Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
1
Paula came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named 1Timothy, 2the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.
3
Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he 4took 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 went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance 5the decisions 6that had been reached by 7the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.
The Macedonian Call
6
And 11they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.
7
And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but 12the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.
8
So, passing by Mysia, they went down 13to Troas.
9
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."
10
And when Paulc had seen the vision, immediately 14we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
The Conversion of Lydia
11
So, setting sail from Troas, we 15made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis,
12
and from there to 16Philippi, which is a leading city of thed district of Macedonia and 17a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days.
13
And 18on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate 19to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we 20sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
14
One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, 21who was a worshiper of God. The Lord 22opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.
15
And after she was baptized, 23and her household as well, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." And she 24prevailed upon us.
Paul and Silas in Prison
16
As we were going to 25the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had 26a spirit of 27divination and 28brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.
17
She followed Paul and us, 29crying out, "These men are 30servantse of 31the Most High God, who proclaim to you 32the way of salvation."
18
And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, 33"I command you 34in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And 35it came out that very hour.
19
But 36when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and 37dragged 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 disturbing our city.
22
The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders 40to beat them with rods.
23
And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.
24
Having received this order, he put them into the inner 41prison and fastened their feet in 42the stocks.
The Philippian Jailer Converted
25
43About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
26
and suddenly 44there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately 45all the doors were opened, and 46everyone's bonds were unfastened.
27
When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and 47was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
28
But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here."
29
And the jailerf called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he 48fell down before Paul and Silas.
32
And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
33
And he took them 53the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he 54was baptized at once, he and all his family.
34
Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he 55rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
35
But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, "Let those men go."
36
And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace."
37
But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us publicly, 56uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out."
38
The police reported these words to the magistrates, and 57they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.
39
So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and 58asked them to leave the city.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)