1Paul came to Derbe. Then he went on to Lystra. A believer named Timothy lived there. His mother was Jewish and a believer. His father was a Greek.2The believers at Lystra and Iconium said good things about Timothy.3Paul wanted to take him along on the journey. So he circumcised Timothy because of the Jews who lived in that area. They all knew that Timothy’s father was a Greek.4Paul and his companions travelled from town to town. They reported what the apostles and elders in Jerusalem had decided. The people were supposed to obey what was in the report.5So the churches were made strong in the faith. The number of believers grew every day.
Paul’s vision of the man from Macedonia
6Paul and his companions travelled all through the area of Phrygia and Galatia. The Holy Spirit had kept them from preaching the word in Asia Minor.7They came to the border of Mysia. From there they tried to enter Bithynia. But the Spirit of Jesus would not let them.8So they passed by Mysia. Then they went down to Troas.9During the night Paul had a vision. He saw a man from Macedonia standing and begging him. ‘Come over to Macedonia!’ the man said. ‘Help us!’10After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia. We decided that God had called us to preach the good news there.
Lydia becomes a believer in Philippi
11At Troas we got into a boat. We sailed straight for Samothrace. The next day we went on to Neapolis.12From there we travelled to Philippi, a Roman colony. It is an important city in that part of Macedonia. We stayed there several days.13On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate. We walked down to the river. There we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered together.14One of the women listening was from the city of Thyatira. Her name was Lydia, and her business was selling purple cloth. She was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to accept Paul’s message.15She and her family were baptised. Then she invited us to her home. ‘Do you consider me a believer in the Lord?’ she asked. ‘If you do, come and stay at my house.’ She succeeded in getting us to go home with her.
Paul and Silas are thrown into prison
16One day we were going to the place of prayer. On the way we were met by a female slave. She had a spirit that helped her tell people what was going to happen. She earned a lot of money for her owners by doing this.17She followed Paul and the rest of us around. She shouted, ‘These men serve the Most High God. They are telling you how to be saved.’18She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became upset. Turning around, he spoke to the spirit that was in her. ‘In the name of Jesus Christ,’ he said, ‘I command you to come out of her!’ At that very moment the spirit left the woman.19Her owners realised that their hope of making money was gone. So they grabbed Paul and Silas. They dragged them into the market-place to face the authorities.20They brought them to the judges. ‘These men are Jews,’ her owners said. ‘They are making trouble in our city.21They are suggesting practices that are against Roman law. These are practices we can’t accept or take part in.’22The crowd joined the attack against Paul and Silas. The judges ordered that Paul and Silas be stripped and beaten with rods.23They were whipped without mercy. Then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.24When he received these orders, he put Paul and Silas deep inside the prison. He fastened their feet so they couldn’t get away.25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying. They were also singing hymns to God. The other prisoners were listening to them.26Suddenly there was a powerful earthquake. It shook the prison from top to bottom. All at once the prison doors flew open. Everyone’s chains came loose.27The jailer woke up. He saw that the prison doors were open. He pulled out his sword and was going to kill himself. He thought the prisoners had escaped.28‘Don’t harm yourself!’ Paul shouted. ‘We are all here!’29The jailer called out for some lights. He rushed in, shaking with fear. He fell down in front of Paul and Silas.30Then he brought them out. He asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’31They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus. Then you and everyone living in your house will be saved.’32They spoke the word of the Lord to him. They also spoke to all the others in his house.33At that hour of the night, the jailer took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Right away he and everyone who lived with him were baptised.34The jailer brought them into his house. He set a meal in front of them. He and everyone who lived with him were filled with joy. They had become believers in God.35Early in the morning the judges sent their officers to the jailer. They ordered him, ‘Let those men go.’36The jailer told Paul, ‘The judges have ordered me to set you and Silas free. You can leave now. Go in peace.’37But Paul replied to the officers. ‘They beat us in public,’ he said. ‘We weren’t given a trial. And we are Roman citizens! They threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and personally lead us out.’38The officers reported this to the judges. When the judges heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they became afraid.39So they came and said they were sorry. They led them out of the prison. Then they asked them to leave the city.40After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house. There they met with the brothers and sisters. They told them to be brave. Then they left.
Acts 16
English Standard Version
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
1Paul[1] came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. (Ac 17:14; Ac 18:5; Ac 19:22; Ac 20:4; Ro 16:21; 1Co 4:17; Php 2:19; Col 1:1; 1Th 3:2; 2Th 1:1; 1Ti 1:2; 1Ti 1:18; 2Ti 1:2; 2Ti 1:5; 2Ti 3:15)2He was well spoken of by the brothers[2] at Lystra and Iconium. (Joh 21:23)3Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and 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. (Ga 2:3)4As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. (Ac 15:2; Ac 15:28; Ac 17:7)5So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. (Ac 2:47; Ac 6:7; Ac 9:31)
The Macedonian Call
6And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. (Ac 18:23; Ga 4:13)7And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. (Ac 8:29; Ac 16:6; Ro 8:9; Ga 4:6; Php 1:19; 1Pe 1:11)8So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. (Ac 20:5; 2Co 2:12; 2Ti 4:13)9And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”10And when Paul[3] had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Ac 16:11; Ac 20:5; Ac 20:13; Ac 21:1; Ac 27:1)
The Conversion of Lydia
11So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, (Ac 21:1)12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the[4] district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. (Ac 16:21; Php 1:1; 1Th 2:2)13And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. (Ezr 8:15; Ezr 8:21; Ps 137:1; Mt 5:1; Ac 13:14)14One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. (Lu 24:45; Ac 18:7)15And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. (Ge 19:3; Lu 24:29; Ac 11:14)
Paul and Silas in Prison
16As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. (Le 19:31; Lu 13:11; Ac 16:13; Ac 16:19)17She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” (Da 3:26; Mt 7:14; Mr 5:7; Ac 9:2; Jas 2:19)18And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. (Mt 17:18; Mr 1:25; Mr 1:34; Mr 9:38)19But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. (Mt 10:18; Ac 8:3; Ac 16:16; Ac 17:6; Ac 18:12; Ac 19:25; Ac 21:30; Jas 2:6)20And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city.21They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” (Es 3:8; Ac 16:12)22The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. (2Co 6:5; 2Co 11:23; 1Th 2:2)23And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.24Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. (Job 13:27; Job 33:11; Jer 20:2; Jer 29:26; Lu 21:12)
The Philippian Jailer Converted
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, (Job 35:10; Ps 42:8; Ps 77:6; Ps 119:62)26and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. (Ac 4:31; Ac 5:19; Ac 12:7; Ac 12:10)27When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. (1Ki 20:39; Ac 12:19; Ac 27:42)28But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”29And the jailer[5] called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. (Ac 10:25)30Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Lu 3:10; Lu 3:12; Lu 3:14; Joh 6:28; Ac 2:37; Ac 16:17; Ac 22:10)31And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Mr 16:16; Ac 11:14)32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.33And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. (Ac 8:12; Ac 16:25)34Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. (Ps 9:14; Ps 13:5; Isa 25:9; Lu 1:47; Ac 2:46; 1Pe 1:6; 1Pe 1:8)35But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.”36And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.”37But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” (Ac 22:25; Ac 22:29)38The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. (Ac 16:37)39So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. (Mt 8:34)40So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed. (Joh 21:23; Ac 16:14)