1 T hen he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.

Paul went down to the cities of Derbe and Lystra. There was a follower there named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish Christian and his father was a Greek.

2 H e was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.

The Christians in the city of Lystra and Iconium respected Timothy.

3 P aul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.

Paul wanted Timothy to go with him as a missionary. He took him and had Timothy go through the religious act of becoming a Jew because of the Jews who were in those places. Everyone knew his father was a Greek.

4 A nd as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.

They went from city to city and told the Christians what the missionaries and the church leaders in Jerusalem had written for the Christians to do.

5 S o the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily. The Macedonian Call

The churches were made stronger in the faith. More people were added each day. Paul Is Called to Macedonia in a Dream

6 N ow when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.

They went through the countries of Phrygia and Galatia. The Holy Spirit kept them from preaching the Word of God in the countries of Asia.

7 A fter they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.

When they came to the city of Mysia, they tried to go on to the city of Bithynia but the Holy Spirit would not let them go.

8 S o passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

From Mysia they went down to the city of Troas.

9 A nd a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

That night Paul had a dream. A man was standing in front of him crying out, “Come over to the country of Macedonia and help us!”

10 N ow after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. Lydia Baptized at Philippi

After he had seen this, we agreed that God told us to go to Macedonia to tell them the Good News. Lydia, the First Christian in Europe

11 T herefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis,

We took a ship from the city of Troas to the city of Samothracia. The next day we went to the city of Neapolis.

12 a nd from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days.

From there we went to the city of Philippi. This was an important city in Macedonia. It was ruled by the leaders of the country of Rome. We stayed here for some days.

13 A nd 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 met there.

On the Day of Rest we went outside the city to a place down by the river. We thought people would be gathering there for prayer. Some women came and we sat down and talked to them.

14 N ow a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.

One of the women who listened sold purple cloth. She was from the city of Thyatira. Her name was Lydia and she was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to hear what Paul said.

15 A nd when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us. Paul and Silas Imprisoned

When she and her family had been baptized, she said to us, “If you think I am faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house.” She kept on asking. Then we went with her. Paul Heals a Girl with a Demon

16 N ow it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.

One day as we were going to the place to pray, we met a servant-girl who could tell what was going to happen in the future by a demon she had. Her owner made much money from her power.

17 T his 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.”

She followed Paul and us crying out, “These are servants of the Highest God. They are telling you how to be saved from the punishment of sin.”

18 A nd 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.

She did this many days. Paul was troubled. Then he turned and said to the demon in her, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I speak to you. Come out of her!” At once it left her. Paul and Silas in Jail

19 B ut when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.

The girl’s owners saw that they could not make money with her anymore. Then they took hold of Paul and Silas and dragged them to the leaders. This happened in the center of town where people gather.

20 A nd they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city;

After they brought them in front of the leaders, they said, “These men are Jews and are making a lot of trouble in our city.

21 a nd they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.”

They are teaching a religion that we Romans are not allowed to follow.”

22 T hen the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods.

Many people had gathered around Paul and Silas. They were calling out things against them. The leaders had the clothes of Paul and Silas taken off and had them beaten with sticks.

23 A nd when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely.

After they had hit them many times, they put Paul and Silas in prison. The soldiers told the man who watched the prison to be sure to keep them from getting away.

24 H aving received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. The Philippian Jailer Saved

Because of this, they were put in the inside room of the prison and their feet were put in pieces of wood that held them.

25 B ut at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs of thanks to God. The other men in prison were listening to them.

26 S uddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

All at once the earth started to shake. The stones under the prison shook and the doors opened. The chains fell off from everyone.

27 A nd 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.

The man who watched the prison woke up. He saw the prison doors wide open and thought the men in prison had gotten away. At once he pulled out his sword to kill himself.

28 B ut Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”

But Paul called to him, “Do not hurt yourself. We are all here!”

29 T hen he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.

The man who watched the prison called for a light. Then he ran in and got down in front of Paul and Silas. He was shaking with fear.

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

As he took them outside, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 S o they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

They said, “Put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and you and your family will be saved from the punishment of sin.”

32 T hen they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

Then Paul spoke the Word of God to him and his family.

33 A nd he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.

It was late at night, but the man who watched the prison took Paul and Silas in and washed the places on their bodies where they were hurt. Right then he and his family were baptized.

34 N ow 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

He took Paul and Silas to his house and gave them food. He and all his family were full of joy for having put their trust in God. Paul and Silas Are Allowed to Go Free

35 A nd when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.”

When it was day, the leaders sent a soldier to say, “Let these men go free.”

36 S o 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.”

The man who watched the prison told this to Paul. He said, “The leaders have sent word to let you go free. Come out now and go without any trouble.”

37 B ut Paul said to them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.”

Paul said, “No! They have beaten us in front of many people without a trial. We are Roman citizens and they have put us in prison. Now do they think they can send us away without anyone knowing? No! They must come themselves and take us out.”

38 A nd the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans.

The soldiers told this to the leaders. Then the leaders were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

39 T hen they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city.

They went themselves and told Paul and Silas they were sorry. Then they took them out and asked them to leave their city.

40 S o they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.

Paul and Silas went to Lydia’s house after they left the prison. They met with the Christians and gave them comfort. Then they went away from the city.