Acts Chapter 16
Paul Continues with the Second Tour
1 He arrived at Derbe and Lystra. A disciple was there named Timothy, son of a Greek father and a Jewess who believed. 2 The Christians in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted him to go with him; so he circumcised him because of the Jews in the region; everybody knew his father was a Greek. 4 As they went through the cities, they delivered the decrees to keep that the apostles and elders in Jerusalem had determined. 5 So the churches were growing in faith and number every day.
Acts 16:1-5
Paul’s Vision About Macedonia
6 They went through Galatia and Phrygia, but the Holy Spirit kept them from presenting the message in Asia. 7 They came up to the border of Mysia and tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus didn’t let them. 8 They went on past Mysia down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision—a Macedonian man standing and urging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 When he saw the vision, we planned right away to go to Macedonia because we concluded that God had called us to evangelize them.
Acts 16:6-10
Paul and Silas at Philippi
11 We sailed from Troas directly to Samothrace and the next day to Neapolis. 12 We traveled from there to Philippi, the main city in that district of Macedonia, and a Roman colony. We spent several days there. 13 On the Sabbath we went outside the gate beside the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer. We sat down and talked to the women who gathered. 14 A woman named Lydia was listening, from the city of Thyatira, a businesswoman dealing in purple fabrics, a God-fearer. The Lord opened her heart to what Paul was saying. 15 When she and her household were baptized, she invited us, “If you consider me faithful to the Lord, stay at my house.”
Acts 16:11-15
16 As we were going to the place of prayer, a servant girl with a spirit of divination met us. Her handlers were profiting from her fortunetelling. 17 She dogged Paul and us, crying out, “These men serve God Most High. They’re telling you how to be saved.” 18 She did that for days on end. Paul was really annoyed and turned to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus the Messiah, come out of her.” It came out that hour.
Paul and Silas Beaten and Jailed
19 When her handlers saw their prospect for profit disappear, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them to the magistrates in the marketplace, 20 “These fellows are Jews. They’re causing trouble in our city, 21 promoting customs that aren’t legal for us Romans to observe.” 22 The crowd joined the attack, and the soldiers tore their clothes off and commanded to beat them with rods. 23 When they’d laid many blows on them, they put them in jail and charged the jailor to keep them secure. 24 So he put them in the inner jail and fastened their feet in stocks.
Acts 16:16-24
The Jailor’s Conversion
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the inmates were listening. 26 Suddenly a severe earthquake shook the foundations of the jail. The jail doors came open, and everybody’s bonds came loose. 27 The jailor woke up, saw the doors of the jail open, and drew his sword to kill himself because he assumed the inmates had escaped. 28 But Paul yelled, “Don’t harm yourself; we’re all here!” 29 He asked for a light, rushed in, trembling with fear, and fell down to Paul and Silas. 30 He brought them outside and said, “What do I need to do to be saved?”
31 They said, “Trustsg in the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will be saved.”
32 They spoke the Lord’s message to him and everybody in his family. 33 That hour of the night he washed their wounds, and he and his whole family were baptized right then. 34 He took them up to his house, set the table, and rejoiced with his family, having trustedpl in God.
Acts 16:25-34
Paul Leaves Philippi
35 At daylight, the magistrates sent the police to release Paul and Silas.
36 The jailor conveyed that to Paul, “The magistrates have sent word to release you. Now, have a good day.”
37 But Paul told them, “They beat us in public without a hearing—being Roman citizens—and threw us in jail. Now they send us away secretly? Oh no! They need to lead us out themselves.”
38 The police reported that to the magistrates. They were afraid when they heard they were Roman citizens. 39 They came and appealed to them, brought them out, and asked them to leave the city. 40 Paul and Silas left the jail and went to Lydia’s house. When they’d met with the church and encouraged them, they left.
Acts 16:35-40