Acts 16

1He also came to Derbe and to Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but of a Greek father,

2He was well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.

3Paul wanted him to go out with him, and after taking him, he circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

4As they went through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decrees that had been decided by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.

5So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were increasing in number day by day.

6And they passed through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.

7But when they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them.

8So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.

9And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a certain Macedonian man was standing and urging him, saying, “Come over into Macedonia and help us.”

10And when he had seen the vision, we immediately sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.

11So, after putting out to sea from Troas, we sailed straight to Samothrace, and on the following day to Neapolis,

12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony. And we stayed in this city for some days.

13On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate beside the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and after sitting down we were speaking to the women who had gathered there.

14And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, was listening; the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was being spoken by Paul.

15And when she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

16And it happened that, as we were going to the place of prayer, a certain servant girl who had a python spirit met us, and she was bringing much profit to her masters by fortune-telling.

17She kept following Paul and us and crying out, saying, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.”

18And she kept doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly troubled, turned to the spirit and said, “I command you in the name of Jesus the Messiah to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

19But when her masters saw that their hope of profit had gone out, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers,

20And after bringing them before the magistrates, they said, “These men are disturbing our city, being Jews,”

21and they are proclaiming customs that it is not lawful for us to accept or practice, since we are Romans.

22And the crowd rose up together against them, and the magistrates, after tearing off their garments, were ordering them to be beaten with rods,

23And after they had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them securely.

24He, having received such an order, threw them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.

25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the 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 unfastened.

27When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors standing open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

28But Paul shouted with a loud voice, saying, “Do not do yourself any harm, for we are all here.”

29Then, asking for lights, he rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas,

30And after bringing them outside, he said, “Sirs, what must I do so that I may be saved?”

31And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him, together with all who were in his house.

33And taking them in that hour of the night, he washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, he and all his household.

34And after bringing them up into the house, he set a meal before them and rejoiced greatly with his whole household, having believed in God.

35And when day came, the magistrates sent the rod-bearers, saying, “Release those men.”

36And the jailer reported these words to Paul: “The magistrates have sent word that you may be released. So now, come out and go in peace.”

37But Paul said to them, “After beating us publicly without trial, though we are Roman citizens, they threw us into prison; and now are they sending us out secretly? No indeed! Rather, let them come themselves and lead us out.”

38So the rod-bearers reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,

39And they came and appealed to them, and after leading them out, they asked them to leave the city.

40After they came out of the prison, they went to Lydia, and when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.