MSB ACTs Chapter 16

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

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. 2 The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of [him]. 3 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.

4 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. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

Paul’s Vision of the Macedonian

6 [After] the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in [the province of] Asia,[fn] they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia. 7 [And] when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, [but] the Spirit[fn] would not permit them. 8 [So] they passed by Mysia [and] went down to Troas.

9 During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing [and] pleading with him “Come over to Macedonia [and] help us.” 10 As soon as [Paul] had seen the vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia, concluding that the Lord[fn] had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi

(Revelation 2:18–29)

11 Therefore[fn] we sailed from Troas straight to Samothrace, and the following day on to Neapolis. 12 From there [we went] to [the Roman] colony of Philippi [the] leading city of [that] district of Macedonia.[fn] And we stayed [there] [several] days.

13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city[fn] 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].

14 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. 15 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.

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

16 One day as we were going to [the place of] prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination,[fn] who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling. 17 [This girl] followed Paul and [the rest of] us,[fn] shouting “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to us[fn] [the] way of salvation!”

18 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.

19 [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. 20 They brought them to the magistrates [and] said, “These men are Jews [and] are throwing our city {into turmoil} 21 [by] promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt [or] practice.”

22 The crowd joined in the attack against [Paul and Silas], and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped [and] beaten with rods. 23 And after striking them with many blows, they threw [them] into prison [and] ordered the jailer to guard them securely. 24 On receiving [this] order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

The Conversion of the Jailer

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying [and] singing hymns to God, and the [other] prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.

27 [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. 28 But Paul called out in a loud voice “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!”

29 Calling for lights, [the jailer] rushed in and fell trembling {before} Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out [and] asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ[fn] and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then [Paul and Silas] spoke the word of the Lord[fn] to him [and] to everyone in his house. 33 At that hour of the night, [the jailer] took them [and] washed [their] wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized. 34 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.

An Official Apology

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

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

37 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? Absolutely not Let them come themselves and escort us out!”

38 [So] the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, [who] were alarmed to hear that [Paul and Silas] were Roman citizens. 39 They came to appease them and led them out, requesting that they leave the city. 40 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 ].