Acts 16
16
Timothy Accompanies Paul and Silas
1Then he came to Derbe and then to Lystra. # Ac 14:6 A disciple was there, named Timothy, # Ac 17:14 the son of a Jewish woman who believed, but his father was a Greek. 2He was well spoken of by the brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium. 3Paul wanted him to travel with him. So he took him and circumcised him, because of the Jews who were in those places, # Gal 2:3 for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to observe, that were set forth by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. # Ac 15:2, 28–29 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily. # Ac 2:47; 9:31
Paul’s Vision of the Macedonian
6They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia # Ac 18:23; Gal 1:2; 1Pe 1:1 and were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7When they came near Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not allow them. 8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. # 2Co 2:12; 2Ti 4:13 9During the night a vision appeared to Paul: A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” # Ac 18:5; 19:21 10After he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.
The Conversion of Lydia
11From Troas we set sail on a straight course to Samothrace and the next day to Neapolis, 12and from there to Philippi, # Php 1:1; 1Th 2:2 which is the main city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony. We stayed in this city several days.
13On the Sabbath # Ac 13:14 we went out of the city to a riverside, where prayer was customarily offered. And we sat down and spoke to the women who had assembled. 14A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabric, who worshipped God, # Ac 18:7 heard us. The Lord opened her heart # Lk 24:45 to acknowledge what Paul said. 15When she and her household were baptized, # Ac 11:14 she entreated us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and remain there.” # Heb 13:2 And she persuaded us.
The Imprisonment in Philippi
16On one occasion, as we went to the place of prayer, a servant girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, # 1Sa 28:7; 1Ch 10:13 who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17She followed Paul and us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, # Da 3:26; Mk 5:7 who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” 18She did this for many days. But becoming greatly troubled, Paul turned to the spirit and said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” # Mk 1:34; 16:17 And it came out at that moment.
19When her masters saw that the hope of their profits was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the rulers. # Ac 8:3; 21:30 20And they brought them to the magistrates, saying, “These men, being Jews, greatly trouble our city 21and teach customs which are not lawful for us, # Est 3:8 being Romans, to receive or observe.”
22The crowd rose up together against them. And the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them. # 2Co 6:5; 1Th 2:2 23After they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely. 24Having received such an order, he threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. # Job 13:27; 33:11
25At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, # Job 35:10; Ps 42:8 and the prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. # Ac 4:31 And immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s shackles were loosened. # Ac 12:7 27When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. # Ac 12:19 28But Paul shouted, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”
29He called for lights and rushed in, trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas. 30He then led them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” # Ac 2:37; 22:10
31They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, # Mk 16:16; Jn 1:12 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 household. 33In that hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds. And immediately he and his entire household were baptized. # Ac 16:15 34Then he brought them up to his house and set food before them. # Ac 2:46 And he rejoiced with his entire household, having believed in God.
35When it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Release those men.” 36The prison guard reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to release you. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.” # Ac 15:33
37But Paul said to them, “They have publicly beaten us, who are uncondemned Romans, # Ac 22:25–29 and have thrown us into prison. And now do they secretly throw us out? Certainly not! Let them come themselves and bring us out.”
38The officers reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. # Ac 22:29 39So they came and entreated them. And they brought them out, asking them to leave the city. # Mt 8:34 40They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia. # Ac 16:14 When they had seen the brothers, they exhorted them and departed.
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Acts 16: MEV
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The Holy Bible, Modern English Version
Copyright © 2024, 2017, 2014 by United Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House. All rights reserved.
Acts 16
16
1And he 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 brethren at Lystra and Iconium. 3Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews that 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 which had been reached by the apostles and elders who were at 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 opposite 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 beseeching him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
11Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Ne-apolis, 12and from there to Philippi, which is the leading city of the district#16.12 The Greek text is uncertain 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 give heed to what was said by Paul. 15And when she was baptized, with her household, she besought 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 soothsaying. 17She followed Paul and us, crying, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18And this she did for many days. But Paul was annoyed, and 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.
19But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place 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 which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” 22#2 Cor 11.25. The 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, charging the jailer to keep them safely. 24Having received this charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25But about 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 every one's fetters 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 he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30and brought them out and said, “Men, 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 that were in his house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, with all his family. 34Then he brought them up into his house, and set food before them; and he rejoiced with all his 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 the words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore come out 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 cast 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 brethren, they exhorted them and departed.
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