Acts 16

Paul Selects Timothy

1Paul went on to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, # 16:1 Ac 17:14–15; 18:5; 19:22; 20:4; Rm 16:21; 1Co 4:17; Php 2:19; 1Th 3:2,6 the son of a believing Jewish woman, # 16:1 2Tm 1:5; 3:15 but his father was a Greek. 2The brothers and sisters at Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him. # 16:2 Ac 13:51; 16:40 3Paul wanted Timothy to go with him; so he took him and circumcised # 16:3 Gl 2:3 him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they traveled through the towns, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for the people to observe. # 16:4 Ac 11:30; 15:2,28 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. # 16:5 Ac 2:47; 9:31; 15:41

Evangelization of Europe

6They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia; they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. # 16:6 Ac 2:9; 18:23; Gl 1:2; 3:1 7When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus # 16:7 Ac 8:29; Rm 8:9; Gl 4:6; Php 1:19; 1Pt 1:11 did not allow them. 8Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas. # 16:8 Ac 16:11; 20:5–6; 2Co 2:12; 2Tm 4:13 9During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, “Cross over to Macedonia and help us! ” # 16:9 Ac 9:10; 20:1,3 10After # 16:10–17 Ac 20:5–15; 21:1–18; 27:1–28:16 he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Lydia’s Conversion

11From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis, 12and from there to Philippi, # 16:12 Ac 20:6; Php 1:1; 1Th 2:2 a Roman colony and a leading city of the district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for several days. 13On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. 14A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. # 16:14 Lk 24:45; Ac 18:7; Rv 1:11 15After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” # 16:15 Gn 19:3; Lk 24:29; Ac 11:14 And she persuaded us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

16Once, as we were on our way to prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. # 16:16 Lv 19:31; Dt 18:11; 1Sm 28:3,7 She made a large profit for her owners by fortune-telling. 17As she followed Paul and us she cried out, “These men, who are proclaiming to you # 16:17 Other mss read us a way of salvation, are the servants of the Most High God.” 18She did this for many days.

Paul was greatly annoyed. Turning to the spirit, he said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her! ” And it came out right away. # 16:17–18 Mk 5:7; 16:17

19When her owners realized that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas # 16:19 Mt 10:18; Ac 8:3; 15:22; 17:6–8; 19:25–26; 21:30; Jms 2:6 and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. 20Bringing them before the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are seriously disturbing our city. They are Jews 21and are promoting customs that are not legal for us as Romans to adopt or practice.” # 16:21 Est 3:8; Ac 16:12 22The crowd joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates stripped off their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods. # 16:22 2Co 6:5; 11:25; 1Th 2:2 23After they had severely flogged them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to guard them carefully. 24Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks. # 16:24 Jb 13:27; 33:11; Jr 20:2–3; 29:26

A Midnight Deliverance

25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose. # 16:26 Ac 4:31; 5:19; 12:7,10 27When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open, he drew his sword and was going to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped.

28But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Don’t harm yourself, because we’re all here! ”

29The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? ” # 16:30 Ac 2:37; 22:10

31They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household.” # 16:31 Mk 16:16; Ac 11:14 32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. 33He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized. 34He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had come to believe in God with his entire household. # 16:34 Ac 11:14; 16:15

An Official Apology

35When daylight came, the chief magistrates sent the police to say, “Release those men.”

36The jailer reported these words to Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders for you to be released. So come out now and go in peace.” # 16:36 Ac 15:33; 16:27

37But Paul said to them, “They beat us in public without a trial, although we are Roman citizens, and threw us in jail. And now are they going to send us away secretly? Certainly not! On the contrary, let them come themselves and escort us out.” # 16:37 Ac 22:25–29

38The police reported these words to the magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 39So they came to appease them, and escorting them from prison, they urged them to leave town. 40After leaving the jail, they came to Lydia’s house, where they saw and encouraged the brothers and sisters, and departed. # 16:39–40 Mt 8:34; Ac 16:14

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Acts 16: CSB

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Gevurot Meyruach Hakodesh 16

1And Rav Sha'ul arrived also in Derbe and went on to Lystra. And, hinei, a certain talmid of Moshiach was there by the name Timotiyos, the ben of a faithful Yiddisha isha but whose abba was Yevani. 2Timotiyos was a bochur who was well spoken of by the Achim b'Moshiach in Lystra and Iconium. 3Rav Sha'ul wanted Timotiyos to come along with his chavurah, so he took him and did a bris milah, because of the Yehudim in those places, for everyone had da'as that his abba was Yevani. 4And as they were traveling through the cities, they were handing on to them to be shomer regarding the mitzvot that had been laid down by the Moshiachʼs Shlichim and the Ziknei HaKehillot of Moshiach in Yerushalayim. 5The Moshiachʼs Kehillot, therefore, were growing in the emunah (faith), and yom yom were increasing in number.

