Chapter 16 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra, and, behold, a certain disciple
was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess,
and believed.
But his father was a Greek, which was well reported of by the brethren that were at
Lystra and Iconium.
Him would Paul have to go forth with him, and took and circumcised him because of
the Jews which were in those quarters, for they knew all that his father was a
Greek.
And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to
keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, and were
forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to
Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia, but the spirit suffered them not.
And they, passing by Mysia, came down to Troas, and a vision appeared to Paul in
the night.
There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into
Macedonia, and help us.
And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into
Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the
gospel unto them.
Therefore, loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to
Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis, and from thence to Philippi, which is the
chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony.
And we were in that city abiding certain days.
And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a riverside, where prayer was wont to
be made.
And we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of
Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us, whose heart the Lord opened,
that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
And when she was baptized and her household, she besought us, saying,
If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there.
And she constrained us.
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel, possessed with the
spirit of divination, met us, which brought her masters much gain by
soothsaying.
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the
servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.
And this did she many days.
But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee,
in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her.
And he came out the same hour.
And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and
Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, and brought them to the
magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our
city, and teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to
observe, being Romans.
And the multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates rent off their
clothes, and commanded to beat them.
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison,
charging the jailer to keep them safely, who, having received such a charge,
thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stalks.
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God, and the
prisoners heard them.
And 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 bands were loosed.
And the keeper of the prison, awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors
open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the
prisoners had been fled.
But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm, for we are all
here.
Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before
Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be
saved?
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,
and thy house.
And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes,
and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them,
and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeant, saying, Let those men go.
And the keeper of the prison told this, saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent
to let you go, now therefore depart, and go in peace.
But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly, uncondemned, being Romans,
and have cast us into prison.
And now do they thrust us out privily?
Nay, verily, but let them come themselves, and fetch us out.
And the sergeants told these words unto the magistrates, and they feared when they
heard that they were Romans.
And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to
depart out of the city.
And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia.
And when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.