Acts 15:20-16:31

English Standard Version

²⁰ but should write to them ^(A)to abstain from ^(B)the things polluted by idols, and from ^(C)sexual immorality, and from ^(D)what has been strangled, and from ^(E)blood. ²¹ For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, ^(F)for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

The Council's Letter to Gentile Believers

²² Then it seemed good to ^(G)the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called ^(H)Barsabbas, and ^(I)Silas, leading men among ^(J)the brothers, ²³ with the following letter: ^(K)“The brothers, both ^(L)the apostles and the elders, to the brothers^[a] who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, ^(M)greetings. ²⁴ Since we have heard that ^(N)some persons have gone out from us and ^(O)troubled you^[b] with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, ²⁵ it has seemed good to us, having come ^(P)to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our ^(Q)beloved Barnabas and Paul, ^26 (R)men who have ^(S)risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have therefore sent ^(T)Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸ For it has seemed good ^(U)to the Holy Spirit and ^(V)to us ^(W)to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: ^29 (X)that you abstain from ^(Y)what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

³⁰ So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. ³¹ And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. ³² And Judas and Silas, who were themselves ^(Z)prophets, encouraged and ^(AA)strengthened ^(AB)the brothers with many words. ³³ And after they had spent some time, they were sent off ^(AC)in peace by ^(AD)the brothers to those who had sent them.^{[c] 35} But ^(AE)Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Paul and Barnabas Separate

³⁶ And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit ^(AF)the brothers ^(AG)in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷ Now Barnabas wanted to take with them ^(AH)John called Mark. ³⁸ But Paul thought best not to take with them one ^(AI)who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ And there arose ^(AJ)a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. ^(AK)Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and departed, ^(AL)having been commended by ^(AM)the brothers to ^(AN)the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ And he went through Syria and Cilicia, ^(AO)strengthening the churches.

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 Paul^[d] came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named ^(AP)Timothy, ^(AQ)the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. ² He was well spoken of by ^(AR)the brothers^[e] at Lystra and Iconium. ³ Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he ^(AS)took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance ^(AT)the decisions ^(AU)that had been reached by ^(AV)the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. ^5 (AW)So the churches were strengthened in ^(AX)the faith, and they increased in numbers ^(AY)daily.

The Macedonian Call

⁶ And ^(AZ)they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. ⁷ And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but ^(BA)the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. ⁸ So, passing by Mysia, they went down ^(BB)to Troas. ⁹ 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^[f] had seen the vision, immediately ^(BC)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 ^(BD)made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to ^(BE)Philippi, which is a leading city of the^[g] district of Macedonia and ^(BF)a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. ¹³ And ^(BG)on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate ^(BH)to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we ^(BI)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, ^(BJ)who was a worshiper of God. The Lord ^(BK)opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. ¹⁵ And after she was baptized, ^(BL)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 ^(BM)prevailed upon us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

¹⁶ As we were going to ^(BN)the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had ^(BO)a spirit of ^(BP)divination and ^(BQ)brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and us, ^(BR)crying out, “These men are ^(BS)servants of ^(BT)the Most High God, who proclaim to you ^(BU)the way of salvation.” ¹⁸ And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ^(BV)“I command you ^(BW)in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And ^(BX)it came out that very hour.

¹⁹ But ^(BY)when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and ^(BZ)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 ^(CA)advocate customs that are not lawful for us ^(CB)as Romans to accept or practice.” ²² The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders ^(CC)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 ^(CD)prison and fastened their feet in ^(CE)the stocks.

The Philippian Jailer Converted

^25 (CF)About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, ²⁶ and suddenly ^(CG)there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately ^(CH)all the doors were opened, and ^(CI)everyone's bonds were unfastened. ²⁷ When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and ^(CJ)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^[h] called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he ^(CK)fell down before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, ^(CL)what must I do to be ^(CM)saved?” ³¹ And they said, ^(CN)“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you ^(CO)and your household.”