Acts 16

Strengthening the Churches Acts 16:4–5

⁴Verse 4. As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them to keep which had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem. ⁵Verse 5. So the assemblies were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Divine Guidance in Travel Acts 16:6–10

⁶Verse 6. When they had gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. ⁷Verse 7. When they had come opposite Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit didn’t allow them. ⁸Verse 8. Passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. ⁹Verse 9. A vision appeared to Paul in the night. There was a man of Macedonia standing, begging him, and saying, “Come over into Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰Verse 10. When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go out to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the Good News to them.

Lydia's Conversion Acts 16:11–15

¹¹Verse 11. Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis; ¹²Verse 12. and from there to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the foremost of the district, a Roman colony. We were staying some days in this city. ¹³Verse 13. On the Sabbath day we went outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down, and spoke to the women who had come together. ¹⁴Verse 14. A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul.

¹⁵Verse 15. When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and stay.” So she persuaded us.

Conflict with Authorities Acts 16:16–24

¹⁶Verse 16. As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. ¹⁷Verse 17. Following Paul and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!” ¹⁸Verse 18. She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very hour. ¹⁹Verse 19. But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

²⁰Verse 20. When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, are agitating our city, ²¹Verse 21. and advocate customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.” ²²Verse 22. The multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their clothes from them, and commanded them to be beaten with rods. ²³Verse 23. When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely, ²⁴Verse 24. who, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks.

Miraculous Prison Break Acts 16:25–34

²⁵Verse 25. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶Verse 26. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were loosened. ²⁷Verse 27. The jailer, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸Verse 28. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Don’t harm yourself, for we are all here!” ²⁹Verse 29. He called for lights, sprang in, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas,

³⁰Verse 30. brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ³¹Verse 31. They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” ³²Verse 32. They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house. ³³Verse 33. He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household. ³⁴Verse 34. He brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his household, having believed in God.

Release and Departure Acts 16:35–40

³⁵Verse 35. But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, “Let those men go.” ³⁶Verse 36. The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore come out, and go in peace.” ³⁷Verse 37. But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most certainly, but let them come themselves and bring us out!” ³⁸Verse 38. The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, ³⁹Verse 39. and they came and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to depart from the city.

⁴⁰Verse 40. They went out of the prison, and entered into Lydia’s house. When they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them, and departed.