Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

1And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father, 2who was well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium. 3Paul wanted this one to go forth with him, and having taken him, he circumcised him on account of the Jews being in those parts; for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

4And while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering to them to keep the decrees decided on by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5So indeed the churches were strengthened in the faith and were increasing in number every day.

Paul's Vision of the Macedonian

6And having passed through Phrygia and the Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia, 7and having come down to Mysia, they were attempting to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8And having passed by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

9And a vision appeared to Paul during the night: A certain man of Macedonia was standing and beseeching him and saying, “Having passed over into Macedonia, help us.” 10Now when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go forth to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi
(Revelation 2:18-29)

11And having sailed from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and on the following day to Neapolis, 12and from there to Philippi, which is the leading city of the district of Macedonia, a colony. Now we were staying some days in this city.

13And on the day of the Sabbaths, we went forth outside the city gate, by a river, where there was customary to be a place of prayer. And having sat down, we began speaking to the women having gathered.

14And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, worshiping God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to attend to the things being spoken by Paul. 15And when she was baptized, and her house, she begged, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, having entered into my house, abide.” And she persuaded us.

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

16Now it happened of us going to the place of prayer, a certain girl, having a spirit of Python,a met us, who was bringing her masters much gain by fortune-telling. 17Having followed Paul and us, she was crying out, saying, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”

18And she continued this for many days. And Paul having been distressed and having turned, said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out from her.” And it came out that hour.

19Now her masters having seen that their hope of profit was gone, having taken hold of Paul and Silas, dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20And having brought them up to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city 21and preach customs that it is not lawful for us, being Romans, to accept nor to practice.”

22And the crowd rose up together against them, and the magistrates having torn off their garments, were commanding that they be beaten with rods. 23And having laid many blows on them, they cast them into prison, having charged the jailer to keep them securely, 24who having received such an order, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

The Conversion of the Jailer

25Now toward midnight, Paul and Silas praying, were singing praises to God. And the prisoners were listening to them. 26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that foundations of the prison house were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and the chains of all were loosed.

27And the jailer having been awoken and having seen the doors of the prison open, having drawn his sword was about to kill himself, supposing the prisoners to have escaped. 28But Paul called out in a loud voice saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!”

29And having called for lights, he rushed in, and having become terrified, he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30And having brought them out, he was saying, “Sirs, what is necessary of me to do, that I may be saved?”

31And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him along with all those in his house. 33And having taken them in that hour of the night, he washed them from the wounds, and immediately he was baptized, and all his household. 34And having brought them into the house, he laid a table for them and rejoiced with all his household, having believed in God.

An Official Apology

35And day having come, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Release those men.”

36And the jailer reported these words to Paul: “The captains have sent that you may be let go. Now therefore having gone out, depart in peace.”

37But Paul was saying to them, “Having beaten us publicly, uncondemned men being Romans, they cast us into prison, and now do they throw us out secretly? No indeed! Instead, having come themselves, let them bring us out.”

38And the officers reported these words to the captains, and they were afraid, having heard that they are Romans. 39And having come, they appealed to them, and having brought them out, they were asking them to go out of the city. 40And having gone forth out of the prison, they came to Lydia, and having seen them, they exhorted the brothers and departed.

a 16 Greek Python, a spirit of divination named after the mythical serpent slain by Apollo