The Acts of the Apostles 16
16
Timothy—and new developments
1Paul went on further, to Derbe and then Lystra. There was a disciple there by the name of Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but with a Greek father. 2The Christians in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3Paul wanted Timothy to go with them, so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews in those regions, since they all knew that his father was Greek. 4When they went through the cities, they handed on to them the decisions which had been taken by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, so that they could observe them. 5The churches were strengthened in faith, and grew in number every day.
6They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, since the holy spirit had forbidden them to speak the word in the province of Asia. 7When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the spirit of Jesus didn’t allow them to do so. 8So, passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9Then a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man from Macedonia was standing there, pleading with him, and saying, “Come across to Macedonia and help us!” 10When he saw the vision, at once we set about finding a way to get across to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the good news to them.
Preaching and prison in Philippi
11So we sailed away from Troas and made a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis. 12From there we went on to Philippi, a Roman colony, the chief city of the district of Macedonia. We stayed in this city for some days.
13On the sabbath day we went outside the gate to a place by a river where we reckoned there was a place of prayer, and there we sat down. Some women had gathered, and we spoke to them. 14There was a woman called Lydia, a godfearer, who was a seller of purple from Thyatira. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying. 15She was baptized, with all her household.
“If you have judged me faithful to the Lord,” she begged us, “please come and stay at my home.”
So she persuaded us.
16As we were going to the place of prayer we were met by a girl who had a spirit of divination. She and her oracles made a good living for her owners. 17She followed Paul and the rest of us.
“These men are servants of God Most High!” she would shout out. “They are declaring to you the way of salvation!”
18She did this for many days. Eventually, Paul got fed up with it. He turned round and addressed the spirit.
“I command you in the name of Jesus the Messiah,” he said, “come out of her!”
And it came out then and there.
19When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of profit had vanished, they seized Paul and Silas, dragged them into the public square before the authorities, 20and presented them to the magistrates.
“These men,” they said, “are throwing our city into an uproar! They are Jews, 21and they are teaching customs which it’s illegal for us Romans to accept or practice!”
22The crowd joined in the attack on them, and the magistrates had their clothes torn off them and gave orders for them to be beaten with rods. 23When they had thoroughly beaten them, they threw them into prison, and gave orders to the jailer to guard them securely. 24With that instruction, he put them into the innermost part of the prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Earthquake and salvation
25Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was a huge earthquake, which shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open, and everyone’s chains became loose. 27When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted at the top of his voice, “Don’t harm yourself! We’re all still here!”
29The jailer called for lights and rushed in. Trembling all over, he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30Then he brought them outside.
“Gentlemen,” he said, “will you please tell me how I can get out of this mess?”
31“Believe in the Lord Jesus,” they replied, “and you will be rescued—you and your household.”
32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him, with everyone who was in his house. 33He took them, at that very hour of the night, and washed their wounds. Then at once he was baptized, and all his household with him. 34Then he took them into his house, put food on the table, and rejoiced with his whole house that he had believed in God.
Publicly vindicated
35When day broke, the magistrates sent their officers with the message, “Let those men go.” 36The jailer passed on what they said to Paul.
“The magistrates have sent word that you should be released,” he said. “So now you can leave and go in peace.”
37But Paul objected.
“We are Roman citizens!” he said. “They beat us in public without a trial, they threw us into prison, and now they are sending us away secretly? No way! Let them come themselves and take us out.”
38The officers reported these words to the magistrates. When they heard that they were Roman citizens, they were afraid. 39They went and apologized, brought them out of the prison, and requested that they leave the city. 40So when they had left the prison they went to Lydia’s house. There they saw and encouraged the brothers and sisters, and then they went on their way.
Currently Selected:
The Acts of the Apostles 16: NTFE
Highlight
Copy
Compare
Share
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
a. The New Testament for Everyone, Third Edition. Copyright © 2011, 2018, 2019 by
Nicholas Thomas Wright, The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. All rights reserved. Published by Zondervan, 2023.
