The Acts of the Apostles

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 16 -

And he came to Derbe and Lystra, and behold, a certain disciple was there, by name Timotheus, son of a certain woman, a believing Jewess, but of a father, a Greek,

who was well testified to by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium;

Paul wished this one to go forth with him, and having taken [him], he circumcised him, because of the Jews who are in those places, for they all knew his father—that he was a Greek.

And as they were going on through the cities, they were delivering to them the decrees to keep, that have been judged by the apostles and the elders who [are] in Jerusalem,

then, indeed, were the assemblies established in the faith, and were abounding in number every day;

Paul’s Vision of the Macedonian

and having gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia,

having gone toward Mysia, they were trying to go on toward Bithynia, and the Spirit did not permit them,

and having passed by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

And a vision through the night appeared to Paul—a certain man of Macedonia was standing, calling on him, and saying, “Having passed through to Macedonia, help us.”

And when he saw the vision, immediately we endeavored to go forth to Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the LORD has called us to preach good news to them,

Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi

(Revelation 2:18–29)

having set sail, therefore, from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, on the next day also to Neapolis,

there also to Philippi, which is a principal city of the part of Macedonia—a colony. And we were abiding in this city some days;

on the day of the Sabbaths we also went forth outside of the city, by a river, where there used to be prayer, and having sat down, we were speaking to the women who came together,

and a certain woman, by name Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, worshiping God, was hearing, whose heart the LORD opened to attend to the things spoken by Paul;

and when she was immersed, and her household, she called on us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the LORD, having entered into my house, remain”; and she constrained us.

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

And it came to pass in our going on to prayer, a certain maid, having a spirit of Python, met us, who brought much employment to her masters by soothsaying;

she having followed Paul and us, was crying, saying, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who declare to us [the] way of salvation!”

And this she was doing for many days, but Paul having been grieved, and having turned, said to the spirit, “I command you, in the Name of Jesus Christ, to come forth from her”; and it came forth the same hour.

And her masters having seen that the hope of their employment was gone, having caught Paul and Silas, drew [them] into the marketplace, to the rulers,

and having brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men being Jews exceedingly trouble our city;

and they proclaim customs that are not lawful for us to receive nor to do, being Romans.”

And the multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates having torn their garments from them, were commanding to beat [them] with rods,

having also laid on them many blows, they cast them into prison, having given charge to the jailor to keep them safely,

who having received such a charge, put them into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks.

The Conversion of the Jailer

And at midnight Paul and Silas praying, were singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were hearing them,

and suddenly a great earthquake came, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, also all the doors were immediately opened, and of all—the bands were loosed;

and the jailor having come out of sleep, and having seen the doors of the prison open, having drawn a sword, was about to kill himself, supposing the prisoners to have fled,

and Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “You may not do yourself any harm, for we are all here!”

And having asked for a light, he sprang in, and he fell down before Paul and Silas trembling,

and having brought them forth, said, “Lords, what must I do that I may be saved?”

And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

And they spoke to him the word of the LORD, and to all those in his household;

and having taken them, in that hour of the night, he bathed [them] from the blows, and immediately he and all of his were immersed,

having also brought them into his house, he set food before [them], and was glad with all the household, he having believed in God.

An Official Apology

And day having come, the magistrates sent the rod-bearers, saying, “Let those men go”;

and the jailor told these words to Paul, “The magistrates have sent, that you may be let go; now, therefore, having gone forth go on in peace”;

and Paul said to them, “Having beaten us publicly uncondemned—men, being Romans—they cast [us] to prison, and now privately they cast us forth! Why no! But having come themselves, let them bring us forth.”

And the rod-bearers told these sayings to the magistrates, and they were afraid, having heard that they are Romans,

and having come, they implored them, and having brought [them] forth, they were asking [them] to go forth from the city;

and they, having gone forth out of the prison, entered into [the house of] Lydia, and having seen the brothers, they comforted them, and went forth.

He came to Derbe and Lystra; and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed, but his father was a Greek.

The brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium gave a good testimony about him.

Paul wanted to have him go out with him, and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them to keep which had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.

So the assemblies were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Paul’s Vision of the Macedonian

When they had gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.

When they had come opposite Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit didn’t allow them.

Passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

A vision appeared to Paul in the night. There was a man of Macedonia standing, begging him and saying, “Come over into Macedonia and help us.”

When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go out to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the Good News to them.

Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi

(Revelation 2:18–29)

Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis;

and from there to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the foremost of the district, a Roman colony. We were staying some days in this city.

On the Sabbath day we went outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us. The Lord opened her heart to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul.

When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling.

Following Paul and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!”

She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very hour.

But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, are agitating our city

and advocate customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.”

The multitude rose up together against them and the magistrates tore their clothes from them, then commanded them to be beaten with rods.

When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely.

Having received such a command, he threw them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.

The Conversion of the Jailer

But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were loosened.

The jailer, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Don’t harm yourself, for we are all here!”

He called for lights, sprang in, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas,

brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house.

He took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household.

He brought them up into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly with all his household, having believed in God.

An Official Apology

But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, “Let those men go.”

The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore come out and go in peace.”

But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most certainly, but let them come themselves and bring us out!”

The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,

and they came and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to depart from the city.

They went out of the prison and entered into Lydia’s house. When they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them, then departed.