CHAPTER 16
Paul 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.
Paul
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.
As
they went from
town to town,
they delivered
the
decisions
handed down
by
the
apostles
and
elders
in
Jerusalem
for the people
to obey.
{After] the
Holy
Spirit
prevented them
from speaking
the
word
in
the province of Asia,
they traveled through
the
region
of Phrygia
and
Galatia.
And
when they came
to the border of
Mysia,
they tried
to enter
Bithynia,
but
the
Spirit
of Jesus
would not permit
them.
During
the
night,
Paul
had
a vision
of a
man
of Macedonia
standing
and
pleading with
him,
“Come over
to
Macedonia
and help
us.”
As 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.
From there,
we went to
the Roman colony
of Philippi,
the leading
city
of that
district
of Macedonia.
And
we stayed
there
several
days.
On 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.
Among
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.
And
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.
One day
as we
were going
to
the
place of prayer,
we
were met by
a
slave girl
with
a spirit
of clairvoyance,
who
earned
a large
income
for her
masters
by fortune-telling.
This 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.”
She 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.
When
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.
They brought them
to the
magistrates
and said,
“These
men
are
Jews
and are throwing
our
city into turmoil
The
crowd
joined in the attack
against
Paul and Silas,
and
the
magistrates
ordered that
they be stripped
and beaten with rods.
And
after striking
them
with many
blows,
they threw them
into
prison
and ordered
the
jailer
to guard
them
securely.
About
midnight,
Paul
and
Silas
were praying
and singing hymns
to
God,
and
the
other prisoners
were listening
to them.
Suddenly
a strong
earthquake
shook
the
foundations
of the
prison.
At once
all
the
doors
flew open,
and
everyone’s
chains
came loose.
When
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.
At
that
hour
of the
night,
the jailer took
them
and washed
their
wounds.
And
without delay,
he
and
all
his
household
were baptized.
Then
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.
The
jailer
informed
Paul:
“The
magistrates
have sent orders
to
release you.
Now
you may go on your way
in
peace.”
But
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?
Certainly not!
Let them come
themselves
and escort us out!"
So
the
officers
relayed
this
message
to the
magistrates,
who
were alarmed
to hear
that
Paul and Silas were
Roman citizens.
After 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 .