Acts 15:36-16:40

New International Version

Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas

³⁶ Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns^(A) where we preached the word of the Lord^(B) and see how they are doing.” ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark,^(C) with them, ³⁸ but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them^(D) in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. ³⁹ They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas^(E) and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.^{(F) 41} He went through Syria^(G) and Cilicia,^(H) strengthening the churches.^(I)

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra,^(J) where a disciple named Timothy^(K) lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer^(L) but whose father was a Greek. ² The believers^(M) at Lystra and Iconium^(N) spoke well of him. ³ Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.^{(O) 4} As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders^(P) in Jerusalem^(Q) for the people to obey.^{(R) 5} So the churches were strengthened^(S) in the faith and grew daily in numbers.^(T)

Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia

⁶ Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia^(U) and Galatia,^(V) having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.^{(W) 7} When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus^(X) would not allow them to. ⁸ So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.^{(Y) 9} During the night Paul had a vision^(Z) of a man of Macedonia^(AA) standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ After Paul had seen the vision, we^(AB) got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel^(AC) to them.

Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi

¹¹ From Troas^(AD) we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. ¹² From there we traveled to Philippi,^(AE) a Roman colony and the leading city of that district^[a] of Macedonia.^(AF) And we stayed there several days.

¹³ On the Sabbath^(AG) we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. ¹⁴ One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira^(AH) named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart^(AI) to respond to Paul’s message. ¹⁵ When she and the members of her household^(AJ) were baptized,^(AK) she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

¹⁶ Once when we were going to the place of prayer,^(AL) we were met by a female slave who had a spirit^(AM) by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God,^(AN) who are telling you the way to be saved.” ¹⁸ She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.^(AO)

¹⁹ When her owners realized that their hope of making money^(AP) was gone, they seized Paul and Silas^(AQ) and dragged^(AR) them into the marketplace to face the authorities. ²⁰ They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar^{(AS) 21} by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans^(AT) to accept or practice.”^(AU)

²² The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.^{(AV) 23} After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer^(AW) was commanded to guard them carefully. ²⁴ When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.^(AX)

²⁵ About midnight^(AY) Paul and Silas^(AZ) were praying and singing hymns^(BA) to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.^(BB) At once all the prison doors flew open,^(BC) and everyone’s chains came loose.^{(BD) 27} The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped.^{(BE) 28} But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

²⁹ The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.^{(BF) 30} He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”^(BG)

³¹ They replied, “Believe^(BH) in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved^(BI)—you and your household.”^{(BJ) 32} Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. ³³ At that hour of the night^(BK) the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.^{(BL) 34} The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he^(BM) was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

³⁵ When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” ³⁶ The jailer^(BN) told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”^(BO)

³⁷ But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens,^(BP) and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”

³⁸ The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed.^{(BQ) 39} They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city.^{(BR) 40} After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house,^(BS) where they met with the brothers and sisters^(BT) and encouraged them. Then they left.