Acts 16:1-26 ▼

1 And he came down also to Derbe and to Lystra. And, behold, a certain disciple was there, Timothy by name, son of a believing Jewish woman, but of a Grecian father;

2 who was well reported of by the brethren in Lystra and Iconium;

3 this one Paul wished to go forth with him; and, taking him, he circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places; for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

4 And, as they were journeying through the cities, they were delivering to them the decrees to keep, that had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.

5 So the assemblies were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily.

6 And they passed through the Phrygian and Galatian country, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia;

7 and, having come over against Mysia, they were trying to go on into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them;

8 and, passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

9 And a vision appeared to Paul by night: a certain man of Macedonia was standing, and beseeching him, saying, "Crossing over into Macedonia, help us!"

10 And, when he saw the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them.

11 Having set sail, therefore, from Troas, we ran in a straight course to Samothrace, and on the following day to Neapolis;

12 and thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of the district of Macedonia, a colony. And we were tarrying in this city certain days.

13 And, on the sabbath day, we went forth without the gate by a river, where we were supposing there was a place of prayer; and, sitting down, we were speaking to the women who had assembled together.

14 And a certain woman, Lydia by name, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God, was listening, whose heart the Lord opened to attend to the things spoken by Paul.

15 And, when she was immersed, and her household, she besought us , saying, "If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, having entered into my house, abide there ." And she constrained us.

16 And it came to pass, as we were on our way to the place of prayer, that a certain damsel, having a spirit of divination, met us; who, indeed, was bringing to her masters much gain by sooth-saying.

17 The same, following after Paul and us, kept crying, saying, "These men are servants of the Most High God; who, indeed, declare to you a way of salvation."

18 And this she was doing for many days. But Paul, having been troubled, and turning, said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out from her." And it came out that very hour!

19 But her masters, seeing that the hope of their gain was gone, laying hold on Paul and Silas, dragged them into the market-place before the rulers;

20 and, leading them forward to the magistrates, they said, "These men, being Jews, are greatly disturbing our city;

21 and are declaring customs, which it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans.

22 And the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates, having torn off their garments, were giving orders to beat them with rods;

23 and, having laid upon them many stripes, they thrust them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely;

24 who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

25 And about midnight Paul and Silas, while engaged in prayer, were singing praise to God; and the prisoners were listening to 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 the bonds of all were loosed.