16:1 Paul went · also to Derbe and to Lystra; and there was a certain disciple there named Timothy, the son of a converted Jewish woman, whose father · was a Greek.
16:2 He was well attested by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium.
16:3 Paul wanted Timothy · to accompany him, so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in · those places; for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ·
16:4 As · they went through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.
16:5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in number daily.
16:6 And they went through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in · Asia.
16:7 And when they came to · Mysia, they tried to go into · Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them,
16:8 so they passed through · Mysia and went down to Troas.
16:9 And a vision in the night appeared to Paul: a man of Macedonia was standing there, · urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!”
16:10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we tried to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us · to preach the gospel to them.
16:11 So, setting sail from Troas, we sailed on a direct course to Samothrace, and on the following day to Neapolis,
16:12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of that district of Macedonia, a Roman colony. We · remained in that · city for several days.
16:13 And on the Sabbath day · we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we thought there would be a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there.
16:14 And a certain woman, named Lydia, a seller of purple cloths from the city of Thyatira, a worshipper of · God, listened; and the Lord opened · her heart to respond to what was said by · Paul.
16:15 And when she was baptized, 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 prevailed upon us.
16:16 Now as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave girl who had a spirit of divination, met us. She brought great profit to her masters by fortune-telling.
16:17 She followed after · Paul and us, crying out, saying, “These · men are servants of the Most High God, · who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”
16:18 And this she kept doing for many days. But Paul became annoyed, and turning to the spirit, said, “I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
16:19 When her owners saw · · that their hope of profit was gone, · they seized · Paul and · Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
16:20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These · men are Jews, and they are disturbing our · city
16:21 · by advocating customs that are not lawful for us to accept or practice, since we are Romans.
16:22 · The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the clothes off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.
16:23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them securely,
16:24 who, having received such a charge, put them into the inner prison and fastened · their feet in the stocks.
16:25 About · · midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to · God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
16:26 Suddenly · there was a violent earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s · chains were unfastened.
16:27 When the jailer woke up · and saw the doors of the prison standing open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, for he thought the prisoners had escaped.
16:28 But Paul called out in a loud voice, · saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”
16:29 Then, calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and trembling with fear he fell down before · Paul and · Silas.
16:30 Then he brought them outside and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
16:31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and · your household.”
16:32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him, along with all who were in · his house.
16:33 And taking them in that · hour of the night, he washed their wounds; then he was baptized at once, he and · all his family.
16:34 And when he had brought them up into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having placed his faith in God along with his entire household.
16:35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent their constables, saying, “Release · those men.”
16:36 And the jailer reported · these words to · Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent orders to release you. So depart now and go in peace.”
16:37 · But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and now would they send us away in secret? No indeed! They themselves must come and escort us out.”
16:38 The constables reported · these words to the magistrates. · And they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.
16:39 So they came and spoke to them in a friendly manner; and having taken them out, they asked them to leave the city.
16:40 So when they had left the prison, they went to · Lydia’s house; and when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.
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