| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. | 1Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where he found a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father. |
| 2He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. | 2The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. |
| 3Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. | 3Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, so he took him and circumcised him on account of the Jews in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. |
| 4And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. | 4As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. |
| 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily. | 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. |
| 6Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. | 6After the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia. |
| 7After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. | 7And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them. |
| 8So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. | 8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. |
| 9And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” | 9During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” |
| 10Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. | 10As soon as Paul had seen the vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. |
| 11Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, | 11We sailed from Troas straight to Samothrace, and the following day on to Neapolis. |
| 12and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days. | 12From there we went to the Roman colony of Philippi, the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. |
| 13And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. | 13On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there. |
| 14Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. | 14Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. |
| 15And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us. | 15And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us. |
| 16Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. | 16One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling. |
| 17This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” | 17This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!” |
| 18And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. | 18She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment. |
| 19But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. | 19When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace. |
| 20And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; | 20They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil |
| 21and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.” | 21by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.” |
| 22Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. | 22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods. |
| 23And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. | 23And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely. |
| 24Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. | 24On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. |
| 25But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. | 25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. |
| 26Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. | 26Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose. |
| 27And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. | 27When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped. |
| 28But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” | 28But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!” |
| 29Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. | 29Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. |
| 30And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” | 30Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” |
| 31So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” | 31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.” |
| 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. | 32Then Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house. |
| 33And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. | 33At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized. |
| 34Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household. | 34Then he brought them into his home and set a meal before them. So he and all his household rejoiced that they had come to believe in God. |
| 35And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.” | 35When daylight came, the magistrates sent their officers with the order: “Release those men.” |
| 36So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.” | 36The jailer informed Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders to release you. Now you may go on your way in peace.” |
| 37But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.” | 37But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!” |
| 38And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. | 38So the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, who were alarmed to hear that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. |
| 39Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city. | 39They came to appease them and led them out, requesting that they leave the city. |
| 40So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed. | 40After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house to see the brothers and encourage them. Then they left the city. |
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