Acts 16
16
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
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 traveled 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 traveled 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 traveled 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 worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to accept Paul’s message. 15She and her family were baptized. 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 realized 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 baptized. 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.
Currently Selected:
Acts 16: NIrV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Acts 16
16
1And he came to Derbe and Lystra, and lo, a certain disciple was there, by name Timotheus son of a certain woman, a believing Jewess, but of a father, a Greek,
2who was well testified to by the brethren in Lystra and Iconium;
3this one did Paul wish to go forth with him, and having taken [him], he circumcised him, because of the Jews who are in those places, for they all knew his father — that he was a Greek.
4And as they were going on through the cities, they were delivering to them the decrees to keep, that have been judged by the apostles and the elders who [are] in Jerusalem,
5then, indeed, were the assemblies established in the faith, and were abounding in number every day;
6and having gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia,
7having gone toward Mysia, they were trying to go on toward Bithynia, and the Spirit did not suffer them,
8and having passed by Mysia, they came down to Troas.
9And a vision through the night appeared to Paul — a certain man of Macedonia was standing, calling upon him, and saying, ‘Having passed through to Macedonia, help us;’ —
10and when he saw the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go forth to Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord hath called us to preach good news to them,
11having set sail, therefore, from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, on the morrow also to Neapolis,
12thence also to Philippi, which is a principal city of the part of Macedonia — a colony. And we were in this city abiding certain days,
13on the sabbath-day also we went forth outside of the city, by a river, where there used to be prayer, and having sat down, we were speaking to the women who came together,
14and a certain woman, by name Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, worshipping God, was hearing, whose heart the Lord did open to attend to the things spoken by Paul;
15and when she was baptized, and her household, she did call upon us, saying, ‘If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, having entered into my house, remain;’ and she constrained us.
16And it came to pass in our going on to prayer, a certain maid, having a spirit of Python, did meet us, who brought much employment to her masters by soothsaying,
17she having followed Paul and us, was crying, saying, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God, who declare to us a way of salvation;’
18and this she was doing for many days, but Paul having been grieved, and having turned, said to the spirit, ‘I command thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come forth from her;’ and it came forth the same hour.
19And her masters having seen that the hope of their employment was gone, having caught Paul and Silas, drew [them] to the market-place, unto the rulers,
20and having brought them to the magistrates, they said, ‘These men do exceedingly trouble our city, being Jews;
21and they proclaim customs that are not lawful for us to receive nor to do, being
22And the multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates having torn their garments from them, were commanding to beat [them] with rods,
23many blows also having laid upon them, they cast them to prison, having given charge to the jailor to keep them safely,
24who such a charge having received, did put them to the inner prison, and their feet made fast in the stocks.
25And at midnight Paul and Silas praying, were singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were hearing them,
26and suddenly a great earthquake came, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, opened also presently were all the doors, and of all — the bands were loosed;
27and the jailor having come out of sleep, and having seen the doors of the prison open, having drawn a sword, was about to kill himself, supposing the prisoners to be fled,
28and Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Thou mayest not do thyself any harm, for we are all here.’
29And, having asked for a light, he sprang in, and trembling he fell down before Paul and Silas,
30and having brought them forth, said, ‘Sirs, what must I do — that I may be saved?’
31and they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved — thou and thy house;’
32and they spake to him the word of the Lord, and to all those in his household;
33and having taken them, in that hour of the night, he did bathe [them] from the blows, and was baptized, himself and all his presently,
34having brought them also into his house, he set food before [them], and was glad with all the household, he having believed in God.
35And day having come, the magistrates sent the rod-bearers, saying, ‘Let those men go;’
36and the jailor told these words unto Paul — ‘The magistrates have sent, that ye may be let go; now, therefore, having gone forth go on in peace;’
37and Paul said to them, ‘Having beaten us publicly uncondemned — men, Romans being — they did cast [us] to prison, and now privately do they cast us forth! why no! but having come themselves, let them bring us forth.’
38And the rod-bearers told to the magistrates these sayings, and they were afraid, having heard that they are Romans,
39and having come, they besought them, and having brought [them] forth, they were asking [them] to go forth from the city;
40and they, having gone forth out of the prison, entered into [the house of] Lydia, and having seen the brethren, they comforted them, and went forth.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society