< 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;
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 a spoken of by the brethren in Lystra and Iconium.
Timothy was well spoken of by the brethren at 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.
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 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 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 The churches therefore were established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
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 Galatian country, on being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach 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 they came to Mysia, and were attempting to go into Bithynia; but the Spirit of Jesus 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 passing by Mysia, they came to Troas.
So, passing along Mysia, they came 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.
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 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.
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 And setting sail from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following 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 and thence to Philippi, which is a chief city of the province of Macedonia, a colony. And we remained in the 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 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 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 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.
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 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.
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, 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 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 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 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 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.
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 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;
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 before the magistrates, said, These men are grievously disturbing our city, being Jews;
Then they brought them before the praetors. "These men," they said, "are creating a great disturbance in our city.
21 and they teach customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to receive or observe.
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, tearing off their clothes, commanded 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 and when they had laid on them many stripes, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer 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, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
He, having received an order like that, lodged them in the inner prison, and secured 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.
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 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.
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 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm, for we are all here.
But Paul shouted loudly to him, saying, "Do yourself no injury: we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas;
Then, calling for lights, he sprang in and fell trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas;
30 and having brought them out, he said, Sirs, what must I do to 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 in the Lord Jesus, and thou wilt be saved, and thy 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 that were in his house.
And they told the Lord's Message to him as well as to all who were in his house.
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.
Then he took them, even at that time of night, washed their wounds, and he and all his household were immediately baptized;
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.
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 when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Release those men.
In the morning the praetors sent their lictors with the order, "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 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 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, "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 sergeants reported these words to the magistrates; and they were afraid when they heard that they were 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 they came and besought them; and when they had brought them out, they entreated them to leave the city.
Accordingly they came and apologized to them; and, bringing them out, asked 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.
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.

< Acts 16 >