The Acts of the Apostles

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 16 -

Then came he to Derbe and to Lystra: and beholde, a certaine disciple was there named Timotheus, a womans sonne, which was a Iewesse and beleeued, but his father was a Grecian,

Of whom the brethren which were at Lystra and Iconium, reported well.

Therefore Paul would that he should go forth with him, and tooke and circumcised him, because of ye Iewes, which were in those quarters: for they knewe all, that his father was a Grecian.

And as they went through the cities, they deliuered them the decrees to keepe, ordeined of the Apostles and Elders, which were at Hierusalem.

And so were the Churches stablished in the faith, and encreased in number daily.

Paul’s Vision of the Macedonian

Nowe when they had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden of the holy Ghost to preache the worde in Asia.

Then came they to Mysia, and sought to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

Therefore they passed through Mysia, and came downe to Troas,

Where a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There stoode a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come into Macedonia, and helpe vs.

And after he had seene the vision, immediatly we prepared to goe into Macedonia, being assured that the Lord had called vs to preache the Gospel vnto them.

Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi

(Revelation 2:18–29)

Then went we forth from Troas, and with a straight course came to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis,

And from thence to Philippi, which is the chiefe citie in ye partes of Macedonia, and whose inhabitants came from Rome to dwell there, and we were in that citie abiding certaine dayes.

And on the Sabbath day, we went out of the citie, besides a Riuer, where they were wont to pray: and we sate downe, and spake vnto the women, which were come together.

And a certaine woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the citie of the Thyatirians, which worshipped God, heard vs: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended vnto the things, which Paul spake.

And when she was baptized, and her houshold, she besought vs, saying, If ye haue iudged me to be faithfull to ye Lord, come into mine house, and abide there: and she constrained vs.

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

And it came to passe that as we went to prayer, a certaine maide hauing a spirit of diuination, mette vs, which gate her masters much vantage with diuining.

She followed Paul and vs, and cryed, saying, These men are the seruants of the most high God, which shewe vnto you the way of saluation.

And this did she many dayes: but Paul being grieued, turned about, and said to the spirit, I commaund thee in the Name of Iesus Christ, that thou come out of her. And he came out the same houre.

Nowe when her masters sawe that the hope of their gaine was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drewe them into the market place vnto the Magistrates,

And brought them to the gouernours, saying, These men which are Iewes, trouble our citie,

And preache ordinances, which are not lawfull for vs to receiue, neither to obserue, seeing we are Romanes.

The people also rose vp together against them, and the gouernours rent their clothes, and commanded them to be beaten with roddes.

And when they had beaten them sore, they cast them into prison, commaunding the Iayler to keepe them surely.

Who hauing receiued such commandement, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feete fast in the stockes.

The Conversion of the Jailer

Nowe at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sung Psalmes vnto God: and the prisoners heard them.

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison was shaken: and by and by all the doores opened, and euery mans bands were loosed.

Then the keeper of the prison waked out of his sleepe, and when he sawe the prison doores open, he drewe out his sword and would haue killed himselfe, supposing the prisoners had bin fled.

But Paul cryed with a loude voyce, saying, Doe thy selfe no harme: for we are all here.

Then he called for a light, and leaped in, and came trembling, and fell downe before Paul and Silas,

And brought them out, and said, Syrs, what must I doe to be saued?

And they saide, Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ, and thou shalt be saued, and thine houshold.

And they preached vnto him the worde of the Lord, and to all that were in the house.

Afterwarde he tooke them the same houre of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized with all that belonged vnto him, straigthway.

And when he had brought them into his house, he set meate before them, and reioyced that he with all his houshold beleeued in God.

An Official Apology

And when it was day, the gouernours sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men goe.

Then the keeper of the prison tolde these woordes vnto Paul, saying, The gouerness haue sent to loose you: nowe therefore get you hence, and goe in peace.

Then sayde Paul vnto them, After that they haue beaten vs openly vncodemned, which are Romanes, they haue cast vs into prison, and nowe would they put vs out priuily? nay verely: but let them come and bring vs out.

And the sergeants tolde these woordes vnto the gouernours, who feared whe they heard that they were Romanes.

Then came they and praied them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the citie.

And they went out of the prison, and entred into the house of Lydia: and when they had seene the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

He came to Derbe and Lystra; and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed, but his father was a Greek.

The brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium gave a good testimony about him.

Paul wanted to have him go out with him, and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them to keep which had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.

So the assemblies were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Paul’s Vision of the Macedonian

When they had gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.

When they had come opposite Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit didn’t allow them.

Passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

A vision appeared to Paul in the night. There was a man of Macedonia standing, begging him and saying, “Come over into Macedonia and help us.”

When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go out to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the Good News to them.

Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi

(Revelation 2:18–29)

Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis;

and from there to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the foremost of the district, a Roman colony. We were staying some days in this city.

On the Sabbath day we went outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us. The Lord opened her heart to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul.

When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling.

Following Paul and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!”

She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very hour.

But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, are agitating our city

and advocate customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.”

The multitude rose up together against them and the magistrates tore their clothes from them, then commanded them to be beaten with rods.

When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely.

Having received such a command, he threw them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.

The Conversion of the Jailer

But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

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 bonds were loosened.

The jailer, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Don’t harm yourself, for we are all here!”

He called for lights, sprang in, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas,

brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house.

He took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household.

He brought them up into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly with all his household, having believed in God.

An Official Apology

But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, “Let those men go.”

The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore come out and go in peace.”

But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most certainly, but let them come themselves and bring us out!”

The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,

and they came and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to depart from the city.

They went out of the prison and entered into Lydia’s house. When they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them, then departed.