⁴⁰ After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house,^(A) where they met with the brothers and sisters^(B) and encouraged them. Then they left.

¹⁴ One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira^(A) named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart^(B) to respond to Paul’s message.

² We sent Timothy,^(A) who is our brother and co-worker^(B) in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ,^(C) to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, ³ so that no one would be unsettled by these trials.^(D) For you know quite well that we are destined for them.^(E)

²² strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.^(A) “We must go through many hardships^(B) to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart.^(A) Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly^(B) we are being renewed^(C) day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.^{(D) 18} So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,^(E) since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Praise to the God of All Comfort

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(A) the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us^(B) in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. ⁵ For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ,^(C) so also our comfort abounds through Christ. ⁶ If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation;^(D) if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. ⁷ And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings,^(E) so also you share in our comfort.

⁸ We are hard pressed on every side,^(A) but not crushed; perplexed,^(B) but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted,^(C) but not abandoned;^(D) struck down, but not destroyed.^{(E) 10} We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,^(F) so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.^{(G) 11} For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake,^(H) so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.^(I)

¹² When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark,^(A) where many people had gathered and were praying.^{(B) 13} Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door.^{(C) 14} When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed^(D) she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”

¹⁵ “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”^(E)

¹⁶ But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. ¹⁷ Peter motioned with his hand^(F) for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James^(G) and the other brothers and sisters^(H) about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.

The Believers Pray

²³ On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.