Acts 16
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
1
Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a
certain disciple was there, named Timothy,
the son of a certain Jewish woman who
believed, but his father was Greek.
2
He was well spoken of by the brethren who were
at Lystra and Iconium.
3
Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he
took him and circumcised him because of
the Jews who were in that region, for they all
knew that his father was Greek.
4
And as they went through the cities, they
delivered to them the decrees to keep, which
were determined by the apostles and elders at
Jerusalem.
5
So the churches were strengthened in the faith,
and increased in number daily.The
Macedonian Call
6
Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the
region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the
Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.
7
After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go
into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit
them. 8
So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.
9
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A
man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him,
saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
10
Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we
sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the
Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Lydia Baptized at Philippi
11
Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight
course to Samothrace, and the next day
came to Neapolis,
12
and from there to Philippi, which is the
foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a
colony. And we were staying in that city for
some days.
13
And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city
to the riverside, where prayer was customarily
made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who
met there.
14
Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us.
She was a seller of purple from the city of
Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her
heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.
15
And when she and her household were baptized,
she begged us, saying, “If you have
judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my
house and stay.” So she persuaded us.
Paul and Silas Imprisoned
16
Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a
certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of
divination met us, who brought her masters much
profit by fortune-telling.
17
This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out,
saying, “These men are the servants of the Most
High God, who proclaim to us the way of
salvation.”
18
And this she did for many days. But Paul,
greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit,
“I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to
come out of her.” And he came out that very
hour.
19 But when her masters saw that their
hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and
Silas and dragged them into the
marketplace to the authorities.
20
And they brought them to the magistrates, and
said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly
trouble our city;
21
and they teach customs which are not lawful for
us, being Romans, to receive or observe.”
22
Then the multitude rose up together against
them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes
and commanded them to be beaten with
rods.
23 And when they had laid many stripes on
them, they threw them into prison,
commanding the jailer to keep them securely.
24
Having received such a charge, he put them into
the inner prison and fastened their feet in the
stocks.The Philippian Jailer Saved
25
But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and
singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were
listening to them.
26
Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that
the foundations of the prison were shaken; and
immediately all the doors were opened and
everyone’s chains were loosed.
27
And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep
and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the
prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about
to kill himself.
28
But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do
yourself no harm, for we are all here.”
29
Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell
down trembling before Paul and Silas.
30
And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what
must I do to be saved?”
31
So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and you will be saved, you and your household.”
32
Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and
to all who were in his house.
33
And he took them the same hour of the night and
washed their stripes. And immediately he
and all his family were baptized.
34
Now when he had brought them into his house, he
set food before them; and he rejoiced, having
believed in God with all his household.
Paul Refuses to Depart Secretly
35
And when it was day, the magistrates sent the
officers, saying, “Let those men go.”
36
So the keeper of the prison reported these words
to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to
let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in
peace.”
37 But Paul said to them, “They have
beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and
have thrown us into prison. And now do
they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them
come themselves and get us out.”
38
And the officers told these words to the
magistrates, and they were afraid when they
heard that they were Romans.
39
Then they came and pleaded with them and brought
them out, and asked them to depart
from the city.
40
So they went out of the prison and entered
the house of Lydia; and when they had seen
the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.
