Acts 16
New Testament for Everyone
Timothy—and new developments
16 Paul went on further, to Derbe and then Lystra. There was a disciple there by the name of Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but with a Greek father. 2 The Christians in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to go with them, so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews in those regions, since they all knew that his father was Greek. 4 When they went through the cities, they handed on to them the decisions which had been taken by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, so that they could observe them. 5 The churches were strengthened in faith, and grew in number every day.
6 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, since the holy spirit had forbidden them to speak the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the spirit of Jesus didn’t allow them to do so. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 Then a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man from Macedonia was standing there, pleading with him, and saying, “Come across to Macedonia and help us!” 10 When he saw the vision, at once we set about finding a way to get across to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the good news to them.
Preaching and prison in Philippi
11 So we sailed away from Troas and made a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis. 12 From there we went on to Philippi, a Roman colony, the chief city of the district of Macedonia. We stayed in this city for some days.
13 On the sabbath day we went outside the gate to a place by a river where we reckoned there was a place of prayer, and there we sat down. Some women had gathered, and we spoke to them. 14 There was a woman called Lydia, a godfearer, who was a seller of purple from Thyatira. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying. 15 She was baptized, with all her household.
“If you have judged me faithful to the Lord,” she begged us, “please come and stay at my home.”
So she persuaded us.
16 As we were going to the place of prayer we were met by a girl who had a spirit of divination. She and her oracles made a good living for her owners. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us.
“These men are servants of God Most High!” she would shout out. “They are declaring to you the way of salvation!”
18 She did this for many days. Eventually, Paul got fed up with it. He turned round and addressed the spirit.
“I command you in the name of Jesus the Messiah,” he said, “come out of her!”
And it came out then and there.
19 When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of profit had vanished, they seized Paul and Silas, dragged them into the public square before the authorities, 20 and presented them to the magistrates.
“These men,” they said, “are throwing our city into an uproar! They are Jews, 21 and they are teaching customs which it’s illegal for us Romans to accept or practice!”
22 The crowd joined in the attack on them, and the magistrates had their clothes torn off them and gave orders for them to be beaten with rods. 23 When they had thoroughly beaten them, they threw them into prison, and gave orders to the jailer to guard them securely. 24 With that instruction, he put them into the innermost part of the prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Earthquake and salvation
25 Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a huge earthquake, which shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open, and everyone’s chains became loose. 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted at the top of his voice, “Don’t harm yourself! We’re all still here!”
29 The jailer called for lights and rushed in. Trembling all over, he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them outside.
“Gentlemen,” he said, “will you please tell me how I can get out of this mess?”
31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus,” they replied, “and you will be rescued—you and your household.”
32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him, with everyone who was in his house. 33 He took them, at that very hour of the night, and washed their wounds. Then at once he was baptized, and all his household with him. 34 Then he took them into his house, put food on the table, and rejoiced with his whole house that he had believed in God.
Publicly vindicated
35 When day broke, the magistrates sent their officers with the message, “Let those men go.” 36 The jailer passed on what they said to Paul.
“The magistrates have sent word that you should be released,” he said. “So now you can leave and go in peace.”
37 But Paul objected.
“We are Roman citizens!” he said. “They beat us in public without a trial, they threw us into prison, and now they are sending us away secretly? No way! Let them come themselves and take us out.”
38 The officers reported these words to the magistrates. When they heard that they were Roman citizens, they were afraid. 39 They went and apologized, brought them out of the prison, and requested that they leave the city. 40 So when they had left the prison they went to Lydia’s house. There they saw and encouraged the brothers and sisters, and then they went on their way.
Acts 16
English Standard Version
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
16 Paul[a] came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named (A)Timothy, (B)the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by (C)the brothers[b] at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he (D)took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance (E)the decisions (F)that had been reached by (G)the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 (H)So the churches were strengthened in (I)the faith, and they increased in numbers (J)daily.
The Macedonian Call
6 And (K)they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but (L)the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down (M)to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul[c] had seen the vision, immediately (N)we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
The Conversion of Lydia
11 So, setting sail from Troas, we (O)made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to (P)Philippi, which is a leading city of the[d] district of Macedonia and (Q)a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. 13 And (R)on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate (S)to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we (T)sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, (U)who was a worshiper of God. The Lord (V)opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, (W)and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she (X)prevailed upon us.
Paul and Silas in Prison
16 As we were going to (Y)the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had (Z)a spirit of (AA)divination and (AB)brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, (AC)crying out, “These men are (AD)servants of (AE)the Most High God, who proclaim to you (AF)the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, (AG)“I command you (AH)in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And (AI)it came out that very hour.
19 But (AJ)when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and (AK)dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They (AL)advocate customs that are not lawful for us (AM)as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders (AN)to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner (AO)prison and fastened their feet in (AP)the stocks.
The Philippian Jailer Converted
25 (AQ)About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly (AR)there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately (AS)all the doors were opened, and (AT)everyone's bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and (AU)was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailer[e] called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he (AV)fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, (AW)what must I do to be (AX)saved?” 31 And they said, (AY)“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you (AZ)and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them (BA)the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he (BB)was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he (BC)rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, (BD)uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” 38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and (BE)they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and (BF)asked them to leave the city. 40 So they went out of the prison and visited (BG)Lydia. And when they had seen (BH)the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.
Footnotes
- Acts 16:1 Greek He
- Acts 16:2 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 40
- Acts 16:10 Greek he
- Acts 16:12 Or that
- Acts 16:29 Greek he
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
