‏ Acts 16

1Then came he to Derbe and to Lystra: and beholde, a certaine disciple was there named Timotheus, a womans sonne, which was a Iewesse and beleeued, but his father was a Grecian,

2Of whom the brethren which were at Lystra and Iconium, reported well.

3Therefore Paul would that he should go forth with him, and tooke and circumcised him, because of ye Iewes, which were in those quarters: for they knewe all, that his father was a Grecian.

4And as they went through the cities, they deliuered them the decrees to keepe, ordeined of the Apostles and Elders, which were at Hierusalem.

5And so were the Churches stablished in the faith, and encreased in number daily.

6Nowe when they had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden of the holy Ghost to preache the worde in Asia.

7Then came they to Mysia, and sought to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

8Therefore they passed through Mysia, and came downe to Troas,

9Where a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There stoode a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come into Macedonia, and helpe vs.

10And after he had seene the vision, immediatly we prepared to goe into Macedonia, being assured that the Lord had called vs to preache the Gospel vnto them.

11Then went we forth from Troas, and with a straight course came to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis,

12And from thence to Philippi, which is the chiefe citie in ye partes of Macedonia, and whose inhabitants came from Rome to dwell there, and we were in that citie abiding certaine dayes.

13And on the Sabbath day, we went out of the citie, besides a Riuer, where they were wont to pray: and we sate downe, and spake vnto the women, which were come together.

14And a certaine woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the citie of the Thyatirians, which worshipped God, heard vs: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended vnto the things, which Paul spake.

15And when she was baptized, and her houshold, she besought vs, saying, If ye haue iudged me to be faithfull to ye Lord, come into mine house, and abide there: and she constrained vs.

16And it came to passe that as we went to prayer, a certaine maide hauing a spirit of diuination, mette vs, which gate her masters much vantage with diuining.

17She followed Paul and vs, and cryed, saying, These men are the seruants of the most high God, which shewe vnto you the way of saluation.

18And this did she many dayes: but Paul being grieued, turned about, and said to the spirit, I commaund thee in the Name of Iesus Christ, that thou come out of her. And he came out the same houre.

19Nowe when her masters sawe that the hope of their gaine was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drewe them into the market place vnto the Magistrates,

20And brought them to the gouernours, saying, These men which are Iewes, trouble our citie,

21And preache ordinances, which are not lawfull for vs to receiue, neither to obserue, seeing we are Romanes.

22The people also rose vp together against them, and the gouernours rent their clothes, and commanded them to be beaten with roddes.

23And when they had beaten them sore, they cast them into prison, commaunding the Iayler to keepe them surely.

24Who hauing receiued such commandement, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feete fast in the stockes.

25Nowe at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sung Psalmes vnto God: and the prisoners heard them.

26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison was shaken: and by and by all the doores opened, and euery mans bands were loosed.

27Then the keeper of the prison waked out of his sleepe, and when he sawe the prison doores open, he drewe out his sword and would haue killed himselfe, supposing the prisoners had bin fled.

28But Paul cryed with a loude voyce, saying, Doe thy selfe no harme: for we are all here.

29Then he called for a light, and leaped in, and came trembling, and fell downe before Paul and Silas,

30And brought them out, and said, Syrs, what must I doe to be saued?

31And they saide, Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ, and thou shalt be saued, and thine houshold.

32And they preached vnto him the worde of the Lord, and to all that were in the house.

33Afterwarde he tooke them the same houre of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized with all that belonged vnto him, straigthway.

34And when he had brought them into his house, he set meate before them, and reioyced that he with all his houshold beleeued in God.

35And when it was day, the gouernours sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men goe.

36Then the keeper of the prison tolde these woordes vnto Paul, saying, The gouerness haue sent to loose you: nowe therefore get you hence, and goe in peace.

37Then sayde Paul vnto them, After that they haue beaten vs openly vncodemned, which are Romanes, they haue cast vs into prison, and nowe would they put vs out priuily? nay verely: but let them come and bring vs out.

38And the sergeants tolde these woordes vnto the gouernours, who feared whe they heard that they were Romanes.

39Then came they and praied them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the citie.

40And they went out of the prison, and entred into the house of Lydia: and when they had seene the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.