{"meta":{"source":"Prime Bible","sourceUrl":"https://primebible.com","license":"Public domain (translation text); see citation policy at /citation-policy","organization":"501(c)(3) nonprofit — EIN 41-2531951","canonicalUrl":"https://primebible.com/web/acts/16","llmTxt":"https://primebible.com/llms.txt","generatedAt":"2026-05-31T05:44:56.894Z"},"reference":{"translation":"WEB","book":"Acts","bookSlug":"acts","chapter":16,"testament":"NEW"},"navigation":{"previousChapter":15,"nextChapter":17,"totalChapters":28,"totalVerses":40},"verses":[{"verseNumber":1,"text":"He came to Derbe and Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed; but his father was a Greek."},{"verseNumber":2,"text":"The brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium gave a good testimony about him."},{"verseNumber":3,"text":"Paul wanted to have him go out with him, and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts; for they all knew that his father was a Greek."},{"verseNumber":4,"text":"As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them to keep which had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem."},{"verseNumber":5,"text":"So the assemblies were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily."},{"verseNumber":6,"text":"When they had gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia."},{"verseNumber":7,"text":"When they had come opposite Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit didn't allow them."},{"verseNumber":8,"text":"Passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas."},{"verseNumber":9,"text":"A vision appeared to Paul in the night. There was a man of Macedonia standing, begging him, and saying, |Come over into Macedonia and help us.|"},{"verseNumber":10,"text":"When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go out to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the Good News to them."},{"verseNumber":11,"text":"Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis;"},{"verseNumber":12,"text":"and from there to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the foremost of the district, a Roman colony. We were staying some days in this city."},{"verseNumber":13,"text":"On the Sabbath day we went forth outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down, and spoke to the women who had come together."},{"verseNumber":14,"text":"A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul."},{"verseNumber":15,"text":"When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, |If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and stay.| So she persuaded us."},{"verseNumber":16,"text":"It happened, as we were going to prayer, that a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling."},{"verseNumber":17,"text":"Following Paul and us, she cried out, |These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!|"},{"verseNumber":18,"text":"She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, |I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!| It came out that very hour."},{"verseNumber":19,"text":"But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers."},{"verseNumber":20,"text":"When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, |These men, being Jews, are agitating our city,"},{"verseNumber":21,"text":"and set forth customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.|"},{"verseNumber":22,"text":"The multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their clothes off of them, and commanded them to be beaten with rods."},{"verseNumber":23,"text":"When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely,"},{"verseNumber":24,"text":"who, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks."},{"verseNumber":25,"text":"But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them."},{"verseNumber":26,"text":"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 loosened."},{"verseNumber":27,"text":"The jailer, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped."},{"verseNumber":28,"text":"But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, |Don't harm yourself, for we are all here!|"},{"verseNumber":29,"text":"He called for lights and sprang in, and, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas,"},{"verseNumber":30,"text":"and brought them out and said, |Sirs, what must I do to be saved?|"},{"verseNumber":31,"text":"They said, |Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.|"},{"verseNumber":32,"text":"They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house."},{"verseNumber":33,"text":"He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household."},{"verseNumber":34,"text":"He brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his household, having believed in God."},{"verseNumber":35,"text":"But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, |Let those men go.|"},{"verseNumber":36,"text":"The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, |The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore come out, and go in peace.|"},{"verseNumber":37,"text":"But Paul said to them, |They have beaten us publicly, without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most certainly, but let them come themselves and bring us out!|"},{"verseNumber":38,"text":"The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,"},{"verseNumber":39,"text":"and they came and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to depart from the city."},{"verseNumber":40,"text":"They went out of the prison, and entered into Lydia's house. When they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them, and departed."}],"citation":{"inline":"Acts 16 (WEB)","markdown":"[Acts 16](https://primebible.com/web/acts/16)","sbl":"Prime Bible. *The Bible.* WEB. https://primebible.com/web/acts/16 (accessed 2026-05-31)."}}