New Living Translation

English Standard Version

1Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek.

1Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.

2Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium,

2He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium.

3so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek.

3Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

4Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.

4As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.

5So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day. A Call from Macedonia

5So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.

6Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.

6And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.

7Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there.

7And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.

8So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.

8So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.

9That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!”

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.”

10So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there. Lydia of Philippi Believes in Jesus

10And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

11We boarded a boat at Troas and sailed straight across to the island of Samothrace, and the next day we landed at Neapolis.

11So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis,

12From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days.

12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days.

13On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there.

13And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

14One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.

14One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

15She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed. Paul and Silas in Prison

15And after she was baptized, 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 prevailed upon us.

16One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes.

16As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.

17She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”

17She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”

18This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.

18And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

19Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace.

19But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

20“The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials.

20And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city.

21“They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”

21They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.”

22A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods.

22The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.

23They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape.

23And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.

24So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

24Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.

25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

26Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!

26and 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 unfastened.

27The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself.

27When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

28But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”

28But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”

29The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.

29And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.

30Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

30Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”

31And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

32And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household.

32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

33Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized.

33And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.

34He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.

34Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

35The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!”

35But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.”

36So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.”

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 replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!”

37But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, 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.”

38When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

38The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.

39So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city.

39So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.

40When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.

40So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.