Timothy Joins the Mission
16 1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well thought of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted this man to go with him, so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled through the towns, they passed on to them the decisions the apostles and elders in Jerusalem had reached, for them to follow. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew in numbers daily.
The Father Calls Them to Macedonia
6 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had forbidden them to speak the word in Asia. 7 When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man from Macedonia was standing and pleading with him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10 When he had seen the vision, we immediately sought to go on to Macedonia, concluding that our Father had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Lydia Opens Her Heart in Philippi
11 So we set sail from Troas and sailed straight to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We stayed there for several days.
13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered. 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of our Father. The Lord opened her heart to what Paul was saying. 15 And after she was baptized, along with her household, she urged us, saying, "If you consider me faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." And she persuaded us.
Imprisoned for the Gospel
16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much profit by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation." 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very moment.
19 But when her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, "These men are Jews, and they are throwing our city into an uproar. 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice."
22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 After beating them severely, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to guard them securely. 24 Acting on this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to our Father, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose. 27 When the jailer woke and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself, for we are all here!"
29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them outside and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 Right then, in the middle of the night, he took them and washed their wounds; and at once he was baptized, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced greatly, along with his whole household, that he had come to believe in our Father.
35 But when morning came, the magistrates sent the police, saying, "Release those men."
36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul: "The magistrates have sent word to release you. So come out now and go in peace."
37 But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us publicly without trial — men who are Roman citizens — and have thrown us into prison; and now they want to send us away secretly? No! Let them come themselves and bring us out."
38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them, and they brought them out and asked them to leave the city. 40 So they went out of the prison and went to Lydia's house. After meeting with the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.