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.

And he came to Derbe and Lystra; and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess, who was a believer; but his father was a Greek.

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

A good report was given of him by the brethren in Lystra and Iconium.

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.

This man Paul wished to go with him: and he took him and circumcised him, on account of the Jews that were in those places: 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.

And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees that had been resolved on by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, that they might keep them.

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

Therefore, the churches were established in the faith, and they increased in number daily.

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.

When they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia,

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

and had come to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia; and the Spirit did not permit them.

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

But having passed by Mysia, they came 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.”

And, during the night, a vision appeared to Paul. A certain man of Macedonia stood and besought him, saying: 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 God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

After he had seen the vision, we immediately endeavored to go into Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

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

Therefore, setting sail from Troas, we came by a straight course to Samothracia, and, on the following day, 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.

and thence to Philippi, which is the first city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony. We remained in that city some days:

13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate 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.

and on the sabbath-day we went out of the city to the side of a river, where, as usual, was the house of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

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.

And a certain woman, named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, heard; whose heart the Lord opened to attend to the things that were spoken by Paul.

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.

And when she and her household had been immersed, she besought us, saying: If you judge me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and make it your home. And she con strained 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.

And it came to pass, that as we were going to the house of prayer, there met us a certain maid-servant that had a spirit of Python, who brought much gain to her masters, by giving responses.

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

She followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying: These men are the servants of the most High God, who show 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.

And this she continued to do for many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit: I command you, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her. And it came out that very hour.

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.

And when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the market to the rulers.

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

And having brought them to the magistrates, they said: These men, who are Jews, do greatly trouble our city;

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

and they teach customs which it is not lawful for us, who are Romans, to receive or to observe.

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

And the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates stripped off their clothes, and gave command to beat them with rods.

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

And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, and charged the jailer to keep them securely.

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

And having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

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

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sung a hymn to God; and the 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.

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 bonds were loosed.

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.

And the jailer, being aroused from sleep, and seeing the doors of the prison open, drew his sword, and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had fled.

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

But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying: Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.

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

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

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

and, having brought them out, he said: Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

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

They replied: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you and your house shall be saved.

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

And they spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all that were 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.

And he took them at that hour of the night, and washed the blood from their stripes; and he was immersed, himself and all his, immediately.

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.

And he brought them into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced, believing in God, with all his house.

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

But when it was day, the magistrates sent the lictors, saying: 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.”

And the jailer told these words to Paul: The magistrates have sent to release you. Now, therefore, come out, and go 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!”

But Paul said to them: Having publicly scourged us uncondemned, us who are Romans, they threw us into prison: and do they now put us out secretly? No, verily: but let them come and lead us out.

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

And the lictors told these words to the magistrates: and they were alarmed when they heard that they were Romans;

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

and they came, and entreated them, and led them out, and requested them to depart from 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.

And having come out of the prison, they went into the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.