Learn More About The New Testament for EveryoneThe Acts of the Apostles 16
16
Timothy—and new developments
1Paul went on further, to Derbe and then Lystra. There was a disciple there by the name of Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but with a Greek father. 2The Christians in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3Paul wanted Timothy to go with them, so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews in those regions, since they all knew that his father was Greek. 4When they went through the cities, they handed on to them the decisions which had been taken by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, so that they could observe them. 5The churches were strengthened in faith, and grew in number every day.
6They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, since the holy spirit had forbidden them to speak the word in the province of Asia. 7When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the spirit of Jesus didn’t allow them to do so. 8So, passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9Then a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man from Macedonia was standing there, pleading with him, and saying, “Come across to Macedonia and help us!” 10When he saw the vision, at once we set about finding a way to get across to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the good news to them.
Preaching and prison in Philippi
11So we sailed away from Troas and made a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis. 12From there we went on to Philippi, a Roman colony, the chief city of the district of Macedonia. We stayed in this city for some days.
13On the sabbath day we went outside the gate to a place by a river where we reckoned there was a place of prayer, and there we sat down. Some women had gathered, and we spoke to them. 14There was a woman called Lydia, a godfearer, who was a seller of purple from Thyatira. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying. 15She was baptized, with all her household.
“If you have judged me faithful to the Lord,” she begged us, “please come and stay at my home.”
So she persuaded us.
16As we were going to the place of prayer we were met by a girl who had a spirit of divination. She and her oracles made a good living for her owners. 17She followed Paul and the rest of us.
“These men are servants of God Most High!” she would shout out. “They are declaring to you the way of salvation!”
18She did this for many days. Eventually, Paul got fed up with it. He turned round and addressed the spirit.
“I command you in the name of Jesus the Messiah,” he said, “come out of her!”
And it came out then and there.
19When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of profit had vanished, they seized Paul and Silas, dragged them into the public square before the authorities, 20and presented them to the magistrates.
“These men,” they said, “are throwing our city into an uproar! They are Jews, 21and they are teaching customs which it’s illegal for us Romans to accept or practice!”
22The crowd joined in the attack on them, and the magistrates had their clothes torn off them and gave orders for them to be beaten with rods. 23When they had thoroughly beaten them, they threw them into prison, and gave orders to the jailer to guard them securely. 24With that instruction, he put them into the innermost part of the prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Earthquake and salvation
25Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was a huge earthquake, which shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open, and everyone’s chains became loose. 27When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted at the top of his voice, “Don’t harm yourself! We’re all still here!”
29The jailer called for lights and rushed in. Trembling all over, he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30Then he brought them outside.
“Gentlemen,” he said, “will you please tell me how I can get out of this mess?”
31“Believe in the Lord Jesus,” they replied, “and you will be rescued—you and your household.”
32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him, with everyone who was in his house. 33He took them, at that very hour of the night, and washed their wounds. Then at once he was baptized, and all his household with him. 34Then he took them into his house, put food on the table, and rejoiced with his whole house that he had believed in God.
Publicly vindicated
35When day broke, the magistrates sent their officers with the message, “Let those men go.” 36The jailer passed on what they said to Paul.
“The magistrates have sent word that you should be released,” he said. “So now you can leave and go in peace.”
37But Paul objected.
“We are Roman citizens!” he said. “They beat us in public without a trial, they threw us into prison, and now they are sending us away secretly? No way! Let them come themselves and take us out.”
38The officers reported these words to the magistrates. When they heard that they were Roman citizens, they were afraid. 39They went and apologized, brought them out of the prison, and requested that they leave the city. 40So when they had left the prison they went to Lydia’s house. There they saw and encouraged the brothers and sisters, and then they went on their way.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Copy
Compare
Share
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
a. The New Testament for Everyone, Third Edition. Copyright © 2011, 2018, 2019 by
Nicholas Thomas Wright, The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. All rights reserved. Published by Zondervan, 2023.
Learn More About The New Testament for Everyone