Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
1 Then he came toDerbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there,named Timothy,theson of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his fatherwasGreek.
2 He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.
3 Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And hetookhimand circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.
4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them thedecrees to keep,which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.
5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.
The Macedonian Call
6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region ofGalatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.
7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.
8 So passing by Mysia, theycame down to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. Aman of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to goto Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Lydia Baptized at Philippi
11 Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the nextdaycame to Neapolis,
12 and from there toPhilippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days.
13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who metthere.
14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heardus.She was a seller of purple from the city ofThyatira, who worshiped God.The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.
15 And when she and her household were baptized, she beggedus,saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” Soshe persuaded us.
Paul and Silas Imprisoned
16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girlpossessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her mastersmuch profit by fortune-telling.
17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”
18 And this she did for many days.
# But Paul,greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.”And he came out that very hour.
19 Butwhen her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas anddraggedtheminto the marketplace to the authorities.
20 And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews,exceedingly trouble our city;
21 and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.”
22 Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothesand commandedthemto be beaten with rods.
23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threwtheminto prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely.
24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
The Philippian Jailer Saved
25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediatelyall the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.
28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”
29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
30 And he brought them out and said,“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 So they said,“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washedtheirstripes. And immediately he and all hisfamilywere baptized.
34 Now when he had brought them into his house,he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.
Paul Refuses to Depart Secretly
35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.”
36 So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.”
37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemnedRomans,andhave thrownusinto prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.”
38 And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans.
39 Then they came and pleaded with them and broughtthemout, andaskedthemto depart from the city.
40 So they went out of the prisonand enteredthehouseofLydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.