Acts - Chapter 16 | American Standard Version

  • 1. And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess that believed; but his father was a Greek.
  • 2. The same was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
  • 3. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those parts: for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
  • 4. And as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decrees to keep which had been ordained of the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem.
  • 5. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.
  • 6. And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden of the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia;
  • 7. and when they were come over against Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia; and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not;
  • 8. and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.
  • 9. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: There was a man of Macedonia standing, beseeching him, and saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
  • 10. And when he had seen the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
  • 11. Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis;
  • 12. and from thence to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the first of the district, a {cf15i Roman} colony: and we were in this city tarrying certain days.
  • 13. And on the sabbath day we went forth without the gate by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spake unto the women that were come together.
  • 14. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened to give heed unto the things which were spoken by 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 {cf15i there}. And she constrained us.
  • 16. And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that a certain maid having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by soothsaying.
  • 17. The same following after Paul and us cried out, saying, These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim unto you the way of salvation.
  • 18. And this she did for many days. But Paul, being sore troubled, turned and said to the spirit, I charge thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour.
  • 19. But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they laid hold on Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers,
  • 20. and when they had brought them unto the magistrates, they said, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
  • 21. and set forth customs which it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans.
  • 22. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent their garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods.
  • 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, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
  • 25. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns unto God, and the prisoners were listening to them;
  • 26. and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison-house were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
  • 27. And the jailor, 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.
  • 28. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
  • 29. And he called for lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, 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, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house.
  • 32. And they spake the word of the Lord unto him, with 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, immediately.
  • 34. And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, having believed in God.
  • 35. But when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.
  • 36. And the jailor reported the words to Paul, {cf15i saying}, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore come forth, and go in peace.
  • 37. But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison; and do they now cast us out privily? Nay verily; but let them come themselves and bring us out.
  • 38. And the serjeants reported these words unto the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans;
  • 39. and they came and besought them; and when they had brought them out, they asked them to go away from the city.
  • 40. And they went out of the prison, and entered into {cf15i the house} of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
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