Acts 16

1 And he came to Derbe and Lystra, and behold, a certain disciple was there, by name Timotheus, son of a certain woman, a believing Jewess, but of a father, a Greek,

He 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.

2 who was well testified to by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium;

Timothy was well spoken of by the brethren at Lystra and Iconium,

3 Paul wished this one to go forth with him, and having taken [him], he circumcised him, because of the Jews who are in those places, for they all knew his father—that he was a Greek.

and 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.

4 And as they were going on through the cities, they were delivering to them the decrees to keep, that have been judged by the apostles and the elders who [are] in Jerusalem,

As 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.

5 then, indeed, were the assemblies established in the faith, and were abounding in number every day;

So the Churches went on gaining a stronger faith and growing in numbers from day to day.

6 and having gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia,

Then 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.

7 having gone toward Mysia, they were trying to go on toward Bithynia, and the Spirit did not permit them,

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

8 and having passed by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

So, passing along Mysia, they came to Troas.

9 And a vision through the night appeared to Paul—a certain man of Macedonia was standing, calling on him, and saying, “Having passed through to Macedonia, help us.”

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

10 And when he saw the vision, immediately we endeavored to go forth to Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the LORD has called us to preach good news to them,

So 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.

11 having set sail, therefore, from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, on the next day also to Neapolis,

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

12 there also to Philippi, which is a principal city of the part of Macedonia—a colony. And we were abiding in this city some days;

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

13 on the day of the Sabbaths we also went forth outside of the city, by a river, where there used to be prayer, and having sat down, we were speaking to the women who came together,

On 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.

14 and a certain woman, by name Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, worshiping God, was hearing, whose heart the LORD opened to attend to the things spoken by Paul;

Among 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.

15 and when she was immersed, and her household, she called on us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the LORD, having entered into my house, remain”; and she constrained us.

When 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.

16 And it came to pass in our going on to prayer, a certain maid, having a spirit of Python, met us, who brought much employment to her masters by soothsaying;

One 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.

17 she having followed Paul and us, was crying, saying, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who declare to us [the] way of salvation!”

She 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."

18 And this she was doing for many days, but Paul having been grieved, and having turned, said to the spirit, “I command you, in the Name of Jesus Christ, to come forth from her”; and it came forth the same hour.

This 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.

19 And her masters having seen that the hope of their employment was gone, having caught Paul and Silas, drew [them] into the marketplace, to the rulers,

But 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.

20 and having brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men being Jews exceedingly trouble our city;

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

21 and they proclaim customs that are not lawful for us to receive nor to do, being Romans.”

They are Jews, and are teaching customs which we, as Romans, are not permitted to adopt or practise."

22 And the multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates having torn their garments from them, were commanding to beat [them] with rods,

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

23 having also laid on them many blows, they cast them into prison, having given charge to the jailor to keep them safely,

and, after severely flogging them, they threw them into jail and bade the jailer keep them safely.

24 who having received such a charge, put them into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks.

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

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas praying, were singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were hearing them,

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

26 and suddenly a great earthquake came, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, also all the doors were immediately opened, and of all—the bands were loosed;

when 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.

27 and the jailor having come out of sleep, and having seen the doors of the prison open, having drawn a sword, was about to kill himself, supposing the prisoners to have fled,

Starting 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.

28 and Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “You may not do yourself any harm, for we are all here!”

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

29 And having asked for a light, he sprang in, and he fell down before Paul and Silas trembling,

Then, calling for lights, he sprang in and fell trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas;

30 and having brought them forth, said, “Lords, what must I do that I may be saved?”

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

31 And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

"Believe on the Lord Jesus," they replied, "and both you and your household will be saved."

32 And they spoke to him the word of the LORD, and to all those in his household;

And they told the Lord's Message to him as well as to all who were in his house.

33 and having taken them, in that hour of the night, he bathed [them] from the blows, and immediately he and all of his were immersed,

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

34 having also brought them into his house, he set food before [them], and was glad with all the household, he having believed in God.

and 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.

35 And day having come, the magistrates sent the rod-bearers, saying, “Let those men go”;

In the morning the praetors sent their lictors with the order, "Release those men."

36 and the jailor told these words to Paul, “The magistrates have sent, that you may be let go; now, therefore, having gone forth go on in peace”;

So 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."

37 and Paul said to them, “Having beaten us publicly uncondemned—men, being Romans—they cast [us] to prison, and now privately they cast us forth! Why no! But having come themselves, let them bring us forth.”

But 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."

38 And the rod-bearers told these sayings to the magistrates, and they were afraid, having heard that they are Romans,

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

39 and having come, they implored them, and having brought [them] forth, they were asking [them] to go forth from the city;

Accordingly they came and apologized to them; and, bringing them out, asked them to leave the city.

40 and they, having gone forth out of the prison, entered into [the house of] Lydia, and having seen the brothers, they comforted them, and went forth.

Then 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.