Acts 16:9-40

9And 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.” 10And when Paul ▼

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had seen the vision, immediately ^bwe sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

The Conversion of Lydia

11So, setting sail from Troas, we ^cmade a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12and from there to ^dPhilippi, which is a leading city of the ▼

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district of Macedonia and ^fa Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. 13And ^gon the Sabbath day we went outside the gate ^hto the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we ⁱsat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, ^jwho was a worshiper of God. The Lord ^kopened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15And after she was baptized, ^land 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 ^mprevailed upon us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

16As we were going to ⁿthe place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had ^oa spirit of ^pdivination and ^qbrought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17She followed Paul and us, ^rcrying out, “These men are ^sservants ▼

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of ^uthe Most High God, who proclaim to you ^vthe way of salvation.” 18And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ^w“I command you ^xin the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And ^yit came out that very hour.

19But ^zwhen her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and ^aadragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21They ^abadvocate customs that are not lawful for us ^acas Romans to accept or practice.” 22The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders ^adto beat them with rods. 23And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24Having received this order, he put them into the inner ^aeprison and fastened their feet in ^afthe stocks.

The Philippian Jailer Converted

25 ^agAbout midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26and suddenly ^ahthere was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately ^aiall the doors were opened, and ^ajeveryone’s bonds were unfastened. 27When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and ^akwas about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29And the jailer ▼

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called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he ^amfell down before Paul and Silas. 30Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, ^anwhat must I do to be ^aosaved?” 31And they said, ^ap“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you ^aqand your household.” 32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33And he took them ^arthe same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he ^aswas baptized at once, he and all his family. 34Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he ^atrejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

35But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, ^auuncondemned, 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.” 38The police reported these words to the magistrates, and ^avthey were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and ^awasked them to leave the city. 40So they went out of the prison and visited ^axLydia. And when they had seen ^aythe brothers, they encouraged them and departed.