| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 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 to Derbe and then to Lystra, where he found a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father. |
| 2Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, | 2The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. |
| 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, so he took him and circumcised him on account of the Jews in that area, 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 from town to town, they delivered the decisions handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. |
| 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 grew daily in numbers. |
| 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. | 6After the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia. |
| 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 came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them. |
| 8So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. | 8So they passed by Mysia and 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!” | 9During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, “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 | 10As soon as Paul had seen the vision, we got ready to leave for 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. | 11We sailed from Troas straight to Samothrace, and the following day on 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. | 12From there we went to the Roman colony of Philippi, the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several 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. | 13On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there. |
| 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. | 14Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. |
| 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 when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded 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. | 16One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters 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.” | 17This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming 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. | 18She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment. |
| 19Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. | 19When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace. |
| 20“The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. | 20They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil |
| 21“They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.” | 21by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt 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 the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten 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 after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely. |
| 24So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. | 24On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell 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 other 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! | 26Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose. |
| 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 up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped. |
| 28But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” | 28But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!” |
| 29The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. | 29Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling 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 asked, “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.” | 31They replied, “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. | 32Then Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone 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. | 33At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized. |
| 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 into his home and set a meal before them. So he and all his household rejoiced that they had come to believe in God. |
| 35The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” | 35When daylight came, the magistrates sent their officers with the order: “Release those men.” |
| 36So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.” | 36The jailer informed Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders to release you. Now you may go on your way 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 the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!” |
| 38When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. | 38So the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, who were alarmed to hear that Paul and Silas 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. | 39They came to appease them and led them out, requesting that they 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. | 40After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house to see the brothers and encourage them. Then they left the city. |
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