Bible Reading Plan

Acts 16

Chapter 16

Paul Selects Timothy

¹ Then he went on to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy,^(a) the son of a believing Jewish woman,^(b) but his father was a Greek. ² The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him.^{(c) 3} Paul wanted Timothy^[a] to go with him, so he took him and circumcised^(d) him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ As they traveled through the towns, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for them to observe.^{(e) 5} So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily.^(f)

Evangelization of Europe

⁶ They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia and were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in Asia.^{(g) 7} When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus^(h) did not allow them. ⁸ So, bypassing Mysia, they came down to Troas.^{(i) 9} During the night a vision appeared to Paul: A Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, "Cross over to Macedonia and help us!"^{(j) 10} After^(k) he had seen the vision, we^[b] immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to evangelize them.

Lydia's Conversion

¹¹ Then, setting sail from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi,^(l) a Roman colony, which is a leading city of that district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for a number of days. ¹³ On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. ¹⁴ A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was spoken by Paul.^{(m) 15} After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, "If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house."⁽ⁿ⁾ And she persuaded us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

¹⁶ Once, as we were on our way to prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit of prediction.^[c](o) She made a large profit for her owners by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ As she followed Paul and us she cried out, "These men, who are proclaiming to you^[d] the way of salvation, are the slaves of the Most High God." ¹⁸ And she did this for many days.

But Paul was greatly aggravated and turning to the spirit, said, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out right away.^[e](p)

¹⁹ When her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas^(q) and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. ²⁰ Bringing them before the chief magistrates, they said, "These men are seriously disturbing our city. They are Jews ²¹ and are promoting customs that are not legal for us as Romans to adopt or practice."^(r)

²² Then the mob joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates stripped off their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods.^{(s) 23} After they had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to keep them securely guarded. ²⁴ Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.^(t)

A Midnight Deliverance

²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's chains came loose.^{(u) 27} When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison open, he drew his sword and was going to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped.

²⁸ But Paul called out in a loud voice, "Don't harm yourself, because all of us are here!"

²⁹ Then the jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ Then he escorted them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"^(v)

³¹ So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household."^{(w) 32} Then they spoke the message of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. ³³ He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized. ³⁴ He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had believed God with his entire household.^(x)

An Official Apology

³⁵ When daylight came, the chief magistrates sent the police to say, "Release those men!"

³⁶ The jailer reported these words to Paul: "The magistrates have sent orders for you to be released. So come out now and go in peace."^(y)

³⁷ But Paul said to them, "They beat us in public without a trial, although we are Roman citizens, and threw us in jail. And now are they going to smuggle us out secretly? Certainly not! On the contrary, let them come themselves and escort us out!"^(z)

³⁸ Then the police reported these words to the magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. ³⁹ So they came and apologized to them, and escorting them out, they urged them to leave town. ⁴⁰ After leaving the jail, they came to Lydia's house where they saw and encouraged the brothers, and departed.^(aa)