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Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

A reading plan that walks through the entire New Testament in 24 weeks of daily readings.
Duration: 168 days
New English Translation (NET)
Version
Acts 16

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 He also came to Derbe[a] and to Lystra.[b] A disciple[c] named Timothy was there, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer,[d] but whose father was a Greek.[e] The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well[f] of him.[g] Paul wanted Timothy[h] to accompany him, and he took[i] him and circumcised[j] him because of the Jews who were in those places,[k] for they all knew that his father was Greek.[l] As they went through the towns,[m] they passed on[n] the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the Gentile believers[o] to obey.[p] So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were increasing in number every day.[q]

Paul’s Vision of the Macedonian Man

They went through the region of Phrygia[r] and Galatia,[s] having been prevented[t] by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message[u] in the province of Asia.[v] When they came to[w] Mysia,[x] they attempted to go into Bithynia,[y] but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow[z] them to do this,[aa] so they passed through[ab] Mysia[ac] and went down to Troas.[ad] A[ae] vision appeared to Paul during the night: A Macedonian man was standing there[af] urging him,[ag] “Come over[ah] to Macedonia[ai] and help us!” 10 After Paul[aj] saw the vision, we[ak] attempted[al] immediately to go over to Macedonia,[am] concluding that God had called[an] us to proclaim the good news to them.

Arrival at Philippi

11 We put out to sea[ao] from Troas[ap] and sailed a straight course[aq] to Samothrace,[ar] the next day to Neapolis,[as] 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of that district[at] of Macedonia,[au] a Roman colony.[av] We stayed in this city for some days. 13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the side of the river, where we thought there would be a place of prayer, and we sat down[aw] and began to speak[ax] to the women[ay] who had assembled there.[az] 14 A[ba] woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth[bb] from the city of Thyatira,[bc] a God-fearing woman, listened to us.[bd] The Lord opened her heart to respond[be] to what Paul was saying. 15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us,[bf] “If[bg] you consider me to be a believer in the Lord,[bh] come and stay in my house.” And she persuaded[bi] us.

Paul and Silas Are Thrown Into Prison

16 Now[bj] as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit that enabled her to foretell the future by supernatural means.[bk] She[bl] brought her owners[bm] a great profit by fortune-telling.[bn] 17 She followed behind Paul and us and kept crying out,[bo] “These men are servants[bp] of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way[bq] of salvation.”[br] 18 She continued to do this for many days. But Paul became greatly annoyed,[bs] and turned[bt] and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ[bu] to come out of her!” And it came out of her at once.[bv] 19 But when her owners[bw] saw their hope of profit[bx] was gone, they seized[by] Paul and Silas and dragged[bz] them into the marketplace[ca] before the authorities. 20 When[cb] they had brought them[cc] before the magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion.[cd] They are[ce] Jews 21 and are advocating[cf] customs that are not lawful for us to accept[cg] or practice,[ch] since we are[ci] Romans.”

22 The crowd joined the attack[cj] against them, and the magistrates tore the clothes[ck] off Paul and Silas[cl] and ordered them to be beaten with rods.[cm] 23 After they had beaten them severely,[cn] they threw them into prison and commanded[co] the jailer to guard them securely. 24 Receiving such orders, he threw them in the inner cell[cp] and fastened their feet in the stocks.[cq]

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying[cr] and singing hymns to God,[cs] and the rest of[ct] the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly a great earthquake occurred, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately all the doors flew open, and the bonds[cu] of all the prisoners came loose. 27 When the jailer woke up[cv] and saw the doors of the prison standing open,[cw] he drew his sword and was about to kill himself,[cx] because he assumed[cy] the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul called out loudly,[cz] “Do not harm yourself,[da] for we are all here!” 29 Calling for lights, the jailer[db] rushed in and fell down[dc] trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them outside[dd] and asked, “Sirs, what must[de] I do to be saved?” 31 They replied,[df] “Believe[dg] in the Lord Jesus[dh] and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then[di] they spoke the word of the Lord[dj] to him, along with all those who were in his house. 33 At[dk] that hour of the night he took them[dl] and washed their wounds;[dm] then[dn] he and all his family[do] were baptized right away.[dp] 34 The jailer[dq] brought them into his house and set food[dr] before them, and he rejoiced greatly[ds] that he had come to believe[dt] in God, together with his entire household.[du] 35 At daybreak[dv] the magistrates[dw] sent their police officers,[dx] saying, “Release those men.” 36 The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying,[dy] “The magistrates have sent orders[dz] to release you. So come out now and go in peace.”[ea] 37 But Paul said to the police officers,[eb] “They had us beaten in public[ec] without a proper trial[ed]—even though we are Roman citizens[ee]—and they threw us[ef] in prison. And now they want to send us away[eg] secretly? Absolutely not! They[eh] themselves must come and escort us out!”[ei] 38 The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas[ej] were Roman citizens[ek] 39 and came[el] and apologized to them. After[em] they brought them out, they asked them repeatedly[en] to leave the city. 40 When they came out of the prison, they entered Lydia’s house, and when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them and then[eo] departed.

New English Translation (NET)

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