Acts 16
16
Timothy Goes with Paul and Silas
1Paul travelled on to Derbe and Lystra, where a Christian named Timothy lived. His mother, who was also a Christian, was Jewish, but his father was a Greek. 2All the believers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of Timothy. 3Paul wanted to take Timothy along with him, so he circumcised him. He did so because all the Jews who lived in those places knew that Timothy's father was Greek. 4As they went through the towns, they delivered to the believers the rules decided upon by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, and told them to obey those rules. 5So the churches were made stronger in the faith and grew in numbers every day.
In Troas: Paul's Vision
6They travelled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia because the Holy Spirit did not let them preach the message in the province of Asia. 7When they reached the border of Mysia, they tried to go into the province of Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8So they travelled right on through#16.8 travelled right on through; or passed by. Mysia and went to Troas. 9That night Paul had a vision in which he saw a Macedonian standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” 10As soon as Paul had this vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia, because we decided that God had called us to preach the Good News to the people there.
In Philippi: the Conversion of Lydia
11We left by ship from Troas and sailed straight across to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis. 12From there we went inland to Philippi, a city of the first district of Macedonia;#16.12 a city of the first district of Macedonia; some manuscripts have a leading city of the district of Macedonia; or a leading city of that district in Macedonia. it is also a Roman colony. We spent several days there. 13On the Sabbath we went out of the city to the riverside, where we thought there would be a place where Jews gathered for prayer. We sat down and talked to the women who gathered there. 14One of those who heard us was Lydia from Thyatira, who was a dealer in purple cloth. She was a woman who worshipped God, and the Lord opened her mind to pay attention to what Paul was saying. 15After she and the people of her house had been baptized, she invited us, “Come and stay in my house if you have decided that I am a true believer in the Lord.” And she persuaded us to go.
In Prison at Philippi
16One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a young servant woman who had an evil spirit that enabled her to predict the future. She earned a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes. 17She followed Paul and us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God! They announce to you how you can be saved!” 18She did this for many days, until Paul became so upset that he turned round and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I order you to come out of her!” The spirit went out of her that very moment.
19When her owners realized that their chance of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to the authorities in the public square. 20They brought them before the Roman officials and said, “These men are Jews, and they are causing trouble in our city. 21They are teaching customs that are against our law; we are Roman citizens, and we cannot accept these customs or practise them.” 22And the crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas.
Then the officials tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered them to be whipped. 23After a severe beating, they were thrown into jail, and the jailer was ordered to lock them up tight. 24Upon receiving this order, the jailer threw them into the inner cell and fastened their feet between heavy blocks of wood.
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was a violent earthquake, which shook the prison to its foundations. At once all the doors opened, and the chains fell off all the prisoners. 27The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he thought that the prisoners had escaped; so he pulled out his sword and was about to kill himself. 28But Paul shouted at the top of his voice, “Don't harm yourself! We are all here!”
29The jailer called for a light, rushed in, and fell trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas. 30Then he led them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your family.” 32Then they preached the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that very hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; and he and all his family were baptized at once. 34Then he took Paul and Silas up into his house and gave them some food to eat. He and his family were filled with joy, because they now believed in God.
35The next morning the Roman authorities sent police officers with the order, “Let those men go.”
36So the jailer told Paul, “The officials have sent an order for you and Silas to be released. You may leave, then, and go in peace.”
37But Paul said to the police officers, “We were not found guilty of any crime, yet they whipped us in public — and we are Roman citizens! Then they threw us in prison. And now they want to send us away secretly. Not likely! The Roman officials themselves must come here and let us out.”
38The police officers reported these words to the Roman officials; and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were afraid. 39So they went and apologized to them; then they led them out of the prison and asked them to leave the city. 40Paul and Silas left the prison and went to Lydia's house. There they met the believers, spoke words of encouragement to them, and left.
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Acts 16: GNBUK
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
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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The Holy Bible, Modern English Version
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