Acts 16

1 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.

Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where he found a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father.

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

The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.

3 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.

Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, so he took him and circumcised him on account of the Jews in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

4 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.

As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.

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

So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

6 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.

After the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia.

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

And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them.

8 So, passing along Mysia, they came to Troas.

So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.

9 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."

During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

10 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.

As soon as Paul had seen the vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

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

We sailed from Troas straight to Samothrace, and the following day on to Neapolis.

12 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.

From there we went to the Roman colony of Philippi, the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.

13 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.

On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there.

14 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.

Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.

15 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.

And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

16 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.

One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling.

17 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."

This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!”

18 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.

She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment.

19 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.

When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace.

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

They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil

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

by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.”

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

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods.

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

And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.

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

On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

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

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

26 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.

Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.

27 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.

When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped.

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

But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!”

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

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

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

Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

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

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”

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

Then Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.

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

At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized.

34 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.

Then he brought them into his home and set a meal before them. So he and all his household rejoiced that they had come to believe in God.

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

When daylight came, the magistrates sent their officers with the order: “Release those men.”

36 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."

The jailer informed Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders to release you. Now you may go on your way in peace.”

37 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."

But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!”

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

So the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, who were alarmed to hear that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

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

They came to appease them and led them out, requesting that they leave the city.

40 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.

After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house to see the brothers and encourage them. Then they left the city.