{"book":"Acts","slug":"acts","ch":16,"genre":"prose","sub":"The Acts of the Apostles","prev":"acts/15","next":"acts/17","verses":[{"v":1,"t":"[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.","f":[],"h":"Timothy Joins Paul and Silas","style":"reg"},{"v":2,"t":"The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of [him].","f":[]},{"v":3,"t":"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.","f":[]},{"v":4,"t":"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.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":5,"t":"So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.","f":[]},{"v":6,"t":"{After} the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in [the province of] Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia.","f":["Literally in Asia; Asia was a Roman province in what is now western Turkey."],"h":"Paul’s Vision of the Macedonian","style":"reg"},{"v":7,"t":"And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, [but] the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them.","f":[]},{"v":8,"t":"[So] they passed by Mysia [and] went down to Troas.","f":[]},{"v":9,"t":"During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him,“ Come over to Macedonia [and] help us.”","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":10,"t":"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.","f":[]},{"v":11,"t":"We sailed from Troas straight to Samothrace, and the following day on to Neapolis.","f":[],"h":"Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi","style":"reg"},{"v":12,"t":"From there [we went] to [the Roman] colony of Philippi, [the] leading city of [that] district of Macedonia. And we stayed [there] [several] days.","f":["Literally we went to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia—a colony"]},{"v":13,"t":"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].","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":14,"t":"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.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":15,"t":"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.","f":[]},{"v":16,"t":"One day as we were going to the [place of] prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling.","f":["Greek a spirit of Python; that is, a spirit of divination named after the mythical serpent slain by Apollo"],"h":"Paul and Silas Imprisoned","style":"reg"},{"v":17,"t":"[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!”","f":[]},{"v":18,"t":"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.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":19,"t":"[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.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":20,"t":"They brought them to the magistrates [and] said,“ These men are Jews [and] are throwing our city {into turmoil}","f":[]},{"v":21,"t":"[by] promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt [or] practice.”","f":[]},{"v":22,"t":"The crowd joined in the attack against [Paul and Silas], and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped [and] beaten with rods.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":23,"t":"And after striking them with many blows, they threw [them] into prison [and] ordered the jailer to guard them securely.","f":[]},{"v":24,"t":"On receiving [this] order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.","f":[]},{"v":25,"t":"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying [and] singing hymns to God, and the [other] prisoners were listening to them.","f":[],"h":"The Conversion of the Jailer","style":"reg"},{"v":26,"t":"Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.","f":[]},{"v":27,"t":"[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.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":28,"t":"But Paul called out in a loud voice,“ Do not harm yourself! We are all here!”","f":[]},{"v":29,"t":"Calling for lights, [the jailer] rushed in and fell trembling {before} Paul and Silas.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":30,"t":"Then he brought them out [and] asked,“ Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”","f":[]},{"v":31,"t":"They replied,“ Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":32,"t":"Then [Paul and Silas] spoke the word of the Lord to him [and] to everyone in his house.","f":[]},{"v":33,"t":"At that hour of the night, [the jailer] took them [and] washed [their] wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized.","f":[]},{"v":34,"t":"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.","f":[]},{"v":35,"t":"[When] daylight came, the magistrates sent [their] officers with the order:“ Release those men.”","f":[],"h":"An Official Apology","style":"reg"},{"v":36,"t":"The jailer informed Paul:“ The magistrates have sent orders to release you. Now you may go on your way in peace.”","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":37,"t":"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!”","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":38,"t":"[So] the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, [who] were alarmed to hear that [Paul and Silas] were Roman citizens.","f":[],"style":"reg"},{"v":39,"t":"They came to appease them and led them out, requesting that they leave the city.","f":[]},{"v":40,"t":"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 ].","f":[]}]}