Jul. 26, 27
Acts 16
Act 16:1 He came to
Derbe and Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named
Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed; but his father was a
Greek.
Act 16:2 The brothers
who were at Lystra and Iconium gave a good testimony about him.
Act 16:3 Paul wanted to
have him go out with him, and he took and circumcised him because of
the Jews who were in those parts; for they all knew that his father
was a Greek.
Act 16:4 As they went
on their way through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them
to keep which had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were
at Jerusalem.
Act 16:5 So the
assemblies were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number
daily.
Act 16:6 When they had
gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden
by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.
Act 16:7 When they had
come opposite Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit
didn't allow them.
Act 16:8 Passing by
Mysia, they came down to Troas.
Act 16:9 A vision
appeared to Paul in the night. There was a man of Macedonia standing,
begging him, and saying, "Come over into Macedonia and help us."
Act 16:10 When he had
seen the vision, immediately we sought to go out to Macedonia,
concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the Good News to
them.
Act 16:11 Setting sail
therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and
the day following to Neapolis;
Act 16:12 and from
there to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the foremost of the
district, a Roman colony. We were staying some days in this city.
Act 16:13 On the
Sabbath day we went forth outside of the city by a riverside, where
we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down, and spoke
to the women who had come together.
Act 16:14 A certain
woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one
who worshiped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened to listen to
the things which were spoken by Paul.
Act 16:15 When she and
her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have
judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and stay."
So she persuaded us.
Act 16:16 It happened,
as we were going to prayer, that a certain girl having a spirit of
divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune
telling.
Act 16:17 Following
Paul and us, she cried out, "These men are servants of the Most
High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!"
Act 16:18 She was doing
this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and
said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ
to come out of her!" It came out that very hour.
Act 16:19 But when her
masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul
and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
Act 16:20 When they had
brought them to the magistrates, they said, "These men, being
Jews, are agitating our city,
Act 16:21 and set forth
customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being
Romans."
Act 16:22 The multitude
rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their clothes
off of them, and commanded them to be beaten with rods.
Act 16:23 When they had
laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the
jailer to keep them safely,
Act 16:24 who, having
received such a command, threw them into the inner prison, and
secured their feet in the stocks.
Act 16:25 But about
midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and
the prisoners were listening to them.
Act 16:26 Suddenly
there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison
were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and
everyone's bonds were loosened.
Act 16:27 The jailer,
being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his
sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had
escaped.
Act 16:28 But Paul
cried with a loud voice, saying, "Don't harm yourself, for we
are all here!"
Act 16:29 He called for
lights and sprang in, and, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas,
Act 16:30 and brought
them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
Act 16:31 They said,
"Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you
and your household."
Act 16:32 They spoke
the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house.
Act 16:33 He took them
the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was
immediately baptized, he and all his household.
Act 16:34 He brought
them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced
greatly, with all his household, having believed in God.
Act 16:35 But when it
was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, "Let those
men go."
Act 16:36 The jailer
reported these words to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have sent
to let you go; now therefore come out, and go in peace."
Act 16:37 But Paul said
to them, "They have beaten us publicly, without a trial, men who
are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us
secretly? No, most certainly, but let them come themselves and bring
us out!"
Act 16:38 The sergeants
reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when
they heard that they were Romans,
Act 16:39 and they came
and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to
depart from the city.
Act 16:40 They went out
of the prison, and entered into Lydia's house. When they had seen the
brothers, they encouraged them, and departed.