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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Passing through Mysia, they 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."

and there one night Paul saw a vision. A Macedonian was standing and appealing to 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.

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

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

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, calling: “These men are servants of the most high God, and they are bringing you news of a way to 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 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 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 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 Then they brought them before the praetors. "These men," they said, "are creating a great disturbance in our city.

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

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

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

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

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, after severely flogging them, they threw them into jail and bade the jailer 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 He, having received an order like that, lodged them in the inner prison, and secured their feet 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 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and while the 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 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 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.

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

But Paul called our loudly: “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 a light, the Governor rushed in, and flung himself trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas.

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

Then he led them out, and said: “What must I do to be saved?”

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

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

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

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

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

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.