Acts 16
English Standard Version
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. 2 He was well spoken of by (C)the brothers[b] at Lystra and Iconium. 3 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. 4 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. 5 (H)So the churches were strengthened in (I)the faith, and they increased in numbers (J)daily.
The Macedonian Call
6 And (K)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 (L)the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down (M)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[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
- Acts 16:1 Greek He
- Acts 16:2 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 40
- Acts 16:10 Greek he
- Acts 16:12 Or that
- Acts 16:29 Greek he
Acts 16
21st Century King James Version
16 Then Paul came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a certain woman who was a Jewess who believed, but whose father was a Greek.
2 He was well reported of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.
3 Him Paul wanted to have go forth with him, and took and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those quarters, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered unto them the decrees to keep, that had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.
5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Ghost to preach the Word in Asia.
7 After they had come to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered permit not.
8 And passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: there stood a man of Macedonia beseeching him, saying, “Come over into Macedonia and help us.”
10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the Gospel unto them.
11 Therefore casting loose from Troas we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day Neapolis,
12 and from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony. And we stayed in that city a number of days.
13 And on the Sabbath, we went out of the city by a riverside where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down and spoke unto the women who resorted thither.
14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, heard us; and the Lord opened her heart to give heed unto the things which were spoken by Paul.
15 And when she was baptized with her household, she besought us, saying, “If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there.” And she constrained us.
16 And it came to pass as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed by a spirit of divination met us. She had brought her masters much gain by soothsaying.
17 The same followed Paul and us, crying out and saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who show unto us the way of salvation.”
18 And this she did many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, “I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that same hour.
19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they caught Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
20 and brought them to the magistrates, saying, “These men, being Jews, trouble our city exceedingly,
21 and teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive nor to observe, being Romans.”
22 And the multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates rent off their clothes and commanded that they be beaten.
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely.
24 He, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God, and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison, awakening out of his sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew out his sword and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had fled.
28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do thyself no harm, for we are all here!”
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 and brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
32 And they spoke unto him the Word of the Lord, and to all who were in his house.
33 And he took them that same hour of the night and washed their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, “Let those men go.”
36 And the keeper of the prison told these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore depart and go in peace.”
37 But Paul said unto them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison. And now do they thrust us out privily? Nay verily! Let them come themselves and fetch us out.”
38 And the sergeants told these words unto the magistrates, and they feared when they heard that they were Romans.
39 And they came and besought them and brought them out, and entreated them to depart out of the city.
40 And they went out of the prison and entered into the house of Lydia. And when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them and departed.
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