Shared Word Translation
Acts 16
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish believing woman but of a Greek father, who was well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.
Paul wanted this one to go out with him, and taking him, he circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
And as they were going through the cities, they were delivering to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were increasing in number daily.
The Macedonian Call
And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia, and coming to Mysia, they were attempting to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; and passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.
And a vision appeared to Paul during the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and urging him and saying, “Come over into Macedonia and help us.” And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go out into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.
Lydia’s Conversion
So setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and on the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of that district of Macedonia, a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city some days.
And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and sitting down we were speaking to the women who had come together. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple goods from the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, was listening, whose heart the Lord opened to pay attention to what was spoken by Paul.
And when she was baptized, and her household, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
Paul and Silas Imprisoned
And it happened as we were going to the place of prayer, a certain slave girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This one, following Paul and us, was crying out, saying, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”
And she was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly troubled, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out from her.” And it came out in that very hour.
But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers, and bringing them to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, are greatly disturbing our city and are proclaiming customs which are not lawful for us to accept or practice, being Romans.”
And the crowd rose up together against them, and the magistrates, tearing off their garments, commanded them to be beaten with rods; and after inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely, who, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
The Philippian Jailer Converted
But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and 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 chains were unfastened.
And the jailer, being awakened and seeing the doors of the prison opened, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!”
And calling for lights, he rushed in and trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas, and bringing them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all those in his house.
And taking them in that hour of the night, he washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. And bringing them into his house, he set food before them, and he rejoiced greatly with his whole household, having believed in God.
Paul and Silas Released
And when it became day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Release those men.” And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to release you; therefore now come out and go in peace.”
But Paul said to them, “Having beaten us publicly without trial, men who are Romans, they threw us into prison, and now do they send us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.”
And the officers reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, and coming, they appealed to them, and bringing them out, they were asking them to depart from the city.
And going out from the prison, they went to Lydia, and seeing the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.