16:1 Paul came to Derbe and Lystra [14:6], where a ·follower [disciple] named Timothy lived. Timothy’s mother was Jewish [C her name was Eunice (2 Tim. 1:5; 3:15)] and a believer, but his father was a Greek.
16:2 The ·believers [L brothers (and sisters)] in Lystra and Iconium [13:51] ·respected Timothy and ·said good things about [spoke well of; L testified about] him.
16:3 Paul wanted Timothy to travel with him, but all the people living in that area knew that Timothy’s father was Greek. So Paul circumcised Timothy ·to please his mother’s people [L because of the Jews in those places].
16:4 ·Paul and those with him [L They] traveled from town to town and ·gave [delivered; passed on] the ·decisions [decrees] made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.
16:5 So the churches became stronger in the faith and grew larger every day.
16:6 ·Paul and those with him [L They] went through the areas of Phrygia [C a region in north central Asia Minor; 18:23] and Galatia [C either the Roman province of Galatia or the old kingdom of Galatia in its north] since the Holy Spirit ·did not let them [prohibited them to; C either through circumstances or divine revelation] ·preach the Good News [L speak the word] in Asia [C a Roman province, in present-day Turkey].
16:7 When they came ·near [or opposite] the country of Mysia [C the northwest section of Asia Minor, present-day Turkey], they tried to go into Bithynia [C northern Asia Minor further east than Mysia], but the Spirit of Jesus did not let them.
16:8 So they passed by Mysia and went to Troas [C a city in northwest Asia Minor].
16:9 That night Paul saw in a vision a man from Macedonia [C an area across the Aegean Sea in mainland Greece]. The man stood and ·begged [urged; encouraged], “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
16:10 After Paul had seen the vision, we [C the switch to first person plural (“we”) indicates that the author, Luke, joined them (see also 20:5—21:18; 27:1—28:16)] immediately ·prepared [made plans; attempted] to leave for Macedonia, ·understanding [or convinced] that God had called us to ·tell the Good News [preach the Gospel] to those people.
16:11 We ·left [embarked/put out to sea from] Troas and sailed straight to the island of Samothrace [C a mountainous island in the north Aegean]. The next day we sailed to Neapolis [C city in Macedonia, the first city Paul visited on the continent of Europe].
16:12 Then we went by land to Philippi, a Roman colony [C a town begun by Romans with Roman laws, customs, and privileges] and ·the leading city in that part [or one of the leading cities in that district; or a city in the first district] of Macedonia. We stayed there for several days.
16:13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the river where we ·thought [expected] we would find a special place for prayer [C Philippi evidently had no synagogue because of its small Jewish population]. Some women had gathered there, so we sat down and talked with them.
16:14 One of the listeners was a woman named Lydia from the city of Thyatira [C in western Asia Minor] ·whose job was selling [who was a dealer/merchant in] purple cloth [C the most expensive type of material]. She was a worshiper of God [C a God-fearing Gentile; 10:2], and the Lord opened her ·mind [L heart] to pay attention to what Paul was saying.
16:15 She and ·all the people in her house [her household] were baptized. Then she ·invited us to her home [L urged us], saying, “If you ·think I am truly [L have judged me to be] ·a believer in [or faithful to] the Lord, then come stay in my house.” And she ·persuaded us [urged us strongly] to stay with her.
16:16 Once, while we were going to the place for prayer, a ·servant [slave] girl met us. She had a ·special spirit [spirit/demon of divination/prediction; L Python spirit; C Python was the serpent god that guarded the Delphic oracle; the term came to be used of the ability to predict the future] in her, and she earned a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes.
16:17 This girl followed Paul and us, shouting, “These men are ·servants [slaves] of the Most High God. They are telling you ·how you can be saved [L the way/path of salvation].”
16:18 She kept this up for many days. This ·bothered [annoyed; exasperated] Paul, so he turned and said to the spirit, “By the ·power [L name] of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!” ·Immediately, [L That very hour] the spirit came out.
16:19 When the owners of the ·servant [slave] girl saw that their ·source for making money [hope of profit] was gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the ·city rulers [leaders; authorities] in the marketplace.
16:20 They brought Paul and Silas to the ·Roman rulers [magistrates] and said, “These men are Jews and are ·making trouble in [disturbing] our city.
16:21 They are ·teaching things [advocating customs] that are not ·right [permitted; lawful] for us as Romans to [L adopt/accept or to] do.”
16:22 The crowd joined the attack against them. The ·Roman officers [magistrates] ·tore [stripped off] the clothes of Paul and Silas and ·had [ordered] them beaten with rods [2 Cor. 11:25].
16:23 After ·being severely beaten [L many blows were laid on them], ·Paul and Silas [L they] were thrown into ·jail [prison], and the jailer was ordered to guard them ·carefully [securely].
16:24 When he heard this order, he put them far inside the ·jail [prison] and ·pinned [secured; fastened] their feet ·down between large blocks of wood [in stocks; L in wood].
16:25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing ·songs [hymns; praise songs] to God as the other prisoners listened.
16:26 Suddenly, there was a ·strong [great; violent] earthquake that shook the foundation of the ·jail [prison]. Then all the doors of the ·jail [prison] broke open, and all the prisoners were freed from their chains.
16:27 The jailer woke up and saw that the ·jail [prison] doors were open. Thinking that the prisoners had already escaped, he got his sword and was about to kill himself [C being responsible, he would suffer punishment and shame for their escape].
16:28 But [L with a great/loud voice] Paul shouted, “Don’t hurt yourself! We are all here.”
16:29 The jailer ·told someone to bring a light [L asked for lights]. Then he ·ran [rushed] inside and, shaking with fear, fell down before Paul and Silas.
16:30 He brought them outside and said, “·Men [L Lords; Sirs], what must I do to be saved?”
16:31 They said to him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and ·all the people in your house [your household].”
16:32 So ·Paul and Silas [L they] told the ·message [word] of the Lord to the jailer and all the people in his ·house [household].
16:33 At that hour of the night the jailer took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Then he and all his ·people [or family; household] were baptized immediately.
16:34 After this the jailer took Paul and Silas home and gave them food. He and his ·family [L household] ·were very happy [rejoiced; celebrated] because they now believed in God.
16:35 The next morning, the ·Roman officers [magistrates] sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let these men go free.”
16:36 The jailer ·said [L reported these words] to Paul, “The ·officers [magistrates] have sent an order to let you go free. You can leave now. Go in peace.”
16:37 But Paul said to ·the police [L them], “They beat us in public ·without a trial [L uncondemned], even though we are Roman citizens [C Roman law stated that citizens could not be beaten without a trial]. And they threw us in ·jail [prison]. Now they want to ·make us go away [get rid of us; throw us out] ·quietly [in secret]. No! Let them come themselves and bring us out.”
16:38 The police ·told [reported to] the ·Roman officers [magistrates] what Paul said. When ·the officers [L they] heard that ·Paul and Silas [L they] were Roman citizens, they were afraid.
16:39 So they came and ·told Paul and Silas they were sorry [apologized to them; appeased them] and took them out of ·jail [prison] and asked them to leave the city.
16:40 So when they came out of the ·jail [prison], they went to Lydia’s house where they saw some of the ·believers [L brothers (and sisters)] and encouraged them. Then they left.
Your support helps pay our hosting costs, and
- with a little bit extra -
lets us pay transcribers and proofreaders.
If you can help, Click here to become a Patreon:
www.patreon.com/IslamAwakened Thank you!