6And they traveled through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Ruach Hakodesh to speak the dvar Hashem in#16:6 the Roman Province of Asia. 7And having come to the border of Mysia, they were trying to go toward Bithynia, and the Ruach of Moshiach did not permit them. 8So, passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9And during the lailah a chazon (vision) appeared to Rav Sha'ul. It was of a certain ish from Macedonia who had been standing and was begging him, saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. 10And when Rav Sha'ul saw the chazon, immediately we sought to cross over to Macedonia, concluding that Hashem had called us to preach the Besuras HaGeulah to them.

11And having set sail from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and, on the next day, to Neapolis; 12and from there, to Philippi, which is a chashuve city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony. And we were in this city, staying some yamim. 13And on Shabbos, we went outside the sha'ar to a river where there was a mikveh mayim, supposing there we would find a minyan davening, and having sat down, we were speaking with the nashim who had assembled. 14And a certain isha, by the name Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, of the city of Thyatira, a yirat Elohim, was listening, and Hashem opened her lev (heart) to pay attention to the things being spoken by Rav Sha'ul. 15And when she was given the Moshiachʼs tevilah of teshuva along with all her household, she said, If you have judged me ne'emanah to Hashem, enter into my bais and stay there. And she prevailed upon us.

16And it came about when we were going to where they held the minyan, that a certain shifchah having a ruach of the python#16:16 i.e., a shed, demon came out to meet us. She was bringing much profit to her adonim by divination.#16:16 Dt 18:11; 1Sm 28:3,7 17This one was following Rav Sha'ul, crying out, saying, These anashim are avadim of G-d HaElyon and are proclaiming to you the Derech HaYeshu'at Eloheinu. 18And this kviusdik thing she was doing for many yamim; but Rav Sha'ul, whom she wouldn't stop derkutshen, turned to the ruach, and said, I command you in haShem of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua to come out from her! And it came out in the same hour.

19And when her adonim saw that the tikvah of their profit also left her, they seized Rav Sha'ul and Sila, and they dragged them into the marketplace before their manhigim; 20And having brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, These anashim, being Jews, are disturbing our city, 21And they are proclaiming minhagim which it is not permitted for us, being Romans, to accept or to do.#16:21 Esth 3:8 22And the multitude rose up together keneged Rav Sha'ul and Sila; and the chief magistrates, having torn off the kaftans of Moshiachʼs Shlichim, were giving orders to beat them. 23And having inflicted klop after klop upon these Jewish men, they threw Rav Sha'ul and Sila into the beis hasohar, giving orders to the soher to guard them securely. 24And the soher, having received such an order, threw them into the inner beis hasohar, and he fastened their feet in the stock.#16:24 Job 13:27; 33:11; Jer 20:2,3; 29:26

25And about chatzot halailah Rav Sha'ul and Sila were davening and were singing niggunim to Hashem, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26And, suddenly, there came a gevaltike earthquake, so that the beis hasohar was shaken to its foundations, and immediately were opened all delatot (doors) and all sharsherot (chains) were unfastened. 27And the soher, having awakened and having seen the delatot of the beis hasohar having been opened, drew his cherev (sword) and was about to commit suicide, thinking the prisoners had run away. 28But Rav Sha'ul shouted with a kol gadol, saying, Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here. 29And having asked for lights, he rushed in and, starting to tremble with pachad, he fell down before Rav Sha'ul and Sila. 30Then, leading them outside, the soher said, Rabbotai, what is it necessary for me to do that I may come to Yeshu'at Eloheinu? 31And Moshiachʼs Shlichim said, Have emunah in the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua, and you will come to Yeshu'at Eloheinu, you and your bais. 32And they spoke to him the dvar Hashem together with all the ones in his bais. 33And having taken them in that hour of the lailah, the soher washed their wounds, and at once he did getoivult (was given Moshiachʼs tevilah of teshuva), as well as his entire mishpochah. 34After that he led them to tish in his bais, and he set before them okhel, and he with his whole bais had simcha gedolah that they had come to emunah in Hashem.

35And in the boker, the magistrates sent the soterim (policemen), saying, Release those men. 36And the soher reported these words to Rav Sha'ul, saying, The magistrates sent word that you may be released; now, therefore, go and depart in shalom.#16:36 Judg 18:6 37But Rav Sha'ul said to them, After giving us a public flogging, though we are uncondemned Roman citizens, they threw us into the beis hasohar; and now are they secretly sending us out? No, indeed! Let them come themselves and lead us out in public. 38And the soterim reported these words to the magistrates, and the magistrates were afraid, hearing that Rav Sha'ul and Sila were both Roman citizens. 39So the magistrates came, and entreated Rav Sha'ul and Sila, and brought them out, asking them to depart from the city. 40And having come out from the beis hasohar, they came to Lydia, and having seen and encouraged the Achim b'Moshiach of the Kehillah that met in Lydiaʼs bais, Rav Sha'ul and Sila departed.

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