Acts 16

The Macedonian Vision

1Paul came also to 1Derbe and to 2Lystra. And a disciple was there, named 3Timothy, the son of a 4Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, 2and he was well spoken of by 5the brethren who were in 6Lystra and 7Iconium. 3Paul wanted this man to 8go with him; and he 9took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering 10the decrees which had been decided upon by 11the apostles and 12elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe. 5So 13the churches were being strengthened 14in the faith, and were 15increasing in number daily.

6They passed through the 1617Phrygian and 18Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in 1920Asia; 7and after they came to 21Mysia, they were trying to go into 22Bithynia, and the 23Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; 8and passing by 24Mysia, they came down to 25Troas. 926A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of 27Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10When he had seen 28the vision, immediately 29we sought to 30go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to 31preach the gospel to them.

11So putting out to sea from 32Troas, we ran 33a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis; 12and from there to 34Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of 35Macedonia, 36a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days. 13And on 37the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled.

First Convert in Europe

14A woman named Lydia, from the city of 38Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, 39a worshiper of God, was listening; 40and the Lord 41opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. 15And when she and 42her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

16It happened that as we were going to 43the place of prayer, a slave-girl having 44a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bond-servants of 45the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you 46the way of salvation.” 18She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you 47in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very 48moment.

19But when her masters saw that their hope of 49profit was 50gone, they seized 51Paul and Silas and 52dragged them into the market place before the authorities, 20and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, 21and 53are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being 54Romans.”

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

22The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their 55robes off them and proceeded to order 56them to be 57beaten with rods. 23When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding 58the jailer to guard them securely; 2459and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in 60the 61stocks.

25But about midnight 62Paul and Silas were praying and 63singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26and suddenly 64there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately 65all the doors were opened and everyone’s 66chains were unfastened. 27When 67the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about 68to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “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 69Paul and Silas, 30and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, 70what must I do to be saved?”

The Jailer Converted

31They said, “71Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and 72your household.” 32And they spoke the word of 73the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. 33And he took them 74that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. 34And he brought them into his house and set 75food before them, and rejoiced 76greatly, having believed in God with 77his whole household.

35Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their policemen, saying, “Release those men.” 36And 78the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Therefore come out now and go 79in peace.” 37But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us in public without trial, 80men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.” 38The policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. 81They were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, 39and they came and appealed to them, and when they had brought them out, they kept begging them 82to leave the city. 40They went out of the prison and entered the house of 83Lydia, and when they saw 84the brethren, they 85encouraged them and departed.