Acts 16

1 And he came to Derbe and Lystra; and lo! a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewess, but whose 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 who was well a spoken of by the brethren in Lystra and Iconium.

He was well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.

3 Him Paul wished to go forth with him, and took and circumcised him on account of the Jews who were in those places; for they all knew 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 journeyed through the cities, they delivered to them for their observance the decrees which had been ordained by the apostles and elders that 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 The churches therefore were established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

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

6 And having gone through Phrygia and the Galatian country, on being forbidden by the Holy Spirit 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 they came to Mysia, and were attempting to go into Bithynia; but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them.

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

8 And passing by Mysia, they came 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 beseeching him and 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 when he had seen the vision, we immediately endeavored to go into Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to publish the glad tidings to 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 And setting sail from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following 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 thence to Philippi, which is a chief city of the province of Macedonia, a colony. And we remained in the city some 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-day we went forth out of the gate to a river-side, where was wont to be a place of prayer, and we sat down, and spoke to the women who had assembled.

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, who worshipped God, was listening; whose heart the Lord opened to attend to the things which were spoken by 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 had been baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be a believer in the Lord, come into my house, and abide. 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 were going to the place of prayer, that a certain bond-maid having a soothsaying spirit met us, who 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 This woman followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, who announce to you 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 she did for many days. But Paul, being much displeased, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out immediately.

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 But her masters seeing that the hope of their gain was gone, laid hold of Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the market-place to 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 having brought them before the magistrates, said, These men are grievously disturbing our city, being Jews;

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

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

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, tearing off their clothes, commanded to beat them with rods;

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 on them many stripes, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer 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 But at midnight Paul and Silas praying, were singing praises to God; and the prisoners were listening to 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 all the doors were immediately opened, and the bands of all 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 jailer awakening out of sleep, and seeing the prison-doors open, drew his sword, and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

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 fell down trembling before Paul and Silas;

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

30 and having brought them out, he 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 in the Lord Jesus, and thou wilt be saved, and thy household.

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

32 And they spoke to 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 with him at that hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and he was immediately baptized, himself and all that belonged to him.

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 up into his house, he set food before them, and rejoiced with all his house, having become a believer in God.

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 sergeants, saying, Release those men.

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

36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul: The magistrates have sent to release you; now therefore come out, 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 to them, They have publicly beaten us uncondemned, although we are Romans, and have thrust us into prison; and now do they thrust us out secretly? No; but let them come themselves, and bring 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 sergeants reported these words to the magistrates; and they were afraid 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 when they had brought them out, they entreated them to leave 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 when they had come out of the prison, they went into the house of Lydia; and when they saw the brethren, they exhorted 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.