Acts 16
1
And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there,
named Timothy, the son of a Jewess that believed; but his father was a Greek.
2
The same was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
3
Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and he took and circumcised him because
of the Jews that were in those parts: for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
4
And as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decrees
to keep which had been ordained of the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem.
5
So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.
6
And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden of
the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia;
7
and when they were come over against Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia; and the
Spirit of Jesus suffered them not;
8
and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.
9
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: There was a man of Macedonia standing,
beseeching him, and saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
10
And when he had seen the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into Macedonia,
concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
11
Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the
day following to Neapolis;
12
and from there to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the first of the district,
a [Roman] colony: and we were in this city tarrying certain days.
13
And on the sabbath day we went forth without the gate by a river side, where we supposed
there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spoke to the women that were come
together.
14
And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, one that
worshiped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened to give heed to the things which
were spoken by Paul.
15
And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If you have
judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide [there]. And she
constrained us.
16
And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that a certain maid
having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by soothsaying.
17
The same following after Paul and us cried out, saying, These men are servants of
the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.
18
And this she did for many days. But Paul, being sore troubled, turned and said to
the spirit, I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came
out that very hour.
19
But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they laid hold on Paul
and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers,
20
and when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, These men, being Jews,
do exceedingly trouble our city,
21
and set forth customs which it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being
Romans.
22
And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent their garments
off them, and commanded to beat them with rods.
23
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging
the jailor to keep them safely:
24
who, having received such a charge, cast them into the inner prison, and made their
feet fast in the stocks.
25
But 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-house
were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one`s bands were
loosed.
27
And the jailor, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his
sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
28
But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do yourself no harm: for we are all here.
29
And he called for lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before
Paul and Silas,
30
and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your house.
32
And they spoke the word of the Lord to him, with all that were in his house.
33
And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized,
he and all his, immediately.
34
And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly,
with all his house, having believed in God.
35
But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go.
36
And the jailor reported the words to Paul, [saying], The magistrates have sent to
let you go: now therefore come forth, and go in peace.
37
But Paul said to them, They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans,
and have cast us into prison; and do they now cast us out privily? Nay truly; but
let them come themselves and bring us out.
38
And the sergeants reported these words to the magistrates: and they feared when they
heard that they were Romans;
39
and they came and besought them; and when they had brought them out, they asked them
to go away from 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.