Acts 16

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:

Paul went on to Derbe and Lystra, and behold, a disciple named Timothy was there. He was the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.

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

He was well spoken of by the brothers in 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.

Paul wanted this man to go on with him, so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew 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.

As they went through the cities, they delivered the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and the elders in Jerusalem for the Gentile believers to obey.

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

So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number every day.

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,

Then Paul and his companions went through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit from speaking the word in Asia.

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

When they reached Mysia, they tried to go on toward Bithynia, but the Spirit did not allow them.

8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.

So passing by Mysia, they went 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.

During the night Paul had a vision. A Macedonian man was standing there, urging him, “Come over to 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.

After Paul saw the vision, we immediately endeavored to go on to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

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

So we set sail from Troas and followed a straight course to Samothrace, and on the next day we went 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.

From there we went on to Philippi, which is a Roman colony and a leading city of that district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for several 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.

On the Sabbath day we went outside the city to a riverside, where it was customary for there to be prayer. We sat down and began speaking to the women who had gathered together.

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.

One of those listening to us was a woman named Lydia. She was a worshiper of God from the city of Thyatira and a seller of purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying.

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.

After she was baptized, along with her household, she urged us, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come stay at my house.” And she persuaded us to do so.

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:

One day, as we were on our way to prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination. She had brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.

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.

She followed along behind Paul and us and kept crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a 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.

She kept on doing this for many days, and Paul became so annoyed that he turned and said to the spirit, “I command yoʋ in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very 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,

When her masters saw that their hope for profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, dragged them to the marketplace, and set them before the authorities.

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

After bringing them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are seriously disturbing our city. They are Jews,

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

and they are proclaiming customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.”

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

The crowd rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their garments off them and ordered them to be beaten with rods.

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

After inflicting many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them under close guard.

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

When he received this order, he put them in the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

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

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

Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately all the doors opened, and all the chains came loose.

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.

Then the jailer was awakened, and when he saw that the doors of the prison were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, assuming that the prisoners had escaped.

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

But Paul cried out with a loud voice, “Do yoʋrself 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,

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

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

Then he 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.

They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and yoʋ will be saved, yoʋ and yoʋr household.”

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

Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his household.

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

He then took them in that hour of the night and washed their wounds. Then he was baptized at once, along with his entire household.

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

After bringing Paul and Silas into his house, he set a meal before them. And he rejoiced, along with his entire household, because he had come to believe in God.

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

When daybreak came, the magistrates sent their officers, saying, “Release those men.”

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.

So the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent orders for you to be released. Therefore come out now 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.

But Paul said to them, “They beat us in public without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and they threw us into prison. And now they are sending us away secretly? Certainly not! Rather, let them come and escort us out themselves.”

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

So the officers reported these words to the magistrates, and the magistrates were afraid when they heard that the men were Roman citizens.

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

So they came and spoke to them in a conciliatory manner. As they escorted them out, they begged them to leave 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.

So Paul and Silas came out of the prison and went to Lydia's house. And after seeing the brothers and encouraging them, they departed.