Acts, 16

1. Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father [was] a Greek:

1. Paul traveled on to Derbe and then to Lystra. A disciple named Timothy lived there, whose mother was a believer of Jewish origin but whose father was a Greek.

2. Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.

2. As the believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him, Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him.

3. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

3. So he took him and, because of the Jews of that place who all knew that his father was a Greek, he circumcised him.

4. And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.

4. As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions of the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, for the people to obey.

5. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

5. Meanwhile, the churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number every day.

6. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,

6. They traveled through Phrygia and Galatia, because they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit from preaching the message in the province of Asia.

7. After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

7. When they came to Mysia, they tried to go on to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to do this.

8. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.

8. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.

9. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

9. There one night Paul had a vision. A Macedonian stood before him and begged him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!"

10. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

10. When he awoke, he told us of this vision and we understood that the Lord was calling us to give the Good News to the Macedonian people.

11. Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next [day] to Neapolis;

11. So we put out to sea from Troas and sailed straight across to Samothrace Island, and the next day to Neapolis.

12. And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, [and] a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.

12. From there we went inland to Philippi, the leading city of the district of Macedonia, and a Roman colony. We spent some days in that city.

13. And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted [thither].

13. On the sabbath we went outside the city gate to the bank of the river where we thought the Jews would gather to pray. We sat down and began speaking to the women who were gathering there.

14. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard [us]: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

14. One of them was a God-fearing woman named Lydia from Thyatira City, a dealer in purple cloth. As she listened, the Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying.

15. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought [us], saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide [there]. And she constrained us.

15. After she had been baptized together with her household, she invited us to her house, "If you think I am faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us to accept her invitation.

16. And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

16. One day, as we were on our way to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a divining spirit and gained much profit for her owners by her fortune-telling.

17. The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

17. She followed Paul and the rest of us shouting, "These people are servants of the Most High God. They will make known to you a way of salvation."

18. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

18. The girl did this for several days until Paul was annoyed. Then he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you, come out of her!" The spirit went out of her that very moment.

19. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew [them] into the marketplace unto the rulers,

19. When her owners realized that all the profits they expected had gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the local authorities.

20. And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,

20. And when they had turned them over to the officials, they said,

21. And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

21. "These people are Jews and they are disturbing our city. They have come here to introduce customs which are not lawful for us Romans to adopt or practice."

22. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat [them].

22. So they set the crowd against them and the officials tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered them to be flogged.

23. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast [them] into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

23. And after inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to guard them safely.

24. Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

24. Upon receiving these instructions, he threw them into the inner cell and fastened their feet between heavy blocks of wood.

25. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

25. About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.

26. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

26. Suddenly a severe earthquake shook the place, rocking the prison to its foundations. Immediately all the doors flew open and the chains of all the prisoners fell off.

27. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

27. The jailer woke up to see the prison gates wide open. Thinking that the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword to kill himself,

28. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

28. but Paul shouted to him, "Do not harm yourself! We are all still here."

29. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

29. The jailer asked for a light, then rushed in, and fell at the feet of Paul and Silas.

30. And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

30. After he had secured the other prisoners, he led them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

31. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

31. They answered, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you and your household will be saved."

32. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

32. Then they spoke the word of God to him and to all his household.

33. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed [their] stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

33. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer took care of them and washed their wounds; and he and his whole household were baptized at once.

34. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

34. He led them to his house, spread a meal before them and joyfully celebrated with his whole household his newfound faith in God.

35. And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.

35. The next morning the officials sent police officers with the order, "Let those men go."

36. And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.

36. So the jailer said to Paul and Silas, "The officials have sent an order for you and Silas to be released. You may leave and go in peace."

37. But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast [us] into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.

37. But Paul said to him, "They flogged us publicly, and jailed us without trial, men who are Roman citizens; and now they want to smuggle us out secretly? Oh no! Let them come themselves and lead us out."

38. And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.

38. The police officers reported this to the officials, who were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

39. And they came and besought them, and brought [them] out, and desired [them] to depart out of the city.

39. So they went to the prison with many of their friends and invited them to leave, "We did not know that you were upright men." And when Paul and Silas were leaving, they added, "When you are out, please do not bring trouble on us for having spoken sharply to you."

40. And they went out of the prison, and entered into [the house of] Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

40. Once outside the prison, Paul and Silas went to Lydia's house where they met and encouraged the brothers and sisters, and then departed.