Acts 16

¹Paul 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 .

²He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium .

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 .

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 .

⁵So the churches were strengthened in the faith , and they increased in numbers daily .

⁶And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia , having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia .

⁷And when they had come up to Mysia , they attempted to go into Bithynia , but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them .

⁸So , passing by Mysia , they went down to Troas .

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 had seen the vision , immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia , concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them .

¹¹So , setting sail from Troas , we made a direct voyage to Samothrace , and the following day to Neapolis ,

¹²and from there to Philippi , which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony . We remained in this city some days .

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 .

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 .

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 .

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 .

¹⁷She followed Paul and us , crying out , These men are servants of the Most High God , who proclaim to you the way of salvation .

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 .

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 .

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 .

²²The crowd joined in attacking them , and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods .

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 .

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

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 .

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 .

²⁸But Paul cried with a loud voice , Do not harm yourself , for we are all here .

²⁹And the jailer called for lights and rushed in , and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas .

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

³¹And they said , Believe in the Lord Jesus , and you will be saved , you and your household .

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.

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 .

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 .

³⁸The police reported these words to the magistrates , and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.

³⁹So they came and apologized to them . And they took them out and asked them to leave the city .

⁴⁰So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia . And when they had seen the brothers , they encouraged them and departed .