Acts 16

Paul's Vision of the Man of Macedonia

¹Then 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 : ²Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium . ³Him 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 . ⁴And 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 . ⁵And so were the churches established in the faith , and increased in number daily .

Paul's Vision of the Man of Macedonia

⁶Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia , and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia , ⁷After they were come to Mysia , they assayed to go into Bithynia : but the Spirit suffered them not . ⁸And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas . ⁹And 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 . ¹⁰And 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 .

The Conversion of Lydia

¹¹Therefore loosing from Troas , we came with a straight course to Samothracia , and the next day to Neapolis ; ¹²And 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 . ¹³And 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. ¹⁴And 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 . ¹⁵And 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 .

Paul and Silas in Prison

¹⁶And 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 : ¹⁷The 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 . ¹⁸And 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 . ¹⁹And 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 , ²⁰And brought them to the magistrates , saying , These men , being Jews , do exceedingly trouble our city , ²¹And teach customs , which are not lawful for us to receive , neither to observe , being Romans . ²²And the multitude rose up together against them : and the magistrates rent off their clothes , and commanded to beat them . ²³And when they had laid many stripes upon them , they cast them into prison , charging the jailor to keep them safely : ²⁴Who , having received such a charge , thrust them into the inner prison , and made their feet fast in the stocks . ²⁵And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed , and sang praises unto God : and the prisoners heard them . ²⁶And 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 . ²⁷And 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 . ²⁸But Paul cried with a loud voice , saying , Do thyself no harm : for we are all here . ²⁹Then he called for a light , and sprang in , and came trembling , and fell down before Paul and Silas , ³⁰And brought them out , and said , Sirs , what must I do to be saved ? ³¹And they said , Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ , and thou shalt be saved , and thy house . ³²And they spake unto him the word of the Lord , and to all that were in his house . ³³And he took them the same hour of the night , and washed their stripes ; and was baptized , he and all his , straightway . ³⁴And when he had brought them into his house , he set meat before them , and rejoiced , believing in God with all his house .

The Aftermath of the Imprisonment

³⁵And when it was day , the magistrates sent the serjeants , saying , Let those men go . ³⁶And 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 . ³⁷But 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 . ³⁸And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates : and they feared , when they heard that they were Romans . ³⁹And they came and besought them , and brought them out , and desired them to depart out of the city . ⁴⁰And 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 .