Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 Paul[a] came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named (A)Timothy, (B)the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by (C)the brothers[b] at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he (D)took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance (E)the decisions (F)that had been reached by (G)the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. (H)So the churches were strengthened in (I)the faith, and they increased in numbers (J)daily.

The Macedonian Call

And (K)they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but (L)the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down (M)to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul[c] had seen the vision, immediately (N)we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

The Conversion of Lydia

11 So, setting sail from Troas, we (O)made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to (P)Philippi, which is a leading city of the[d] district of Macedonia and (Q)a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. 13 And (R)on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate (S)to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we (T)sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, (U)who was a worshiper of God. The Lord (V)opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, (W)and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she (X)prevailed upon us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

16 As we were going to (Y)the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had (Z)a spirit of (AA)divination and (AB)brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, (AC)crying out, “These men are (AD)servants of (AE)the Most High God, who proclaim to you (AF)the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, (AG)“I command you (AH)in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And (AI)it came out that very hour.

19 But (AJ)when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and (AK)dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They (AL)advocate customs that are not lawful for us (AM)as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders (AN)to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner (AO)prison and fastened their feet in (AP)the stocks.

The Philippian Jailer Converted

25 (AQ)About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly (AR)there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately (AS)all the doors were opened, and (AT)everyone's bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and (AU)was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailer[e] called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he (AV)fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, (AW)what must I do to be (AX)saved?” 31 And they said, (AY)“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you (AZ)and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them (BA)the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he (BB)was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he (BC)rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, (BD)uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” 38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and (BE)they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and (BF)asked them to leave the city. 40 So they went out of the prison and visited (BG)Lydia. And when they had seen (BH)the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 16:1 Greek He
  2. Acts 16:2 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 40
  3. Acts 16:10 Greek he
  4. Acts 16:12 Or that
  5. Acts 16:29 Greek he

16 And 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.

Timotiyos was a bochur who was well spoken of by the Achim b’Moshiach in Lystra and Iconium.

Rav 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.

And 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 Moshiach’s Shlichim and the Ziknei HaKehillot of Moshiach in Yerushalayim.

The Moshiach’s Kehillot, therefore, were growing in the emunah (faith), and yom yom were increasing in number.

And they traveled through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Ruach Hakodesh to speak the dvar Hashem in [the Roman Province of] Asia.

And having come to the border of Mysia, they were trying to go toward Bithynia, and the Ruach of Moshiach did not permit them.

So, passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

And 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."

10 And when Rav Sha’ul saw the chazon, immediately he sought to cross over to Macedonia, concluding that Hashem had called us to preach the Besuras HaGeulah to them.

11 And having set sail from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and, on the next day, to Neapolis;

12 and 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.

13 And 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.

14 And 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.

15 And when she was given the Moshiach’s 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.

16 And it came about when we were going to where they held the minyan, that a certain shifchah having a ruach of the python (i.e., a shed, demon) came out to meet us. She was bringing much profit to her adonim by divination. [Dt 18:11; 1Sm 28:3,7]

17 This 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."

18 And 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.

19 And 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;

20 And having brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, "These anashim, being Jews, are disturbing our city,”

21 "And they are proclaiming minhagim which it is not permitted for us, being Romans, to accept or to do." [ESTHER 3:8]

22 And the multitude rose up together keneged Rav Sha’ul and Sila; and the chief magistrates, having torn off the kaftans of Moshiach’s Shlichim, were giving orders to beat them.

23 And 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.

24 And the soher, having received such an order, threw them into the inner beis hasohar, and he fastened their feet in the stock. [IYOV 13:27; 33:11; YIRMEYAH 20:2,3; 29:26]

25 And about chatzot halailah Rav Sha’ul and Sila were davening and were singing niggunim to Hashem, and the prisoners were listening to them.

26 And, 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.

27 And 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.

28 But Rav Sha’ul shouted with a kol gadol, saying, "Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here."

29 And having asked for lights, he rushed in and, starting to tremble with pachad, he fell down before Rav Sha’ul and Sila.

30 Then, leading them outside, the soher said, "Rabbotai, what is it necessary for me to do that I may come to Yeshu’at Eloheinu?"

31 And Moshiach’s Shlichim said, "Have emunah in the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua, and you will come to Yeshu’at Eloheinu, you and your bais."

32 And they spoke to him the dvar Hashem together with all the ones in his bais.

33 And having taken them in that hour of the lailah, the soher washed their wounds, and at once he did getoivult (was given Moshiach’s tevilah of teshuva), as well as his entire mishpochah.

34 After 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.

35 And in the boker, the magistrates sent the soterim (policemen), saying, "Release those men."

36 And 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." [SHOFETIM 18:6]

37 But 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."

38 And the soterim reported these words to the magistrates, and the magistrates were afraid, hearing that Rav Sha’ul and Sila were both Roman citizens.

39 So the magistrates came, and entreated Rav Sha’ul and Sila, and brought them out, asking them to depart from the city.

40 And 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 Lydia’s bais, Rav Sha’ul and Sila departed.