Acts

The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 16, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 16 New English Translation

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

   1 He also came to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple named Timothy was there, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but whose father was a Greek. 2 The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was Greek. 4 As they went through the towns, they passed on the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the Gentile believers to obey. 5 So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were increasing in number every day.

Paul's Vision of the Macedonian Man

   6 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to do this, 8 so they passed through Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 A vision appeared to Paul during the night: A Macedonian man was standing there urging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!" 10 After Paul saw the vision, we attempted immediately to go over to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.

Arrival at Philippi

   11 We put out to sea from Troas and sailed a straight course to Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of that district of Macedonia, a Roman colony. We stayed in this city for some days. 13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the side of the river, where we thought there would be a place of prayer, and we sat down and began to speak to the women who had assembled there. 14 A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, a God-fearing woman, listened to us. The LORD opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. 15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, "If you consider me to be a believer in the LORD, come and stay in my house." And she persuaded us.

Paul and Silas Are Thrown Into Prison

   16 Now as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit that enabled her to foretell the future by supernatural means. She brought her owners a great profit by fortune-telling. 17 She followed behind Paul and us and kept crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation." 18 She continued to do this for many days. But Paul became greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out of her at once. 19 But when her owners saw their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities. 20 When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, "These men are throwing our city into confusion. They are Jews 21 and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us to accept or practice, since we are Romans."
   22 The crowd joined the attack against them, and the magistrates tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 23 After they had beaten them severely, they threw them into prison and commanded the jailer to guard them securely. 24 Receiving such orders, he threw them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
   25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the rest of the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly a great earthquake occurred, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately all the doors flew open, and the bonds of all the prisoners came loose. 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, because he assumed the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul called out loudly, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!" 29 Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell down trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them outside and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They replied, "Believe in the LORD Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the LORD to him, along with all those who were in his house. 33 At that hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and all his family were baptized right away. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set food before them, and he rejoiced greatly that he had come to believe in God, together with his entire household. 35 At daybreak the magistrates sent their police officers, saying, "Release those men." 36 The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have sent orders to release you. So come out now and go in peace." 37 But Paul said to the police officers, "They had us beaten in public without a proper trial - even though we are Roman citizens - and they threw us in prison. And now they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! They themselves must come and escort us out!" 38 The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas were Roman citizens 39 and came and apologized to them. After they brought them out, they asked them repeatedly to leave the city. 40 When they came out of the prison, they entered Lydia's house, and when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them and then departed.

King James Version

   1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
   2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
   3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.
   4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
   5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
   6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,
   7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
   8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
   9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
   10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
   11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;
   12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.
   13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
   14 ¶ And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
   15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
   16 ¶ And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
   17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
   18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
   19 ¶ And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
   20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
   21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
   22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
   23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
   24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
   25 ¶ And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
   26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
   27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
   28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
   29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
   30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
   31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
   32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
   33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
   34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
   35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.
   36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.
   37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.
   38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
   39 And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
   40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.