Acts 16

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

1 # Acts 14.6; 19.22; Rom 16.21; 1 Cor 4.17; 2 Tim 1.2, 5 Paul#16.1 Gk He went on also to Derbe and to Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2He was well spoken of by the brothers and sisters in Lystra and Iconium. 3#Gal 2.3Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4#Acts 11.30; 15.2, 28, 29As they went from town to town, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5#Acts 15.41So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in numbers daily.

Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia

6 # Acts 2.9; 18.23 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7#v 8; Lk 24.49; Rom 8.9; Gal 4.6When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; 8#v 11; 2 Cor 2.12; 2 Tim 4.13so, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9#Acts 9.10; 18.5; 20.1, 3; 27.2During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10#2 Cor 2.13When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.

The Conversion of Lydia

11 # v 8 ; 2 Tim 4.13We therefore#16.11 Other ancient authorities lack therefore set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, 12#Acts 18.5; 19.21, 22, 29; 20.1, 3; 27.2; Phil 1.1and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. 13On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed#16.13 Other ancient authorities read where, according to the custom, there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15#Lk 24.29; Acts 11.14When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

16 # Deut 18.11; 1 Sam 28.3, 7 One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a female slave who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. 17#Mk 5.7While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you#16.17 Other ancient authorities read to us the way of salvation.” 18She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

19 # Acts 15.40; 17.6, 7; 19.25, 26; Jas 2.6 But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities. 20#Acts 17.6When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, “These men, these Jews, are disturbing our city 21and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us, being Romans, to adopt or observe.” 22#2 Cor 11.23, 25; 1 Thess 2.2The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 23#vv 27, 36After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. 24#Jer 20.2, 3Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 # Eph 5.19 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26#Acts 4.31; 5.19; 12.7, 10Suddenly there was an earthquake so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. 27#Acts 12.19When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29The jailer#16.29 Gk He called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30#Acts 2.37; 9.6; 22.10Then he brought them outside and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31#Jn 3.16, 36; 6.47; 1 Jn 5.10They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32They spoke the word of the Lord#16.32 Other ancient authorities read word of God to him and to all who were in his house. 33At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. 34#Acts 11.14He brought them up into the house and set food before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.

35When morning came, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36#vv 23, 27And the jailer reported the message to Paul, saying, “The magistrates sent word to let you go; therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37#Acts 22.25–27But Paul replied, “They have beaten us in public, uncondemned, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison, and now are they going to discharge us in secret? Certainly not! Let them come and take us out themselves.” 38#Acts 22.29The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, 39#Mt 8.34so they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 40#v 14After leaving the prison they went to Lydia’s home, and when they had seen and encouraged the brothers and sisters there, they departed.

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