Acts 16

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1. 1Paul arrived at Derbe and then Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was Greek.
2. 2The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him.
3. 3Paul wanted Timothy to travel with him, so he had him circumcised because of the Jewish people living in that area, since everyone knew his father was Greek.
4. 4As they traveled from city to city, they delivered the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the believers to follow.
5. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number every day.
6. 6They traveled through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.
7. 7When they reached the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit did not allow them.
8. 8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.
9. 9During the night, Paul had a vision: a man from Macedonia was standing there, pleading with him, "Cross over to Macedonia and help us!"
10. 10As soon as Paul saw the vision, we immediately made plans to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
11. 11We set sail from Troas and went straight to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis.
12. 12From there we traveled to Philippi, which is a leading city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We stayed in that city for several days.
13. 13On the Sabbath, we went outside the city to a riverside, where prayer was customarily made. We sat down and spoke with the women who had gathered there.
14. 14One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying.
15. 15After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.
16. 16One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination. She earned a great deal of money for her owners through fortune-telling.
17. 17She followed Paul and the rest of us, crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way of salvation!"
18. 18She kept doing this for many days. Finally Paul, greatly troubled, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour.
19. 19When her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities.
20. 20They brought them before the magistrates and said, "These men, being Jews, are causing serious trouble in our city.
21. 21They are promoting customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice."
22. 22The crowd joined in the attack against them, and the magistrates had their clothes torn off and ordered them to be beaten with rods.
23. 23After they had been severely beaten, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was ordered to guard them securely.
24. 24Having received such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25. 25Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
26. 26Suddenly there was a massive earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison. Immediately all the doors flew open and everyone's chains came loose.
27. 27The jailer woke up and saw that the prison doors were open. He drew his sword and was about to kill himself, assuming the prisoners had escaped.
28. 28But Paul shouted loudly, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"
29. 29The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
30. 30Then he brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31. 31They answered, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved — you and your household."
32. 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.
33. 33At that very hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. Then immediately he and all his family were baptized.
34. 34He brought them into his house and set food before them, and he rejoiced with his entire household, having believed in God.
35. 35When daylight came, the magistrates sent their officers with the order, "Release those men."
36. 36The jailer reported this to Paul: "The magistrates have sent word to release you. So now you may leave and go in peace."
37. 37But Paul said to them, "They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out."
38. 38The officers reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.
39. 39So they came and appealed to them, and after escorting them out, they asked them to leave the city.
40. 40After leaving the prison, they went to Lydia's house. There they saw the brothers, encouraged them, and departed.