Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra,^(A) where a disciple named Timothy^(B) lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer^(C) but whose father was a Greek. ² The believers^(D) at Lystra and Iconium^(E) spoke well of him. ³ Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.^{(F) 4} As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders^(G) in Jerusalem^(H) for the people to obey.^{(I) 5} So the churches were strengthened^(J) in the faith and grew daily in numbers.^(K)

Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia

⁶ Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia^(L) and Galatia,^(M) having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.^{(N) 7} When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus^(O) would not allow them to. ⁸ So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.^{(P) 9} During the night Paul had a vision^(Q) of a man of Macedonia^(R) standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ After Paul had seen the vision, we^(S) got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel^(T) to them.

Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi

¹¹ From Troas^(U) we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. ¹² From there we traveled to Philippi,^(V) a Roman colony and the leading city of that district^[a] of Macedonia.^(W) And we stayed there several days.

¹³ On the Sabbath^(X) we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. ¹⁴ One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira^(Y) named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart^(Z) to respond to Paul’s message. ¹⁵ When she and the members of her household^(AA) were baptized,^(AB) she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

¹⁶ Once when we were going to the place of prayer,^(AC) we were met by a female slave who had a spirit^(AD) by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God,^(AE) who are telling you the way to be saved.” ¹⁸ She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.^(AF)

¹⁹ When her owners realized that their hope of making money^(AG) was gone, they seized Paul and Silas^(AH) and dragged^(AI) them into the marketplace to face the authorities. ²⁰ They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar^{(AJ) 21} by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans^(AK) to accept or practice.”^(AL)

²² The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.^{(AM) 23} After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer^(AN) was commanded to guard them carefully. ²⁴ When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.^(AO)

²⁵ About midnight^(AP) Paul and Silas^(AQ) were praying and singing hymns^(AR) to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.^(AS) At once all the prison doors flew open,^(AT) and everyone’s chains came loose.^{(AU) 27} The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped.^{(AV) 28} But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

²⁹ The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.^{(AW) 30} He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”^(AX)

³¹ They replied, “Believe^(AY) in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved^(AZ)—you and your household.”^{(BA) 32} Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. ³³ At that hour of the night^(BB) the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.^{(BC) 34} The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he^(BD) was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

³⁵ When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” ³⁶ The jailer^(BE) told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”^(BF)

³⁷ But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens,^(BG) and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”

³⁸ The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed.^{(BH) 39} They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city.^{(BI) 40} After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house,^(BJ) where they met with the brothers and sisters^(BK) and encouraged them. Then they left.

1 Paul, an apostle^(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,^(B) in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,^(C)

² To Timothy,^(D) my dear son:^(E)

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.^(F)

Thanksgiving

³ I thank God,^(G) whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience,^(H) as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.^{(I) 4} Recalling your tears,^(J) I long to see you,^(K) so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ I am reminded of your sincere faith,^(L) which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice^(M) and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel

⁶ For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.^{(N) 7} For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,^(O) but gives us power,^(P) love and self-discipline. ⁸ So do not be ashamed^(Q) of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner.^(R) Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel,^(S) by the power of God. ⁹ He has saved^(T) us and called^(U) us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done^(V) but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, ¹⁰ but it has now been revealed^(W) through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus,^(X) who has destroyed death^(Y) and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. ¹¹ And of this gospel^(Z) I was appointed^(AA) a herald and an apostle and a teacher.^{(AB) 12} That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame,^(AC) because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard^(AD) what I have entrusted to him until that day.^(AE)

¹³ What you heard from me,^(AF) keep^(AG) as the pattern^(AH) of sound teaching,^(AI) with faith and love in Christ Jesus.^{(AJ) 14} Guard^(AK) the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.^(AL)

Examples of Disloyalty and Loyalty

¹⁵ You know that everyone in the province of Asia^(AM) has deserted me,^(AN) including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

¹⁶ May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus,^(AO) because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed^(AP) of my chains.^{(AQ) 17} On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. ¹⁸ May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day!^(AR) You know very well in how many ways he helped me^(AS) in Ephesus.^(AT)

3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.^{(A) 2} People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,^(B) boastful, proud,^(C) abusive,^(D) disobedient to their parents,^(E) ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous,^(F) rash, conceited,^(G) lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness^(H) but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.^(I)

⁶ They are the kind who worm their way^(J) into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, ⁷ always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.^{(K) 8} Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses,^(L) so also these teachers oppose^(M) the truth. They are men of depraved minds,^(N) who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. ⁹ But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men,^(O) their folly will be clear to everyone.

A Final Charge to Timothy

¹⁰ You, however, know all about my teaching,^(P) my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, ¹¹ persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch,^(Q) Iconium^(R) and Lystra,^(S) the persecutions I endured.^(T) Yet the Lord rescued^(U) me from all of them.^{(V) 12} In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,^{(W) 13} while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse,^(X) deceiving and being deceived.^{(Y) 14} But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,^{(Z) 15} and how from infancy^(AA) you have known the Holy Scriptures,^(AB) which are able to make you wise^(AC) for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed^(AD) and is useful for teaching,^(AE) rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,^{(AF) 17} so that the servant of God^[a](AG) may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.^(AH)