Acts 16

1 Then he came to Derbe and Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain woman who was a Jewess, and believed, but his father [was] a Greek.

Among other places Paul went to Derbe and Lystra. At the latter place they found a disciple, named Timothy, whose mother was a Jewess who had become a believer in Christ, while his father was a Greek,

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

and who was well spoken of by the Brethren in Lystra and Iconium.

3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him, because of the Jews who were in those quarters: for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

Wishing to take this man with him on his journey, Paul caused him to be circumcised on account of the Jews in that neighbourhood, for they all knew that his father had been a Greek.

4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep that were ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.

As they traveled from town to town, they gave the Brethren the decisions which had been reached by the Apostles and Officers of the Church at Jerusalem, for them to observe.

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

So the Churches grew stronger in the Faith, and increased in numbers from day to day.

6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia;

They next went through the Phrygian district of Galatia, but were restrained by the Holy Spirit from delivering the Message in Roman Asia.

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

When they reached the borders of Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them.

8 And they, passing by Mysia, came down to Troas.

Passing through 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.

and there one night Paul saw a vision. A Macedonian was standing and appealing to him — ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’

10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering, that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

So, immediately after Paul had seen the vision, we looked for an opportunity to cross over to Macedonia, concluding that God had summoned us to tell the Good News to the people there.

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

Accordingly we set sail from Troas, and ran before the wind to Samothrace, reaching Neapolis the next day.

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 made our way to Philippi, which is the principal city of that part of Macedonia, and also a Roman Settlement. In that city we spent 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 spoke to the women who resorted [thither].

On the Sabbath we went outside the gate to the river-side, where we supposed there would be a Place of Prayer; and we sat down and talked to the women who were gathered there.

14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, heard [us]: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended to the things which were spoken by Paul.

Among them was a woman, named Lydia, belonging to Thyatira, a dealer in purple cloth, who was accustomed to join in the worship of God. The Lord touched this woman’s heart, so that she gave attention to the Message delivered by Paul,

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.

and, when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us to become her guests. “Since you have shown your conviction,” she said, “that I really am a believer in the Lord, come and stay in my house.” And she insisted on our doing so.

16 And it came to pass as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination, met us, who brought her masters much gain by sooth-saying:

One day, as we were on our way to the Place of Prayer, we were met by a girl possessed by a divining spirit, who made large profits for her masters by fortune-telling.

17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, who show to us the way of salvation.

This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, calling: “These men are servants of the most high God, and they are bringing you news of a way to Salvation.”

18 And this she did 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 had been doing this for several days, when Paul, much vexed, turned and said to the spirit within her: “In the Name of Jesus Christ I command you to leave her.” That very moment the spirit left her.

19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew [them] into the market-place to the rulers,

When her masters saw that there was no hope of further profit from her, they seized Paul and Silas, dragged them into the public square to the authorities,

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

and took them before the Magistrates. “These men are causing a great disturbance in our town,” they complained;

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

“They are Jews, and they are teaching customs which it is not right for us, as Romans, to sanction or adopt.”

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

On this the mob rose as one man against them, and the Magistrates stripped them of their clothing 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 jailer to keep them safely.

After beating them severely, the Magistrates put them in prison, with orders to the Governor of the Jail to keep them in safe custody.

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

On receiving so strict an order, the Governor put them into the inner cell, and secured their feet in the stocks.

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

About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and while 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 an earthquake of such violence that the Jail was shaken to its foundations; all the doors flew open, and all the prisoners’ chains were loosened.

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 fled.

Roused from his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, the Governor drew his sword intending to kill himself, in the belief 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 called our loudly: “Do not harm yourself; 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 a light, the Governor rushed in, and flung himself trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas.

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

Then he led them out, and said: “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.

“Believe in Jesus, our Lord,” they replied, “and you shall be saved, you and your household too.”

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

Then they spoke to him of God’s Message, and to all his household as well.

33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed [their] stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, without delay.

And that very hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds, and he himself and every one belonging to him were baptized without delay.

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

Afterwards he took them up to his house and set before them something to eat, rejoicing that he, with all his household, had come to believe in God.

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

In the morning the Magistrates sent the police with an order for the men to be discharged.

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.

The Governor of the Jail told Paul of his instructions. “The Magistrates have sent an order for your discharge,” he said, “so you had better leave the place at once and go quietly away.”

37 But Paul said to them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast [us] into prison; and now do they thrust us out privately? no verily; but let them come themselves and bring us out.

But Paul’s answer to them was: “They have flogged us in public without trial, though we are Roman citizens, and they have put us in prison, and now they are for sending us out secretly! No, indeed! Let them come and take us out themselves.”

38 And the sergeants told these words to the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans.

The police reported his words to the Magistrates, who, on hearing that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, were alarmed,

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

and went to the prison, and did their best to conciliate them. Then they took them out, and 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.

When Paul and Silas left the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, and, after they had seen the Brethren, and encouraged them, they left the place.