Acts

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

1Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where he found a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father.

2The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.

3Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, so he took him and circumcised him on account of the Jews in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

4As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.

5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

Paul’s Vision of the Macedonian

6After the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia,they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia.

7And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them.

8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.

9During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

10As soon as Paul had seen the vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi

11We sailed from Troas straight to Samothrace, and the following day on to Neapolis.

12From there we went to the Roman colony of Philippi, the leading city of that district of Macedonia.And we stayed there several days.

13On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there.

14Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.

15And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

16One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination,who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling.

17This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!”

18She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment.

19When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace.

20They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil

21by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.”

22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods.

23And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.

24On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

The Conversion of the Jailer

25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

26Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.

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

28But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!”

29Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.

30Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”

32Then Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.

33At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized.

34Then he brought them into his home and set a meal before them. So he and all his household rejoiced that they had come to believe in God.

An Official Apology

35When daylight came, the magistrates sent their officers with the order: “Release those men.”

36The jailer informed Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders to release you. Now you may go on your way in peace.”

37But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!”

38So the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, who were alarmed to hear that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

39They came to appease them and led them out, requesting that they leave the city.

40After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house to see the brothers and encourage them. Then they left the city.

1And he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, there was a certain disciple there named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman that believed; but his father was a Gentile.

2To this man the brethren that were in Lystra and Iconium, gave a good testimony.

3Him Paul would have to go along 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 Gentile.

4And as they passed through the cities, they delivered unto them the decrees for to keep, that were decreed by the apostles and ancients who were at Jerusalem.

5And the churches were confirmed in faith, and increased in number daily.

6And when they had passed through Phrygia, and the country of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia.

7And when they were come into Mysia, they attempted to go into Bythynia, and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not.

8And when they had passed through Mysia, they went down to Troas.

9And a vision was shewed to Paul in the night, which was a man of Macedonia standing and beseeching him, and saying: Pass over into Macedonia, and help us.

10And as soon as he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, being assured that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

11And sailing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the day following to Neapolis;

12And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were in this city some days conferring together.

13And upon the sabbath day, we went forth without the gate by a river side, where it seemed that there was prayer; and sitting down, we spoke to the women that were assembled.

14And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, did hear: whose heart the Lord opened to attend to those things which were said by Paul.

15And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying: If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

16And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain girl, having a pythonical spirit, met us, who brought to her masters much gain by divining.

17This same following Paul and us, cried out, saying: These men are the servants of the most high God, who preach unto you the way of salvation.

18And this she did many days. But Paul being grieved, turned, and said to the spirit: I command thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to go out from her. And he went out the same hour.

19But her masters, seeing that the hope of their gain was gone, apprehending Paul and Silas, brought them into the marketplace to the rulers.

20And presenting them to the magistrates, they said: These men disturb our city, being Jews;

21And preach a fashion which it is not lawful for us to receive nor observe, being Romans.

22And the people ran together against them; and the magistrates rending off their clothes, commanded them to be beaten with rods.

23And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the gaoler to keep them diligently.

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

25And at midnight, Paul and Silas praying, praised God. And they that were in prison, heard them.

26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and the bands of all were loosed.

27And the keeper of the prison, awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the doors of the prison open, drawing his sword, would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying: Do thyself no harm, for we all are here.

29Then calling for a light, he went in, and trembling, fell down at the feet of Paul and Silas.

30And bringing them out, he said: Masters, what must I do, that I may be saved?

31But they said: Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

32And they preached the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house.

33And he, taking them the same hour of the night, washed their stripes, and himself was baptized, and all his house immediately.

34And when he had brought them into his own house, he laid the table for them, and rejoiced with all his house, believing God.

35And when the day was come, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.

36And the keeper of the prison told these words to Paul: The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore depart, and go in peace.

37But Paul said to them: They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison: and now do they thrust us out privately? Not so; but let them come,

38And let us out themselves. And the serjeants told these words to the magistrates. And they were afraid, hearing that they were Romans.

39And coming, they besought them; and bringing them out, they desired them to depart out of the city.

40And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia; and having seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.